Auspicious

Beginnings
An introductory adventure for Weapons of the Gods

Author:

Jye Nicolson

Editing:

Ben Leong, Brad Elliott

Layout:

Ben Leong

Playtesting:

Eric Brennan and crew

Dylan Humphries, Lap Nguyen, Louise Zanon, Scott Vandervalk

Special thanks to:

Rebecca Orth and Louise Zanon for putting up with us!

Ta b l e o f C o n t e n t s

Chapters:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.

Introduction
Only Two Devils
Wulin
The Contest
The Adventure Loresheet
Militant Scholarship
Political Aggression
Wisdom of the Elders
The Ninefold Prosperity Pavilion
Auspicious Complications

3
6
13
17
23
26
29
33
36
41

Additional material:
Notes on NPCs
Character Sheet Primer
Character sheet: Xiao-li Pai, Warrior
Character sheet: Feng Guo, Warrior
Character sheet: Liang Shui, Courtier
Character sheet: Patience Meng, Scholar
NPC sheet: Mountain Chung, Warrior
NPC sheet: Emerald Zilong, Warrior
NPC sheet: Tan Dong, Courtier
NPC sheet: Clever Li-Li, Scholar
NPC sheet: Black-Saber Jin, Warrior
NPC sheet: Pretty Hark, Warrior
NPC sheet: Fei Hsiao, Courtier
NPC sheet: Doctor Jang-Lu, Scholar
Empty Hand Lieutenant and Minion Sheets

42
43
44
46
48
50
52
53
54
55
56
57
58
59
60

All Weapons of the Gods comics material - logos, illustrations, character concepts and story
et al - are copyright 2005 Jade Dynasty Publications Ltd. The Weapons of the Gods Roleplaying
Game, all text, concepts, game mechanics and presentation copyright 2005 Eos Entertainment LLC.
Reproduction without the written permission of the publisher is expressly forbidden, except for the
purposes of reviews and for blank character sheets and specic Lore sheets, which may be reproduced
for personal use only.
The mention or reference to any company or product in these pages is not a challenge to the
trademark or copyright concerned.
This adventure uses fantastical and supernatural elements in its setting, for its characters, their
abilities, and themes. All such elements are ction and intended for entertainment purposes only. This
adventure contains mature content and reader discretion is advised.
Check out Eos Press Online at http://www.eos-press.com !

1.

Introduction

Welcome! Auspicious Beginnings is a tutorial

adventure for Weapons of the Gods, designed to teach
the game to new players over a single 3-4 hour session
of play. Weve included pre-generated characters,
handouts, an adventure Loresheet and a fast-paced
adventure following the player characters through
the exotic Six Devils City: everything you need for a
one-shot, demo, or a pre-campaign warm up!

After the Tournament, the players are presented

with their rst Loresheet: a free Lore covering the
setting and destiny of the adventure. They are given
free Destiny to spend on this sheet, introducing the
concept of Lores and the fun of buying plot twists
through the Secrets of Destiny. While the structure
of the adventure (a total of three encounters) remains
static, the content is dictated by the players choices
on this Loresheet. As a group, they choose which of
the three sponsors takes their group into the district,
dictating the second scene: a task performed for that
sponsor. Individually, they choose which wondrous
object they are seeking,and what their motives are for
doing so. This informs why theyre working with the
other players. Finally, any spare destiny can be spent
on entanglements with NPCs either immediately,
or saved for when its appropriate in-game.

Auspicious Beginnings is also suitable for

campaign play for Rank 4 characters. You can expect
players who know the Weapons of the Gods system
to chew through the material presented here very
quickly though, so be ready to follow and embellish
any hooks that interest the players.
In order to t within a single-session timeframe,
the events of Auspicious Beginnings are fairly
linear, with a xed series of encounters. However,
the adventure introduces the concept of Loresheets
in such a way as to give the players a great deal of
control over the context and aesthetics of play, as well
as the destiny of the PCs and NPCs alike!

The second scene varies based on the sponsor

selected by the players, but by default its a set-piece
battle against inferior but numerous opponents,
where the PCs non-combat objective is violently
opposed by some of their rivals from the Tourney
and minions of their rivals sponsor. This gives the
players a chance to really ex their kung-fu for the
rst time, while keeping the focus of the scene on
something Scholar and Courtier characters will do
well at.

The Adventure
While far from the heart of Shen Zhou, Six Devils
City is brimming with young members of the Martial
Arts World, eager to gain fame. It is not the stark
beauty of the walled city rising out of the northern
deserts that draws them, nor the volatile mix of
mercenaries, merchants and scholars that so often
leads to opportunities for displaying kung fu. No, it
is the many wonders for sale in the citys fabulous
markets and back-alleys that draw the ghters of the
Wulin like so many ies to honey, for it is said, If it
was lost in war, go to Six Devils with a full purse to
nd it!

The big nale is in the Ninefold Prosperity Pavilion

the great marketplace of Prosperous Devil as the
heroes attempt to seize the wonders theyve come so
far for! Of course, their rivals from the Tourney are
equally keen to have the treasures, and the nature of
the wonders from the hyperactive Wind Monkey
to the large and fragile Mirror of Ying Zheng
complicate things yet further. This spectacular ght
scene wraps up the adventure, and should hopefully
have your players begging for more wuxia action!

The heroes are seeking the very rarest and most

spectacular of wonders, each for their own reasons,
and have come to Only Six Devils looking for them.
However, their purses are not full (or for their own
reasons they dont care to empty them), and these
magnicent wonders are behind the walls of the
exclusive Prosperous Devil district.
The PCs enter a contest to gain entrance to the
district and its legendary markets. This opening
scene acts rst and foremost as a tutorial, walking
the players through the core rules concepts. It also
introduces the major NPCs of the adventure: eight

1 . In t ro d u c t i o n

rivals in the Wulin also entering the tournament, and

three powerful residents of Prosperous Devil whose
sponsorship for entrance is being vied for. This scene
takes place in the chaotic and lawless squalor of Unruly
Devil District, in contrast to the opulence of the rest
of the game.

1 . In t ro d u c t i o n

Dont be stingy with Joss.

Advice for the Sage
Giving Joss for cool or in-genre behaviour at a fairly
Not only is this adventure written for rst-time
steady rate helps players feel that trying to be cool
Weapons of the Gods players, its quite likely that
and in-genre is worthwhile, without making them
this is your rst Weapons of the Gods game too! The
feel that painful over-acting is required! You dont
system isnt particularly complex, but mechanics
need to award Joss for every single action or turn,
such as the stacking rules and Too Many Cooks!
but this adventure isnt supposed to be dicult its
may be quite dierent from other games you may
supposed to be fun and fast, so dont be afraid that
played, so it doesnt hurt to give the players a heads
youll give too much. Also, remind the players that
up that youre learning just as they are.
they can each give one point of Joss to another player, once per session.
Read the adventure thoroughly beforehand.
Its quite short, so one or two read-throughs If you have time...
wont take you long. This isnt to memorise
Check out the many other Weapons of the Gods
the adventure, but to familiarise yourself with
resources online there are plenty of combat exit so that you can condently make your own
amples, rules summaries and other resources to give
decisions about events in play without needing to
you that extra bit of familiarity before running the
refer back to the text.
game. If you have any specic questions, try posting
them to the Eos Press forums or the rpg.net forums
Describe NPCs and locations naturally.
youre sure to get plenty of advice!
Weve given you handy cheat-sheets for each
scene, but youll give a better atmosphere by
giving descriptions in your own voice rather
than reading from the text. Its OK if you
miss a few details that way the events of the
adventure dont require the players to forensically
analyse your every word!

Uh, only two players showed up.

No problem. With less than four players, just
make sure you have at least one Warrior, and one
Courtier or Scholar, and you should be OK. You
should generally try to make sure they face fewer
Ranked opponents than their own numbers in
combat dont sweat numbers of Minions too
much, since theyre limited in how many can attack a single target anyway. Just make sure the
Minions run o if its appropriate rather than
ghting to the death.

Dont treat the adventure as an authority.

Nothing is more important than your
judgement on what will make the game more fun
for the players. Make changes on the y if you need
to, including breaking out of the adventures threeencounter structure if thats what the players want.
Its generally no fun to railroad the players into a
pre-determined story if thats not what they want.
However, its also fair to ask players to play along in
order to meet some real world constraint. If youre
running Auspicious Beginnings as a once-o, public
transport, game-store closing times or the length of
a convention session might make the fastest path
the most satisfying.

Be familiar with the adventure Loresheet.

Players with spare Destiny can change the destiny
of an NPC mid-session if they choose, so be prepared to deal with that. Just remember to make the
consequences fun and fair for the player: 3 Destiny
spent on a plot twist should be just as valuable as 3
Destiny spent on Iron Fists. If you arent condent
about dealing with on-the-y plot twists, ask your
players to spend all their destiny on the Loresheet
straight after the tourney. Send them on a
ten-minute snack run while you jot
down some notes...

actually, no, their four friends were

just a little late. Help!
5-6 players will be a little tricker, mostly because we havent given you that many detailed
PCs. However, we HAVE given you a whole lot
of stats and descriptions for 4th rank NPCs just
mix in some of the rivals as potential PCs, and you
should be ne. Ask the player to ll in any gaps
in personality if need be. If you end up running
short of NPCs in game as a consequence of this,
just re-use the stats of an existing NPC with a new
description.
The thing to watch out for is time extra
players will make the session longer. Try to use
more Minions rather than extra Ranked ghters,
and try to cut short table chatter to keep everyone
focused.

OK, heres the plan: we play through

Auspicious Beginnings, then buy Heavens Crystal from Tian.

There are few places in Shen Zhou as obnoxiously justication for spending Destiny on the Wealth
wealthy as Prosperous Devil. Many players will advantage. However, if a player does not do that,
quite reasonably decide that their characters the wealth isnt part of their destiny, and they fritter
deserve a piece of that action, and acquire valuables it away on good rice wine, courtesans, random acts
or money through fair means or foul. Its not even of Kuan, good lodgings and other such things. Its
particularly dicult!
customary to burn joss sticks for good (or gullible)
There is a dierence between scooping up customers in Shen Zhou, however, so if a player is
jewellery from a merchants stall and becoming in this position, give them a few points of joss to
rich, though, especially when youre trying to take the sting out of it. You might also point out
convert goods to wealth in a place like Unruly that spending the wealth on transitory advantages
Devil. Playing Auspicious Beginnings and making such as bribes, mercenaries or gifts is a good way to
an eort to gather valuables is automatically avoid this problem!

Tips for the Sage: Loresheets and Auspicious Beginnings

Encourage your players not to ponder the
adventure loresheet too long. While they do need
to decide on Sponsors up front, Splendours and
Motivations can be put o until just before the nal
scene, and everything else can simply be bought in
play. Theres no need to spend all 5 destiny straight
away, and certainly no need to spend half an hour
calculating the best possible way to do so.

Random good luck or random bad luck alone

wont win an encounter but it could easily give the
opportunity to do so. Good examples in combat
include upgrading a successful attack to a critical
(including critical eects that the attacker doesnt
have), having events cut an enemy o from his
friends for a turn (leaving him alone with the
PCs), lling or emptying the River of a character
etc. Out of combat could be a one-time bonus
(or penalty) on a roll, a minor character turning
out to be an old friend from childhood, or similar
benecial coincidence. If youre not condent
of coming up with something on the y, just
give the PC a couple of points of Joss and
let them make their own luck.

Its OK if the players dont really care

about their rivals at this point. While its preferable
for them to be engaged with the people theyll
be beating up, its not a disaster if theyre not
especially since they can buy plot twists later
if they become more interested in a given NPC.

1 . In t ro d u c t i o n

I want to play my own character!

You might have a player show up with their own Weapons of the Gods character ready to go. The adventure
doesnt require the pre-generated characters, but there are a few things you should look out for:
Too many/too few Warriors. The adventure
to a lesser extent Lores) may nd themselves a
has a lot of combat while its not hard, a
bit disadvantaged. Players wanting Courtier or
group without any warriors may nd it a bit of
Scholar concepts will probably nd the prea struggle. There is also a fair bit of emphasis
generated characters more successful in this
on skills like Learning, Grace and Awareness a
adventure.
group entirely consisting of Warriors might nd Require the character to work with the others.
they can beat their opponents but not complete
The pre-generated characters have no real reason
their objectives.
not to get along, but Nan or Bei clan characters
God Weapons. The adventure isnt meant to
could easily feel that they are enemies of Xiaobe dicult, but a God Weapon would make it a
Li Pai or Feng Guo for using their clans secret
walkover. Best avoided.
techniques. Its fair as the Sage to require that
Secret Arts. The adventure is very short-term.
the players come up with reasons why their
New characters with lots of Destiny sunk into
characters work together, even if it seems
long-term investments like Secret Arts (and
contrived.

2 . On l y Tw o De v i l s

2.

Only Two Devils

is lled with rich people and well-paid mercenaries.

Who wouldnt come here if they wanted to sell
An exotic and striking frontier city lled with something?
wealth and savagery, Only Six Devils is an iconic
Midnight narrowed her eyes and frowned at all
city for Weapons of the Gods, lled with all kinds of the sand. Im smarter than you, which is why that
delicious mystery.
doesnt make sense to me. Its too simple its all very
Youll forgive us, then, for saving a proper well once it gets going, but how did it get started?
treatment of the subject for a later supplement Which mad merchant was the rst to cross the
rather than this short adventure! Nevertheless, well bandit-riddled desert to buy loot from blood-crazed
certainly give you more than enough material to run mercenaries?
an exciting adventure, and enough hooks to come up
Kai smiled, the smell of dumplings from the street
with many more in the City of Six Devils.
hawkers of Unruly Devil already lling his nostrils.
Please note the following Lore is not the Loresheet You think too much, cousin! Only Six Devils has
for the adventure its not necessary for the players been here longer than theres been a country of Xia
to read it beforehand, and its primary purpose is to who would care more about how it earned its rst
familiarise the Sage with the setting of the adventure. coin than how it can help you earn your next one?
However, the material is presented in Loresheet
The City (Discussion)
format for use in further games, for experienced
Only Six Devils is the capital of the country of
groups likely to play the adventure, or indeed for
groups not playing through Auspicious Beginnings Xia, the seat of the mysterious Iron Shadow Warlord,
and the only part of his domain where outsiders
at all!
are allowed. Given Xias somewhat inexplicable but
The Time of Chaos
undeniable economic importance, theres no shortage
of outsiders, meaning the business of the entire nation
Six Devil City: With a full purse
is compressed into this one frenetic city!
Rarity acquisition in the City of Six Devils

Destiny Cost: 2
Study Diculty: Politics 20

Fortunately, all the loot taken by Xias mercenaries

in their many wars makes its way back to Six Devils,
and the mercenaries have cultivated a taste for the
most valuable and spectacular of salvage over the
years. This (along with the many parties of highly
varying virtue who take advantage of the unique
market conditions) makes the city the single best
place to nd rarities and wonders in all of Shen
Zhou, as well as the most likely place for a trip to the
markets to turn into a kung-fu brawl.

If it was lost in war, go to Six Devils with a full

purse to nd it

Hmph! Midnight grumped with an

uncharacteristic lack of grace as their horses crested
the rise. Only Six Devils, blue walls gleaming against
the harsh mountains of Xia behind it and the expanse
of the northern desert before it, was undermining her
complaints about the journey by being stubbornly
Only Six Devils is quite inaccessible overland,
majestic. Even the great Yellow River seemed to ow
requiring a trip through hard desert or harsh
past only to pay its respects! Very well, so it is pretty!
mountains, both of which are plagued by bandits. The
But its still in the middle of nowhere why is it
Yellow River is the most popular means of reaching
crawling with people?
the city, especially since joining Xia mercenary boats
Its a plunder-based economy! Kai oered on their way home tends to discourage pirates!
helpfully. Everyone knows that Xia has the best Anyone seeking complete safety on a journey to the
mercenaries, so theyre hired for every war worth city is advised to look like they carry nothing of value,
mentioning. Things go missing in every battle, so its or obtain a Good-health Flag via sizeable bribes to
not surprising that many of those things go home the agents of Unruly Devil Districts Governor Chen,
with the mercenaries. They dont bother taking who has arrangements with many of the bandit
anything cheap, so the city is lled with gangs.
valuables! Wealthy people come to
buy the treasures, so the city

Genius! exulted the hawker, turning happily to

Kai. You there Ill give you ten taels if you can
get me fty ducks and ve courtesans before anyone
arrives from the docks!
Kai blushed furiously, mouth agape, while
Midnight sighed. Cousin Kai, since youve obviously
gotten us killed in the desert, could you please tell
me how we ended up in the Hell of Preposterous
Madness?

Only the laws declared by the Iron Shadow Warlord

apply to the whole city, but the Governors have (and
cheerfully abuse!) similar authority within their
own districts. Most laws seem to stem from Legalist
philosophy: they are absolute with punishments
and rewards, and quite ineable in motivation. The
most important laws apply to freedom of movement:
while it is widely held that Only Six Devils is the
only place in Xia where you may come and go freely,
in truth its just that the Warlords laws concerning
personal freedom dont apply to the City the
Governors themselves have varied but very strict laws
on the subject. Luckily, the discerning shopper only
need concern themselves with two districts and their
Governors: Unruly Devil and Prosperous Devil.

Unruly Devil (Discussion)

Unruly Devil is the largest of the citys districts by
a considerable margin, and the district through which
every traveller passes. In fact, many have come and
gone from the city without realising that the other
ve districts were there, having mistaken Unruly
Devil for the city as a whole. As a result, Only Six
Devils reputation in Shen Zhou has been somewhat
coloured by the districts unique nature.
Cleaver Chen, the District Governor, is a most
enthusiastic Legalist indeed, it is rumoured
he practices Legalist Secret Arts that confound
Daoist and Confucianist alike. Unlike the other
governors, he has some practical constraints on
the laws he can pass the districts nature as the
gateway to Only Six Devils and Xia as a whole makes
it dicult for him to restrict movement into or
within the district. Thus, Unruly Devil is in fact the
only place in Xia that anyone can enter or leave as
they please Chen doesnt tell you where you can go.
He just tells you where you can live.

Festival Day
Kai had not been in the city for a minute when a
ock of ducks exploded out of shanty-style shacks to
his right, ying into a lavish merchant compound to
his left with an old peasant woman in hot pursuit. As
chaos ensued within, his attention was seized by the
spectacle of a Chengan Lord in splendid silks arguing
with his washerwoman neighbour about the laundrylines hanging into his property. All the while, a Zan
monk and a Daoist stared impassively at each other
from opposite sides of the street, enough sand and
dust upon them to show that they had been there for
several days at least.

The location of every house and business in

Unruly Devil is chosen by Chen or his subordinates,
not by their owner. If you take in a guest, business
partner or even a pet, Chen may decide to move
you. By default, he arranges the district in the most
staggeringly inappropriate fashion possible the
eect would remind you of a normal city picked
up and shued, if not for the amusing cruelty of
many placements. Many enterprising merchantstake
bets on the placement of newcomers, but wouldnt
oer odds on a contingent of Daoist nuns, since
theyre virtually guaranteed to end up between two
brothels.

Youve never actually been here before.

Midnights accusation was measured, her voice quiet
and terse. Kai couldnt do much but shrug.
Uncle San said it was a little rowdy, but
A hawker, just nishing setting up his stall slightly
to the left of the Daoist, peered past the two young
ghters and towards the river in the distance.
Hmm... good crowd o the docks today. Well
need a festival. He squinted at the screeching lord and
washerwoman. Hey! Todays a festival day, right?

This extraordinary urban planning technique

takes up a sizeable portion of Chens time, but
he seems to prot from, or at least enjoy,
the resulting chaos. While many get
around the problem with

The Lord cleared his throat irritably. How should

I know? It could be Woman-Chases-Duck Festival
for all I care!

2 . On l y Tw o De v i l s

Outsiders are usually told the citys colourful name

refers to its six districts, all of which bear the name
Devil (Unruly Devil, Prosperous Devil etc) or at
least the six District Governors, who are regarded as
quite devilish in practice if not in fact. Most outsiders
guess that this is a conversational tactic meant to
gauge their gullibility.

2 . On l y Tw o De v i l s

bribery, trickery, or being more frightening to their

neighbours than Chen, the scheme is successful
enough that the district as a whole is rigorously
unpredictable, notoriously dicult to navigate, and
multicultural to an extent seen nowhere else in Shen
Zhou. Rich rub shoulders with poor, turning an
alley can land you in a fteen-sided brawl over silk
tapestries and cows, and every festival known to man
is celebrated in its streets. So great is the variety of
festivals and celebrations that no-one can keep up
instead, most residents have grown used to throwing
themselves into every opportunity to celebrate, real
or fabricated, and then going back to arguing with
their neighbours.

youre asking would only feed a village for a year.

Why not raise your price and get two or three years
of security?

The golden statue of Nwa gazed benecently

over the stately yet bustling market, but with her eyes
gazing forward she could not see the man at her feet!
A young warrior, tired and nursing wounds, knelt
amidst the splendour. A magnicent ute of jade and
silver lay at his feet. Surrounded by opulence and
wealth, his air was of a man poor and dejected, his
hopes fading as the luminaries of the markets turned
their noses up in distaste.

Many nd it dicult to believe that Unruly Devil

and Prosperous Devil share the same city, let alone
that a mere gate and stretch of wall separates the
two. Prosperous Devil is serene, quiet, and endlessly
opulent. Where Unruly Devil is open to any, merely
entering Prosperous Devil is a dicult task!

The whole market would laugh at me! Everyone

has already seen the ute and sneered at it Emperor
Hus buyer called it a forgery to my face! I fought
Hell Clan to get it, and its brought me nothing but
shame.

It is a forgery. The ute of legend you fought for

never really existed, or if it did, Heaven has taken it
for itself... however, two hundred years ago, a man
named Pretty-hands Xiangyu grew so tired of hearing
the legend of the Thrice Jade Flute that he made one
of his own, far greater, to drown the legend with
The one thing everyone in Unruly Devil agrees another. How sorrowful that his craft was so great,
upon is money they want more of it, as quickly and yet his legend unknown! Double your price.
as possible. The district is a fabulous place to make
That will not be necessary, Governor. Emperor
or lose money, with sums large and small risked
Hus
man waddled over swiftly, clearing his throat.
in schemes on every street corner. The markets are
large and numerous, lled with a dazzling variety of Ill pay triple what the boy asks for.
How sad for you! interjected another. Zheng
merchandise and the most determined hawkers in
Shen Zhou. Anyone can nd something they want Bei will pay four times the price to have it for his
there, but the true connoisseur wants only one thing daughter.
to get out of Unruly Devil and into Prosperous
Sapphire Miang, Governor of Prosperous Devil,
Devil, whatever it takes.
smiled and slipped away as the chaos began.
Market Forces
Prosperous Devil (Discussion)

Sapphire Miang, Governor of Prosperous Devil,

believes that there is a level of dizzying wealth in
commerce where pointedly turning away ninety-nine
customers will leave the hundredth in a frenzy to
have your exclusive merchandise. It is dicult to test
whether this principle has any general merit, but it
has succeeded awlessly in Prosperous Devil. Miang
forbids any to enter Prosperous Devil unless they are
the guest and responsibility of a property-owning
resident, and she levies an extraordinarily punitive tax
on the sale of property. As a result, only the wealthiest
can aord to own property in the district, and these
few realise that their control over entry to the district
(through extending their hospitality) is of enormous
value. Entering the district is entirely dependent on
pleasing a demanding patron who understands that
demand is well in excess of supply.

Youre asking too little you should at least

double the price. The rst friendly voice in hours
brought the warriors eyes up but surely she was
mocking him! The speaker was a beautiful woman
who bore her middle years nobly, her hair caught up
in sapphires, a gentle smile upon her lips.
Please do not mock me! I am tired and wounded;
I have fought hard to get here, and for nothing! Ill
get no silver for this... Ill take a ute back to my
village and be cursed, for we cant eat it!
Now, now, you cant eat silver either,
so youll need to deal with merchants
either way! And the amount

joss, although whether this is just Governor Miang

keeping up the legend of Prosperous Devil is dicult
to say.
The markets themselves the Ninefold Prosperity
Pavilions are the backbone of this system of
monstrous wealth. Only the nest and rarest of
wonders are sold here: masterworks, antiquities, and
items of legend. The markets are a world away from
the tents and stalls of a bazaar, instead a majestic
array of permanent pavilions and pagodas built to
the standard of a palace. The merchants are relatively
few, but between their sta and the retinues of the
buyers, it is by far the most crowded place in the
district. It bustles self consciously everyone strives
to be dignied, although its dicult to keep ones
composure when tens of thousands of taels are on
the line! Sales can be quite tense the merchants
stand to make amazing prots, but are also at risk
of losing a great deal, for they compensate the
mercenary companies who recover the items very
well indeed, and must sell quite high to break even.
With virtually every item on sale a one-of-a-kind,
haggling is a challenging aair and theres no real
appeal to precedent or standards.

While tiny in comparison to Unruly Devil, the

district feels more spacious. Its mansions and estates
are widely spaced, arranged in an artfully planned
pattern around the central hub of the markets. A
considerable amount from the purses of Miang
and the residents alike goes to greening the district,
making it a splendid garden amongst the harsh
landscape surrounding the city. The low population
adds to the spacious feel there are fewer people in
the entire district than the average block in Unruly
Devil.

The Pavilion is the most prestigious formal market

in Only Six Devils but its not quite true that you
can buy anything there. Between the Bei clans huge
operation in Fierce Devil and the very slim chance
that a mercenary captain would give up such a thing,
its almost impossible to buy weapons, particularly
God-Weapons. Likewise, if it is truly possible to
buy souls in Only Six Devils, it is not done under
Sapphire Miangs gaze.

Governor Miang likes to keep up the myth that

the district is utterly serene and entirely safe, but in
actual fact, violence and confrontation are extremely
common. The essential problem is that only a handful
of people in the district are actually independent
the rest are beholden to a powerful propertyowner, keenly aware that Unruly Devil is brimming
with others eager to take their place. As a result each
property owner has a virtually inexhaustible pool of
disposable underlings. When conicts arise between
prominent citizens, they think nothing of hurling
their minions against each other. This brings an
unspoken tension to living in Prosperous Devil, as
none of the property owners ever seem quite content
with their lot: something spurs them against each
other, each determined to gather just a little more
wealth. Most suspect the hand of Governor Miang in
this, especially since the tumults never quite seem to
upset the districts reputation or the operation of the
markets.

Secrets of Destiny: With a Full Purse

Only Six Devils
[Fortune]

DESTINY COST:
2 Discovery: As long as it isnt known to be
elsewhere, an item you are searching for is found
to be for sale in Six Devil City.
2 Victory: One of the potentates of Prosperous
Devil turns out to be someone you impressed
earlier in your career, and they invite you into
their home.
1 Victory: You obtain a Good-health Flag your
journey to Only Six Devils is uneventful
from the border of Xia onwards.
If you werent destined

Conversely, and to the surprise of many cynics,

Prosperous Devils reputation as a beacon of hope is not
entirely unjustied. Those in true need who struggle
their way into its gates seem to have remarkably good

2 . On l y Tw o De v i l s

Most who wish to enter simply cant. The wealthy

sometimes enter with sucient bribery (tting gifts
for their hosts), or conduct business in the markets
through multiple layers of go-betweens. Most of the
servants and guards of the residents are drawn from
those willing to sell their independence in return for a
place in the wondrous district. Members of the Wulin
potentially have the easiest route in when enough
seek entrance, a few of Prosperous Devils most
prominent residents will hold a Contest in Unruly
Devil (usually seen as an excuse for an impromptu
festival by the residents of that district), and will
welcome those they deem worthy into the district
as their guests... asking little more than a favour in
return.

2 . On l y Tw o De v i l s

Sheathed-Blade Empty-Hand
Prosperity Society

to be attacked in the rst place, you manage to

sell the ag at a modest prot.

[Secret Society]
Many mercenaries of Xia never leave Six Devil
City, nding ample employment within its walls.
[Location]
This is true even in Prosperous Devil, where there is
DESTINY COST:
so much of value to be guarded but one company
1 Entangled Destiny: An item from the market reigns supreme within that district, for they not
that you cant aord will cross your path again. only sell their services at a premium, but they own
1 Discovery: You discover an item in the markets outright their extensive barracks, making them a
is a forgery!
power in Prosperous Devil.
2 Victory: You nd a buyer for a wonder that
Ironhand Nan is their master, a skilled
youre seeking to sell, and make a reasonable swordsman who departed his clan after the death
prot on the item. This will not prevent the of Yi Nangong, rowing furiously with Hong Dong
buyer seeking revenge if youve swindled them! and vowing to make his own fortune. He has
1 Fortune: A single character of your choice in taught his foremost lieutenants a style he developed
Prosperous Devil has either the trivial Kuan or to cover the weaknesses of the Nan sword-arts: a
Si Inspiration imposed by the district inamed technique allowing them to strike with the force of
to a minor Inspiration hyperactivity or weakness their blade with st, foot or ick of the hair, even if
(your choice) with Recovery 20. By default this their weapon is sheathed or taken from them! Thus
condition aects Jade Breath.
did the Sheathed-Blade Empty-Hand Prosperity
2 Fortune: A single character of your choice in Society earn its name.
Prosperous Devil has either the trivial Kuan or
The Sheathed-Blade is the company most
Si Inspiration imposed by the district inamed trusted by Sapphire Miang and the merchants to
to a major Inspiration hyperactivity or weakness guard the Ninefold Prosperity Pavilion, and goods
(your choice) with Recovery 30. By default this delivered to or taken from there. This responsibility
condition aects Jade Breath.
is so critical that Ironhand and his men have little

Prosperous Devil and the Ninefold

Prosperity Pavilion

Special Rule:
Anyone entering Prosperous Devil instantly and
automatically contracts a trivial Kuan Inspiration
and a trivial Si Inspiration. Both are Recovery 18,
Interval 1 scene, Duration 3.
If either inspiration ends, or is recovered from
or cured, the character immediately re-contracts
it while in this district. Its possible that someone
accomplished in the Secret Arts could protect
themselves from these conditions, but since
theyre trivial (having literally no mechanical
eect), nobody seems to bother. The inspirations
immediately end if the character leaves Prosperous
Devil however, if Secret Arts have modied them
they may remain at the Sages option.

diculty leveraging an excuse to be wherever they

wish in the district, acting as a de-facto police force.
Sometimes they seem altruistic, intervening in
trouble with a righteous spirit; at other times, they
seem only too happy to take any excuse to stick
their noses into the business of other propertyowners.
This attitude extends beyond the gates of
Prosperous Devil. As the Society is frequently
hired to guard precious items to and from the
docks, they consider the winding road through
Unruly Devil to the docks to be part of their turf,
and they delight in staging dry runs to lure out
and slaughter bandits with more greed than sense.
This behaviour has earned them the enmity of
many gangs, and deeply irritated Governor Chen.
Ironhand himself is no typical Nan much
larger than most and uglier than almost any other,
ten years of opulent surrounds have utterly failed to

10

or to step back and use the beauty of a student if

it is more suitable. Ling is exceptionally intelligent
and well educated, able to give even hardened
old scholars pause with her eloquence, and very
obviously driven. Her ambition appears oddly
altruistic however, perceptive observers might
conclude that she means to gain fame by being the
mentor of half the prominent women within Shen
Zhou within twenty years, rather than attaining
high position herself.

DESTINY COST:
1 Discovery: You discover that Ironhand and
Hong Dong never truly argued Ironhand is in
fact her agent in the markets, an arrangement
both have proted from handsomely!
2 Fortune: Either Ironhand Nan accepts you as
a student in his Empty-Hand style, or you get a
good opportunity to steal his technique manual.

Red Lotus is less attached to the markets

themselves than most of the potentates of
Prosperous Devil, but considers them a vital part
of her students education. With the nest goods
in the world arrayed before them, Red Lotus nds
her students properly motivated to learn the nest
techniques in the eld of getting what you want.
Conversely, the Academy is important to the
district because the girls parents are some of the
few in Shen Zhou who are wealthy enough to shop
in Prosperous Devil on a whim, and the school
itself is training up a small legion of power-hungry
potential customers.

Blossoming-Towards-Crimson Academy

[Secret Society]
A school specically for girls is a rare thing.
However, even in a time of chaos there are wealthy
families who do not want their daughters underfoot,
want them properly prepared for marriage, and are
willing to solve the problem with silver. With a
cunning grasp of economics, Red Lotus Ling has
further enhanced the desirability of her school by
making it as exclusive as possible it is far from
the centre of Shen Zhou, in a place that one must
be ludicrously wealthy to even enter. There is no
greater concentration of eligible young women in
all Shen Zhou than those of the Academy!

DESTINY COST:
1 Victory: You convince Red Lotus to take a
young female relative as a student, either from
charity or considerable compensation. You will
receive an opportunity to leverage this as a connection with the parents of another student.
2 Entangled Destiny: Red Lotus hires you as a
tutor at the school; no matter how brief this time
is, you will nd yourself running into former students for the remainder of your career!

Ostensibly this is all to train the girls as perfect

wives, and that is exactly what the average student
will end up being. The most gifted, however, are
prepared for lives in court or the Wulin: to struggle
for power, never be dominated, and come out of
it all with perfect grace! Her habit of taking in
wandering bands of heroes ts in with this agenda
(as well as the specic tasks she wants accomplished)
- fraternising with the heroes is strictly forbidden,
hence the schools quiet reputation as the Academy
of not getting caught.

Guild of Gentleman Appraisers

[Secret Society]

An essential problem of conducting business in

the Ninefold Prosperity Pavilion is the diculty of
assigning a price to an item there. After all, what is
the Mirror of Ying Zheng worth? Perhaps it has a
place on some hierarchy of mirrors, but in practical
terms it cant be compared with anything! Most
people in Shen Zhou wouldnt have much sympathy
for those unable to decide what atrociously huge
price to ask for their antiquities, but somebody
has to decide whether the mirror is
worth fty thousand taels or
one hundred thousand.

Red Lotus Ling is ambitious and relatively

young. She wears magnicent red dresses that leave
observers unsure whether she is a bride herself,
or the mother of a young bride. She cheerfully
encourages whichever interpretation suits her best
and is happy to use her own beauty to get her way,

11

2 . On l y Tw o De v i l s

soften him. His size, heavy black armour, perpetually

sheathed blade, and steel-like grey hair render
him distinctive. He is gru, but far slyer than he
appears: the observant will note his dry sense of
humour giving him away. He is generally focused
above all else upon prot and strengthening his
company, but every so often, despite himself, he
does something terribly noble and decidedly Nan.

2 . On l y Tw o De v i l s

Luckily, there is a society of scholars ready to DESTINY COST:

help!
1 Entangled Destiny: An object in the possession
of a rival draws Gongsuns greedy eye.
Unfortunately, theyre a collection of cynical,
corrupt and greedy old men and women, determined 2 Victory: You convince the Appraisers to make a
cheap copy of a text youre seeking.
to get as much as possible for the smallest eort,
(-1) Youre caught by the texts owner, and have
and with years of experience in doing so. The Guild
to ee the district with your copy.
of Gentleman Appraisers (who, despite numbering
several female savants, are too conservative to
consider a name change), are scholars of particular
accomplishment. They are devoted to the study of
physical artefacts, historical and novel alike. The
Guild is generally the only third party trusted to
positively identify and value the extremely varied
stock carried by the markets.
Their conduct in this role is reasonably corrupt
that is, they are precisely as corrupt as they
believe Sapphire Miang will deem reasonable.
Their compound is dominated by a prodigious
library, a signicant proportion of which was
misappropriated in the course of their work. Even
when they do not concoct means to steal, swindle
or cheaply obtain the works that their insatiable
scholarly appetites long for, they remain in the
appraising process for as long as is necessary to
study, copy or sabotage the item.
Razoreyes Gongsun is the ancient, decrepit
and incredibly acerbic head of the Guild. As he
approaches the end of his life, his erce intelligence
has not been dampened in the slightest, but his
lust for new things has become voracious. He still
has enough respect for his society and the district
to not cause egregious damage on a whim, but
he is becoming very cheerful indeed about using
members of the Wulin as expendable intermediaries
when he truly wants something and knows the
other potentates will strive to prevent him having it.
Gongsun is becoming a touch sentimental, and will
occasionally commit an act of apparently random
kindness on the strength of some half-forgotten
association between someone he encounters and
the companions of his youth.

12

3.

Wulin

The default story for the PCs joining together

in their quest to reach the Ninefold Prosperity
Pavilion is that they shared a boat with many
other passengers journeying up the Yellow River to
reach Only Six Devils a boat without a Goodhealth ag. Unsurprisingly, the Devil Cloud gang
attacked them, and the bandits, incensed by their
initial defeat, turned the boat trip into a running
battle! Over the course of multiple clashes with the
Devil Clouds, the PCs grew to admire each others
prowess, and the eectiveness with which they
fought as a band. Soon they confessed to each other
their reasons for travelling to Only Six Devils, and
seeing that they aligned so closely, resolved to ght
together!
While mildly contrived, this background should
suce for a one-shot game. If you instead plan to
use Auspicious Beginnings as part of campaign
play, work with your players to create sturdier
conditions for the characters banding together!
Pre-generated Player Characters:
The following short descriptions are all youll
need to keep in mind while reading the adventure,
but youll want to read through the full character
descriptions and statistics in the handouts section
before play. The PCs are within a few Destiny
points of normal starting characters. They would
all be perfectly viable characters in an ordinary
campaign, but dont have any traits that arent
relevant to a single-session game.

Invincible Sword Princess, 4th Rank Warrior

Xiao-Li is the most straightforward combat
character tactically speaking, its almost impossible
to do badly with her. She is the typical Invincible
Sword Princess she hits often and is rarely hit
herself, but is a bit fragile when she does get hit.
Anyone familiar with Zhang Ziyis character from
Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon will know what
theyre in for here.
In terms of personality, Xiao-Li is dened by
lial piety, living her life to please the ghosts of
her dead parents: a father who wanted her to be
humble and virtuous and a mother who wanted to
see her boldly dominate the Wulin!

Feng Guo

Honourable Fist, 4th Rank Warrior

Feng has a more straightforward personality
than Xiao-Li (hes the honourable, stubborn
peasant hero), but mechanically he takes a little
more tactical nesse. As an unarmed ghter, hell
normally hit less often than his sword-wielding
companion, and be hit more often. This is deceptive,
however, as his kung-fu gives him excellent Critical
eects and armour, so with a little care he can be
devastating and endure longer than the relatively
fragile Sword Princess. Wed probably hire Jet Li to
play him in the movie.
Fengs personality is centred around his quest to
make things right with his strength, and prove his
worthiness.

Liang Shui

Dashing Literati, 4th Rank Courtier

Unsurprisingly for a Courtier, Liang is very
socially-focused, and relies on excellent skill ratings.
He does have potentially powerful ranged kung-fu,
but is unlikely to be a dominant force unless in
VERY tactically capable hands. However, between
the numerous opportunities for him to use his
skills and his easy-to-use Extraordinary Courtier
Techniques, any player should do ne with him.
His visual reference is Takeshi Kaneshiro (Jin from
House of Flying Daggers).
Liangs personality highlights the
celebrated, somewhat sexy

13

3 . Wu l i n

This chapter details the four pre-generated

PCs and eight NPC Wulin rivals at the heart of
the adventures conict. Statistics are presented
in the handouts chapter towards the end of this
document. Note that the NPCs are presented as
both full Rank 4 ghters and 5th Rank disciples,
depending on how you want to use them in play.

Xiao-Li Pai

3 . Wu l i n

It is the sad fate of many bands beginning their

nature of the literati in Chinese history. Hes a
devilish charmer that believes righteous hard work life in the Wulin to have names decided on by a
committee hopefully in this case the name is strictly
should be balanced with indulgent relaxation.
temporary...

Patience Meng

Daoist Genius, 4th Rank Scholar

Mountain Chung (Warrior)

This Zan monk earns his name! Who has ever
seen such a giant, and with shaved head and prayer
beads, no less? Quiet as a mountain, and normally
gentle, hes worse than any earthquake when enraged!
His st skill is good, but his greatest asset is sheer
toughness, added to the strength of his faith.

Mechanically, Patience is very similar to Liang

Shui, only with a sorcerous bent in place of a social
one. His skill ratings are excellent, he has great ability
to tactically control a scene with his Extraordinary
Daoist Techniques, and he has enough kung-fu to
have a lot of fun in combat. Theres plenty of potential
Emerald Zilong (Warrior)
there for a clever player, but his abilities are generally
In his gleaming green armour, and with his swift
straightforward. Patiences visual reference is Tony
dragon-spear, who can defy this young hero? Merry
Leung (Broken Sword in Hero).
at heart and bearing no grudges, he ghts valiantly,
Patience is the very ideal of a wise old mountain
looking ever for a Lord worthy of his service! Sadly
hermit apart from the small problem that hes still
for them, the young ladies of Unruly Devil have
in his twenties. Hes patiently trying to experience the
failed to attract his eye, for his devotion is strong and
world in order to gain the wisdom needed to leave it,
lies elsewhere
and tries to keep the others together, as they seem to
Tan Dong (Courtier)
provoke auspicious (or at least lively) experiences.
A splendid soldier-bureaucrat, in his middle years
NPCs - Heroic Rivals
hes left the army of the Jin Emperor to follow his clan
Note: The descriptions of these NPCs are in the Wulin. His hair is grey, but his eyes are erce
deliberately short and punchy, mostly calling and wits keen and who would not fear his spear
attention to their manner and appearance. This is to skills? He ghts to reunify the land, and though the
make it easy for you to remember all eight characters, battle will not be won in his lifetime, his calculated,
and keep them exible enough to serve as either even ruthless moves bring things together, not tear
colourful but disposable combat fodder, or allies and them apart.
rivals moulded to the story needs of PCs who spend
Clever Li-Li (Scholar)
destiny on entangling them. Just have a good handle
Li-Li was a little plain, so her village didnt pay
on their visual distinctiveness so that everyone can
as much attention to her as they should have. If
easily tell them apart, and then use whichever of
they had, they might have noticed that she always
them seem to engage the players the most.
seemed to know what fate held in store a talent the
The Righteous Devil-Smiting Bandit- clever young girl soon realised would be wasted on a
Crushing Wickedness Punishing Society* sleepy little village. Its lucky shes so clever, since her
combination of naivet and ambition is a big danger
(*name pending revision)
in Only Six Devils, but her thick country accent cant
These four erce and brave souls only met hide her brilliance from discerning eyes.
yesterday at the Pearl Moon teahouse, but already
theyve sworn to enter Prosperous Devil together!
Their instant camaraderie is inspiring, and theyre
very loyal to each other despite the short period
of their acquaintance. Indeed, the only source of
tension so far is over the name of their band, which
they all agree needs at least six less syllables, but no
compromise can be reached on which six!

14

The Four Fierce Flames of Rebellion!

Black-Saber Jin (Warrior)

This shaggy-haired but roughly handsome
warrior looks like hed be far more at home on a
horse than the streets of Unruly Devil, but in truth
he knows the city far better than the other heroes.
Jin was the master of the Thousand Sabers bandit
gang, but his fortunes tumbled when the Hell Clan
warrior Glasseye Yan moved into the area. Hes
out for revenge, both on Yan and on Governor
Chen, who left Jin and his men to die. Despite
this melancholy fortune, Jin keeps up a cheerful
appearance, his natural love for mayhem and battle
keeping him joking and laughing as he ghts his
way to Prosperous Devil!

Doctor Jang-Lu (Scholar)

This brash, yet impeccably groomed young man
wears a doctors clothes, and indeed is well-versed in
the arts of medicine... but seems to take a warriors
tack. He likes to claim that he has coldly decided
to treat the illness of the world by cauterising the
wicked (killing bandits saves them from needing
doctoring, and saves doctoring the injuries they
cause), but he does seem to take a great deal of
joy from any excuse to use his powerful kicking
style and superior intellect to get the best of an
opponent. Hes easily recognisable by his medicine
bag and long braid.

Fei Hsiao (Courtier)

There is no shortage of dispossessed southern
nobles angry at Emperor Hu, but not many of them
become so enraged that they stop distinguishing
between him and other questionable rulers! Fei is
a beautiful woman in her thirties with stark white
hair, wielding a magnicent kwan dao, and with
an endlessly brilliant approach to conversation.
She seems to have a contingency plan for any
eventuality, prepared for anything that comes across
her path a strange counterpoint to her unbridled
fury at corrupt governance, and her determination
to topple every corrupt regime everywhere!

That guys awesome, why cant I play him?

Its possible that a player might prefer one of
their eight rivals to the character they initially
chose - not in the least because many of them are
kung-fu lm archetypes. If so, you might want
to let them swap at the end of the tourney scene
if you feel it wont be too disruptive. Just hand
the player the characters fourth-rank stats, and
take back their PC. Dont do this if you feel it will
skew the balance of the party too greatly instead
promise the player they can create a character just
like that when you start up a campaign...

15

3 . Wu l i n

A group of strident non-conformists, these bold

members of the Wulin have, much like the other
two bands, only very recently met, and have moreor-less fallen together out of despair of meeting
anyone else who will have them. Luckily, they
seem to share a common taste for mayhem, even
if they do tend to phrase that desire in virtuous
terms! So far theyve come together beautifully
when in action, even if they spend the rest of the
time bickering incessantly

Pretty Hark (Warrior)

Dressing up as a boy to prove that girls are every
bit as good at kung fu is a time-honoured tradition,
but it helps if youre not so stunningly pretty and
incredibly fervent about proving girls equality that a
blind man can see what youre up to! Hark is a good
person at heart, but shes carried away with proving
something to people that have long since accepted it
the Wulin is well aware of the deadliness of women
ghters! Hark has long hair that she conceals very
poorly under a cap, and a gure that resists being
hidden.

3 . Wu l i n

Unfurling Crimson Banner Sisterhood

The most elite of Red Lotus students, these girls
are all 5th Rank Wulin already! Aged from sixteen to
eighteen, each has already successfully manipulated
their way out of several arranged marriages. They
are by default very loyal to each other as well as Red
Lotus, intending to form a Wulin society between
them when they have left the school however, who
can say what interaction with PCs will do to that
unity?

Note:
Each girl is noted as being procient in a
particular Genius skill this is for the convenience
of GMs running the Wisdom of the Elders chapter.
Otherwise, the girls will generally not directly
oppose the PCs and are not considered Wulin
Rivals in the context of this adventure, that
phrase explicitly refers to the two bands above.

Zhong Yao is the most awkward of the girls, and

the least skilled in kung fu, but has the most naturally
brilliant mind, and a natural, unaected prettiness. A
rarity amongst the Red Lotus girls, shes actually a
Scholar, and already an excellent doctor in her own
right! The other girls cherish her not only for her
naturally sweet personality, but her important role
in patching up the after-eects of kung fu practice!
Zhong wears distinctive hairpins sharp enough
to work as emergency acupuncture needles, and
eyeglasses depending on your taste for anachronism.
Naturally, she excels at Medicine.

Tiger Xi is the tallest of the sisterhood, ercer even

than Ai! Tiger is not of pure Han descent, having
features obviously inuenced by Indian ancestry.
Between her friends social skills, her own beauty
and her sword skills, however, she generally has no
reason to tolerate prejudice, and will run more-orless roughshod over it. Hopefully she will have the
good luck not to encounter a powerful bigot. She
is a promising Warrior, studying the rudiments
Ai is a pale, pretty girl with long white hair, but
of Unfolding Glory alongside Ai. Trained in the
shes not related to the Nan her only family is her
beginnings of her clans weapon forging techniques,
older sister Snow, a powerful Wulin warrior who
Tiger very skilled with Crafting.
enrolled her in the school several years ago and then
Mei-Zhu hails from the Heaven Sword Clan, and
vanished. Ai strives to emulate her sister, studying
Unfolding Glory with the spear, and trying perhaps is the most serious of the girls, for the hopes of the
a bit too hard to be ladylike (within the context of Eight-Way Alliance seem to rest on her shoulders.
the Wulin) and rened. Ai is the loneliest of the girls, Shes at the school owing to a pooling of funds
and probably the most likely to fall for one of the amongst the Alliance, part of a project to ensure the
characters. On the other hand, shes also more likely Alliance owns the loyalty of the very cream of the
to have unreasonable expectations, and will take crop of the next generation of Wulin. Obsessed with
perceived rejection poorly. Ai is particularly skilled at becoming every bit an equal of the Great Clans, MeiZhu masters every traditional art and historical lore
Tactics.
she can, appropriating the culture of Shen Zhou to
Lien-ying Dong is a short and slender girl, entirely
give herself legitimacy. Shes always the best-dressed
graceful except for her habit of nervously braiding
of the girls, and though no prettier than her friends,
her hair. Lien-ying is already a clever Courtier she
is far more skilled at drawing attention to herself and
deduced the nature of the school before arriving, and
her noble cause. Though a Courtier, no-one can
convinced her parents that sending her to be trained
fault her skill at Learning!
as a powerful member of the Wulin was a better
idea than marrying her o young. Theyve since
become less certain of the wisdom of this move, but
are nding it increasingly dicult to control their
endishly clever daughter. Lien-Ying is skilled in
Politics.

16

4.

The Contest

This scene should be a fast, exciting and fun

introduction to the Weapons of the Gods system.
Play up the amazing wuxia abilities of the characters,
the awe of the crowd, and feel free to draw in the
atmosphere of your favourite Kung Fu movies and
comics. Dont waste an opportunity to hit your
players with coolness from the rst moments and get
them really excited about the game. Mechanically,
however, this scene has a great deal in common with
tutorial levels from videogames it introduces the
games mechanics one by one in a structured fashion,
slowly escalating to the normal gameplay experience.
Feel free to explicitly tell your players such most
roleplayers are familiar with videogames, so theyll
understand the situation immediately.
All the major NPCs for the session are in this scene
specically the three potential sponsors (Ironhand
Nan, Red Lotus Ling and Razoreyes Gongsun), and
the eight Wulin rivals to the PCs. Introduce each
character during this scene, but dont dwell on them
too much. Just hit the really distinctive points of
their appearance and manner and leave it at that. You
wont be using all 11 NPCs, so its ne if the players
dont remember them all its intended that you let
the ones that dont connect well with the group drop
out of the story.

The contest isnt a regular series of kung fu battles

with the winner taking the prize its more in the
nature of an extended audition. The hopefuls engage
in a series of challenging tasks set by the sponsors,
some alone, some in direct competition with a fellow
contestant. Finally, a grand melee is held where the
hopefuls contest against waves of mercenary troops,
just to see if they can handle themselves. The contest
weeds out those who havent cultivated their chi,
and gives plentiful opportunities for the sponsors
to judge the prowess of the contestants, after which
they choose who to sponsor based on what jobs they
have for Wulin ghters, rather than who apparently
won.
Of course, today, there are three bands of Wulin
and three sponsors, so essentially the tourney is a
done deal it just remains to be seen who ends up
with whom! It is a requirement that the tourney and
sponsorship of Wulin into Prosperous Devil be done
at the level of a band of ghters Sapphire Miang,
rightly or wrongly, feels this cuts down on antisocial
baneful warriors making trouble.
Today, as there are three sponsors, each challenger
will face three challenges before the grand melee.
These challenges are detailed below.

The Contest for the Sage

on a Schedule
Unlike the rest of the game, the Contest scales
in linear fashion with the number of players.
Cycling through the challenges for every player
adds time, and it can get rough on the Sage
creating more and more challenges on the spot!
If you have more than four players, or simply
want to get through this part of the game as
quickly as possible, try splitting up the tasks
between players. Let half the PCs tackle the rst
round, and the other half the second. For the
third round, have half the players roll for their
PCs, the other half for the NPCs opposing them.
Progress with the fourth round normally.

Make all dice rolls for this scene out in the open,
and explain carefully what youre doing on each one,
at least for the rst few times you do any sort of roll.
Every players turn should be an opportunity for the
whole table to learn the mechanics!

In playtesting we found as long as each

challenge is demonstrated once, most people will
grasp the system, so dont be afraid to cut
the tutorial right back.

17

4. The Contest

OK, youve gathered your players, given them

the primer sheet to read, let them choose their
characters, and answered any questions they have.
Time to start the game! This chapter details the rst
scene a contest held in the dusty streets of Unruly
Devil, with the prize being entry into the Prosperous
Devil District.

The nature of the contest

Ironhand is, of course, pointing at one of the PCs,

preferably a Warrior. Launch straight into round one
Its best to start the game with a short, evocative
without pause!
description of the situation, and then leap straight
into the action. In this case, thats starting with one
Round One Simple Skill Roll
of the PCs challenges in the rst round! Heres an
Each character will be asked in turn to perform
example of a narration you might use to start the
an
impressive-looking single task in their area of
game:
expertise. The task is of Moderate (20) diculty, and
Gongs, recrackers and shouts ring through the should be in a skill that the character will roll 5 dice
dusty streets of Unruly Devil, and people come running in that is, 3 dice + 1 specialty die + 1 talent die for
from all directions as the shout goes up A contest having their skill + specialty equal or less than their
is on! Like every other event of note, the people of Attribute. Count out these dice for the player each
Unruly Devil take this as an excuse to celebrate, and time, so that by the time each player has their rst
why not the mighty men and women of the Martial turn, theyll understand the basics of how many dice
Arts world are about to struggle against amazing odds to roll! Each character gets a single attempt.
to enter the fabled luxury of the Prosperous Devil
These tasks should be set by an appropriate
district! Soon, a thronging crowd has gathered around sponsor (Ironhand for Might and Speed skills, Red
the contest eld just outside the massive jade and gold Lotus for Presence and Genius, Razoreyes for Genius
gates separating the two districts. They are abuzz with and Wu-Wei), and be fairly impressive-looking, even
conversation each of the ghters ready to compete has though theyre not that tough. Make sure peoples
some fame in the Wulin, and those who know of their rst impression of the game is that Wulin characters
deeds quickly ll in any of their ignorant neighbours. do amazing things, and when they fail, they fail
Street hawkers set up stalls, performers breathe re narrowly, and because they were trying something no
and tumble in a desperate eort to grab a few coins normal person could do! Dont go overboard and ask
before the tourney starts, and children squeal with someone to snap Tiger Soul with a diculty of 20, but
delight at the spectacle!
dont put the characters in a position of potentially
Raised above the Contest Field is the judges pavilion, looking like incompetents in the very rst turn! Its
covered in rich blue silk canopies and crowned with OK for characters to fail, but the players should still
one hundred uttering ags. By law, only the elite few feel good about their characters.
land owners of Prosperous Devil district can extend
If someone rolls a critical success, make sure you
invitations to enter the market paradise, and three are describe their success as extra special, and tell them
here today to extend their hospitality to the worthiest that its a critical success that has no mechanical
warriors. Ironhand Nan, renegade member of the impact at the moment, but its a useful concept, and
clan of swords and foremost mercenary of Prosperous a set of three on ve dice is worth celebrating!
Devil looks down grimly, a huge and harsh-featured
Clever or observant players may have already
man in black armour. Red Lotus Ling, mistress of gured out things from their character sheet that
the Blossoming-Towards-Crimson Academy for Girls, would give them bonuses on these tasks (or make
smiles slyly at the assembled Wulin, a rare beauty whose them trivial, like Lightfoot). Ask them to just be a
red silk dress calls ones mind instantly to weddings. little patient for those, and tell them that theyll very
Though old and crooked of back, Razoreyes Gongsun, soon be hurling about minions with their full suite of
master scholar of the Guild of Gentleman Appraisers, powers.
lives up to his name and vocation, his gaze seeming to
The following page describes some recommended
take each ghter apart and reassemble them once he
challenges for the pre-generated characters:
has their measure!
The appointed time comes. Ironhand Nan strides
forth, and points at the hero who will be rst to
face the challenges!

4. The Contest

The Opening

18

Feng Guo:
Ironhand throws down a four hundred pound
Melon Hammer it shakes the ground! He demands
Feng throw it back up to him; if he misses, narrate it
bowling over a group of soldiers, so great is the force
with which its hurled!
Skill: Lift (Throwing)
Liang Shui:
Red Lotus rolls out a ten-yard long white banner,
and one of her students hands Liang a great brush
dripping with red ink. Hes asked to paint the
character for beauty in a single motion! If he fails, he
accidentally spells out what he was thinking, instead
a rather racy suggestion... such terrible luck!
Skill: Learning (Calligraphy)
Patience Meng:
Gongsun orders the young Daoist blindfolded,
and hurls ve prayer strips into the air, scattering
them all over the huge tourney eld! Patience must
catch them with his sta before they reach the ground,
by hearing alone! If he fails, it is because he gets the
rst four but pauses for just a split second trying to
hear the last one, and an errant duck from the crowd
seizes it just before he moves.
Skill: Senses (Hearing).
Take the time to describe the reactions of the
crowd after each roll. Even in a crazy place like Unruly
Devil, you simply dont see amazing feats like this
every day even the failed attempts are impressive!
Therell be lots of noise, cheering, and street hawkers
claiming to be selling locks of the martial artists hair!
Not only should this make people feel like theyre
playing important characters, but the more noise
and chaos you can introduce around the edges of
the tourney, the better the contrast between Unruly
Devil and Prosperous Devil will be.
Dont bother rolling out or describing the
challenges faced by the NPCs at this stage just
mention theres two bands of four, and that they
move through with mixed success. Call out a few of
the more distinctive ones if your players ask, but keep
things moving.

Round Two: Modiers, Stacking

and Complex Skill Rolls
After the rst challenge, the sponsors are condent
that theyre dealing with people who have cultivated
their chi time to see what theyre really made of!
Each character is asked to perform a more dicult
and complex task in the same vein as their rst, with
a number of helpful and unhelpful circumstances
attached. Specically, this is a complex skill roll
consisting of a Moderate (20) and a Hard (30) task,
with one +10 modier, one +5 modier, and two
5 modiers. Since only the highest positive and
negative modier apply, thats a net +5 (+10 5).
Explain the stacking rule to the players using the
example of what theyve been asked to do, and also
explain complex skill rolls, and the fact that if youre
trying something dicult, theres no reason not to
throw in easier ourishes to your action. Its probably
worth pointing out that it handles multifaceted tasks,
though, not multiple actions, so its not actually a
cheap way of getting multiple attacks!
Go around the table in the same turn order you
used for the rst round, but go around a second time
to give anyone who failed the Hard task a second roll.
Remember to describe the reaction of the crowd.
Example tasks for the pregenerated characters:
Xiao-Li Pai:
The forest of spears is still in place Ironhand
challenges her to leap to the tip of the spears, then
leap another ten yards up to catch a ag being trailed
by an arrow that he res! This isnt two actions, but
a single action with a number of complications.
Reaching the spear tips is a Moderate (20) diculty,
being a ten yard vertical leap. The extra ten yards
push it up to Hard (30) the diculty to cover 20
yards by leaping but if she rolls between 20 and 29
she still makes the rst stage of the jump. Jumping
from spears is troublesome (-5) and the arrows ight
is erratic (-5), but making the jump in two stages lets
her correct her course if need be (+5) and the arrow
is very slow with a ag weighing it down (+10).
Skill: Athletics (Leaping)
Feng Guo:
Ironhand tosses back the Melon Hammer, but
has his mercenaries set up a thousand-pound statue
of an enthroned Emperor Hu, challenging
Ironhand to hurl the hammer so
that it knocks down the

19

4. The Contest

Xiao Li Pai:
Ironhand hurls down a small forest of ten-yard
long spears, razor-sharp tips pointing to the sky, and
challenges her to leap over them! If she fails, narrate
that she has to grab one of them while vaulting over,
rather than making the jump cleanly.
Skill: Athletics (Leaping)

4. The Contest

Unrighteous Emperor! Throwing the four hundred

pound hammer is Moderate (20), but putting in
enough force to move a thousand pounds is Hard
(30)! The hammer isnt really weighted properly for
throwing (-5) and the Emperors throne is quite stable
(-5), but his fat face makes a natural target (+5) and
the statue is tall enough that if you hit it high, itll tip
easily (+10).
Skill: Lift (Throwing)

Round Three Initiative, Opposed Rolls

and River
Satised that their potential guests are capable
of striving towards the most endish of tasks, the
sponsors try a dierent tack direct competition! The
contestants are paired o with someone of similar
skill, and set a task the rst to complete it wins!

There are two variants to this challenge where

Initiative
is rolled to get rst shot at the task, and
Liang Shui:
Red Lotus has one of her students hand Liang an where the roll is simply contested.
exceptionally ne brush, dripping with ink, and then Challenges involving Initiative have a Hard (30)
throws two handfuls of white petals into the air! She
task, without bonuses or penalties,
challenges him to write the character for beauty Contested challenges require a critical success
on every one before they hit the ground, and ensure
over the opponents roll.
they together form the character for wisdom when
If a characters Initiative score is poor, give them
they do so. Writing beauty so many times quickly is
a
contested
task, otherwise use Initiative! The reason
Moderate (20), but guiding the fall of the petals with
your writing is Hard (30)! The constant movement for this is that rolling a 30 or more on 5 dice virtually
of the petals is trouble (-5), as is the sloppiness of the requires the use of the River, so a character with poor
ink (-5), but the petals fall slowly (+5) and the brush Initiative wouldnt face the tough decision of owing
dice or having the rst shot at the task theyd just
is of magnicent quality (+10).
never be able to ow dice from Initiative, and lose
Skill: Learning (Calligraphy)
Initiative anyway!
Patience Meng:
While you wont use all eight rivals in this part,
Blindfolded again, Patience is surrounded by
its
a great place to introduce them. When one of the
fty gongs in a variety of sizes, made of steel, gold
and silver. The silver and gold gongs are struck NPCs strides forth to face a PC, have his companions
simultaneously by Razoreyes lackeys, and Patience cheer and shout encouragement, drawing attention to
is challenged to quiet the silver and not the gold themselves! Likewise, have them oer commiserations
with his sta. Meanwhile, Razoreyes hurls a single or congratulations after the matter has been decided.
silver tael that ricochets o ve of the steel gongs Make sure you show clearly how the NPCs use the
Patience must strike those ve in the same order! River teaching the players this concept is the most
To compound matters, one of the Appraisers throws important part of this round!
some recrackers at his feet. Following the pattern of
Roll until there is a victor for each PCs challenge
the tael is Moderate (20) but quieting just the silver in turn (rolling initiative every turn for initiative
gongs is Hard (30)! The recrackers are a nuisance challenges). While it would be nice to resolve the
(-5) as is the irregular sizes of the gongs (-5), but the challenges via normal turn order, theyll be easier to
gongs hit by the coin represent the ve elements (+5), follow if each is resolved fully before moving onto
and the silver gongs are arranged in the pattern of the the next.
stars of Xu, the constellation of Emptiness (+10).
For contested challenges, reduce the NPCs pool
Skill: Senses (Hearing)
to 4 dice, and give them only one River slot. This
hands an easy win to the PC, but greatly reduces the
time needed to get a critical.

20

And two zeros makes 20

Examples for the pregenerated characters:

Xiao-Li Pai:
A lantern is hung twenty yards from the ground,
and Ironhand Nan challenges you to put out its ame
with your sword! But whats this? An extraordinarily
pretty young girl steps forth to challenge you, wielding
a viciously spiked sta nearly three yards long! She is
dressed clumsily as a boy, and seems to be trying to
pass herself o as one could this be Pretty Hark?
A roguish desert bandit and an impeccably dressed
doctor, also competitors, cheer her on!
Cutting the lantern is trivial for these girls dont
bother rolling. But which is quick enough? Who
makes the leap (a Hard (30) Athletics roll)? Roll
initiative!
Feng Guo:
Ironhand Nan calls you forth to challenge a
mountain a huge Zan monk with gentle demeanour
but massive muscles! A plain village girl with
enchantingly clever eyes and a noble young warrior
in green armour applaud obviously they are his
companions. The task? Be the rst to shatter an ice
statue of the Enchanted Demon by hurling Melon
Hammers!

This is an opposed Perform (Music) roll, but it

takes a Critical success to make your opponent weep!
Patience Meng:
Razoreyes Gongsun notes shrewdly that many
lackeys of the three sponsors, not to mention a few
spectators, have been incidentally injured as a result
of ying melon hammers, shards of broken stone,
crushing by statue, random arrow-re and other
accoutrements of a tourney. What an opportunity to
see who has the nest medical skill! He calls upon both
you, and a plain girl obviously new to the city, but
with ercely brilliant eyes, to compete in giving the
wisest advice for recovery. Could this girl be Clever
Li-Li, the farmgirl prodigy?
Giving competing advice to the wounded is
an opposed Medicine (Advice) roll, though only a
critical success is decisive.

Too dicult?
The challenges here do give the PCs a
signicant chance of failure, from 30% in the rst
challenge to 50% when striving against an equal
opponent. However, players may not feel that
theyre playing appropriately awesome martial
artists if theyre failing simple skill rolls out of the
gate. As an option, reduce the diculty of each
task by one step (from 20 to 18, 30 to 20 etc.),
and give the NPCs only 4 dice to roll and a single
slot in their river. If they later prove to have better
stats than that, well, obviously the cunning foxes
were holding back!

The statue is set up far enough away that its a

Hard (30) task to hurl a four hundred pound hammer
that far (Medium range) with a Lift roll, but at least
its fragile enough to shatter if hit. Otherwise, its a
contest of speed roll initiative!

Tutorial? Wheres the skip button?

If a player can prove to you that they understand
the relevant rules concept by explaining it to you
correctly, they can skip a challenge. They also get
to narrate their victory however they like! This is
probably particularly helpful in the third round if
everyones keen to keep moving.

21

4. The Contest

Introduce Joss when it comes up naturally,

that is, when someone uses 0s on a roll (or has
the option to). Joss makes some of the tasks here
much easier (dropping a couple of corrupt joss on
a rival is just nasty!), but thats OK.

Liang Shui:
A beautiful woman with long owing white hair
approaches you, erce determination burning in her
eyes! Shes armed with a magnicent kwan-do, but
sets it aside to produce a ute how lucky, youre
being serenaded! But no, shes in fact your opponent
Red Lotus challenges you to each attempt to make
the other weep with the beauty of your music! Waiting
for their own challenges, two from her band a erce
desert bandit, and a very pretty girl doing an awful
job of being a boy applaud!

4. The Contest

Round Four: Combat

of opportunity to use the scenery for dramatic

kung-fu coolness themselves ideally, they should
Now, enough arbitrary challenges as the
be doing most of the description, but of course as
grand nale, Ironhand Nan graciously lets the
Sage, it falls upon you to set a good example.
Wulin heroes beat the stung out of some of his
When enough minions have been battered
soldiers with his lieutenants shouting orders from
around, its time to have the three sponsors call
the side.
proceedings to a close... and freeze the action just
This isnt particularly complex the mercenaries
as theyre about to declare who theyll oer their
are Gang ghters, and each lieutenant has a squad
hospitality to. Time to pass around the Auspicious
of 20 that he sends in from the sidelines (meaning
Beginnings adventure Loresheet!
they have a Rating of 5). The lieutenant doesnt
participate in the ghting, but grants the benets
I didnt think you could roll that
of his Presence (3) and Tactics (3 dice). One
low on ve dice!
such minion squad will attack each Wulin band
By default, we havent mentioned Critical
at a time, dividing between opponents normally.
Failures so far in this chapter. Essentially, its
Lieutenants do not attempt to enhance the attacks
up to you if you want to introduce the concept
of their squads. For simplicity the lieutenants
in this scene or not, but you should probably
always have an Initiative of 15, which is when their
make sure that if you do use it, you oer a bribe
minions act.
meaningful in the course of a single session game,
This means that against a band of four PCs, the
and interacting with concepts youve already
mercenaries will divide into four groups of ve.
introduced a full river is great, but its no good
Each group will have a Base Value of 8 (5 minions
to someone who doesnt know what the River is!
+ 3 Presence), rolling 5 dice + 8 for attack, and 3
dice + 8 for defence. Each PC is attacked twice per
turn.
Death and Auspicious Beginnings
Let the PCs gloriously smash these minions,
Unlike many roleplaying sessions, the PCs
experimenting with their kung fu, learning about
in Auspicious Beginnings dont have enemies so
defences, and generally cutting loose. If the minions
much as rivals. By default, no-one dies in this
go down too quickly for everyone to have a decent
adventure. All of the Wulin Rivals have on their
go at exercising their kung fu, throw more minions
sheet a point marked at which they will give up
in!
the ght, eeing or retreating as the situation
Note: Remember that bonus damage dice from
kung fu are literally bonus result dice and will
take out minions accordingly. If any other rules
diculties come up, rule in favour of the PCs and
keep moving.

The important thing is to keep the ght fun

and exciting... one of the easiest ways to do that
is remember to use the other Wulin ghters, the
crowd, and the left-overs of the previous challenges
(toppled statues, gongs, spears, white banners) as
part of the scenery! Spice up attacks and defences
by having minions go ying into things, trip over
things as they try to get away, have the other
Wulin challenge a PC to beat the size of
their pile of unconscious minions
etc. Give the players plenty

22

warrants. Likewise, they generally wont try to

actually kill the PCs, instead exhorting them to
leave if they beat them down to Staggering or
Last Legs.
With Minions, of course, the matter is a little
more immediate, and particularly relevant in the
Challenge. Explain to the players that they can
choose what happens to a minion they take out
whether they are killed, subdued, ee etc. Point
out that killing Ironhands soldiers right in front
of him is a bad idea, but otherwise let them do
what they like throughout the game. The PCs
rivals will react poorly to such needless ferocity,
but otherwise they are just minions, so theres
little other consequence to doing so.

5.

The Adventure Loresheet

The Time of Chaos:

Six Devil City, Prosperous Devil District
Auspicious Beginnings
[Adventure]
Cost: 0

Secrets of Destiny: Auspicious Beginnings

* Bonus: You gain 5 free Destiny to spend on this
Lore. You may keep some or all of this to spend
later in the adventure, but you may not spend this
destiny on anything other than Secrets of Destiny
from this Lore. This Destiny does not contribute
towards the characters running total ie it is not
tracked for the purpose of Rank.

The Eight Splendours of the Markets

[Treasure]

You must purchase one of the following treasures

as your objective its the reason youre in Only Six
Devils! The cheaper the treasure in terms of destiny,
the less useful to a member of the Wulin and the
more inconvenient to obtain it is; easy to obtain or
useful Splendours are more expensive!
Only one character can be entangled with each
Splendour. A character can entangle themself with
more than one Splendour, but thats generally just
buying trouble! Note that these are Entangled
Destinies, not Victories youll have to work to get
them, and they may pass through your hands soon
after...

DESTINY COST:
0 Entangled Destiny: Statue of Huang Di. The
pride of an otherwise humble country was a great
golden statue of the Yellow Emperor which had
stood untarnished over the centuries, seeming
to dispense good fortune on all who lived there.
However, war blew past like a terrible wind, and
with it mercenaries of Xia no shock then, that
the statue would appear in the markets of Only
Six Devils. The poor nation has suered terrible
misfortune since the statue vanished!
0 Entangled Destiny: Wind Monkey. A strange
little monkey spirit and legendary companion
to Daoist immortals, Wind Monkey capers and
dances with the swiftness of a storm, and is nearly
as destructive. Only the most serene of souls can

1 Entangled Destiny: Ying Zhengs Mirror. Its

hard to say whether this is truly the First Emperors
mirror though its certainly old enough! Most
important, however, is its marvellous property
it reects an ancient palatial bedroom, lled
with scrolls and classics carved into stone slabs.
Of course, the script is reversed and dicult to
see (its a large bedroom the texts are far away!),
but it seems each one is a text lost forever during
Ying Zhengs reign. The Mirror provides a +10
modier to any Learning roll, if and only if there
is no other way in Shen Zhou to get a bonus to
that roll. Its also extremely fragile!
1 Entangled
Destiny:
The
Marvellously
Inappropriate Censor. This remarkable incense
burner never stops burning, which is miraculous
in of itself, but still more amazing is that it
always gives o a perfectly inappropriate scent
for the occasion at hand! Any social rolls within
six rounds distance suer a 5 modier, which
would be much more useful if the object wasnt
so blatantly obvious! A 15 modier applies to
any attempt to be surreptitious or sneaky with the
Censor.
2 Entangled Destiny: The Catalogues of the
Ninefold Prosperity Pavilion. Scrolls detailing
the wonders currently gracing the Pavilion are
everywhere in Prosperous Devil but they are poor
copies at best. The originals are created by a blind
artist-savant, who uses a magnicent Formless
Technique to capture the wonders perfectly in
minature with his paints. Catalogues stretching
back years are kept in the market even a handful
are as good as a library of legends and esoterica!
The catalogues provide +5 to any Learning roll to
identify an item.

23

5 . T h e Ad ve n t u re L o re s h e e t

calm the monkey everyone else has to put up

with its constant capering. Wind Monkey has
many powers attributed to it by legend, and
perhaps you are acting on behalf of someone who
desperately needs those powers but for you, and
the merchant trying to sell him, hes nothing but
trouble!

5 . T h e Ad ve n t u re L o re s h e e t

2 Entangled Destiny: The Wedding Dress

of Lady Zhou. This magnicent dress is some
of the nest silk-work ever known! It provides
+10 to Grace rolls on your wedding day if worn,
and makes a superlative gift.
3 Entangled Destiny: The Black Mandrake.
This small, gnarled root is a thing of legend, one
of the most powerful sources of Jade Chi in all
Shen Zhou! Ingesting a sliver provides a +15
bonus to ve consecutive recovery rolls to recover
from a major Sick or Dying condition inicted
by poison or disease. However, so potent is the
root that anyone not so aicted who comes into
contact with it, even through cloth or wood, will
immediately contract a major Kuan inspiration
(Jade Breath, Recovery 40, Duration Five Scenes,
Interval One Scene), and lose their breath in
Crimson, Gold, Silver and White chi until they
recover from the inspiration.
4 Entangled Destiny: The Porcelain Maid.
This marvellous creation is a living girl, made
of porcelain through use of ancient Secret Arts
long thought lost! She longs for her freedom from
the merchant who is trying to sell her, and will
actively aid in any attempt to rescue her.

The Five Motivations

possession, as it ows towards you as naturally as

water ows downhill.
1 Fortune: A Jade destiny! You seek the
Splendour for someone whose need is greater than
the merchants need for silver either selessly
risking your good name for others, or putting
yourself rst because you want it! At the start of
the nal scene, you gain 3 points of joss (either
kind), that must be spent during that scene.
2 Fortune: Your destiny is that of re. You are
here not for yourself, but out of loyalty to another
who desires the splendour. Their motives may
be pure or corrupt, but either way your oath to
recover the treasure drives you gain +10 to any
rolls during the nal scene to bring it into your
possession.

The Three Sponsors

[Destiny]

As a group, decide which of the three Sponsors

chooses your band for admittance to Prosperous
Devil District. Your Sponsor will shower you with
hospitality and oer unique aid in your quest to
recover one of the Splendours! However, as good
guests, naturally youll complete one small task before
that aid materialises...

While each Sponsor belongs to a dierent

Archetype, the favour they ask will demand a wide
Choose one of the following to explain why your spread of abilities.
character has come to Shen Zhou and decided to steal
one of the Eight Splendours! Does your righteous DESTINY COST:
character see this as a just, necessary act, or does your 0 Entangled Destiny: Ironhand Nan, master of
the Sheathed-Blade Empty-Hand Prosperity
scoundrel exult in such a bold robbery?
Society. This erce warrior, a renegade member of
DESTINY COST:
the Nan clan, is master of the foremost mercenary
0 Fortune: An Earth destiny drives you you are
company in Prosperous Devil, and responsible for
in Only Six Devils less to have the Splendour
most of the security of the Ninefold Prosperity
than to show that you can take it. What did the
Pavilion. If he extends his hospitality to you,
merchant do that you need to defeat them so?
you can expect less armoured troops preventing
0 Fortune: Your destiny is white the Splendour
you from taking away the Spendours! He is also
belonged to someone who is now a ghost, and
concerned about the corruption of the Guild of
you grieve for them. It is your intention to send
Gentleman Appraisers, and will likely ask you to
the Splendour into the afterlife with them!
raid their library in order to recover rare texts and
return them to their rightful owners.
1 Fortune: The Splendour was taken from
someone close to you unjustly, and you mean to 0 Entangled Destiny: Red Lotus Ling,
rectify this by returning it through any means
Headmistress of the Blossoming-Towardsnecessary. Shen Zhou itself aids this attempt
Crimson Academy. This beautiful Courtier runs
to restore balance during the nal
one of the most exclusive educational facilities in
scene, gain +5 to any roll to
all of Shen Zhou: a school training the worlds
bring the item into your
most eligible young ladies for a life of marriage

[Destiny]

24

make the match, and drags her inuential parents

into helping her paramour, despite their objections.

2 Fortune: One of your rivals will be using a Beiforged Quality Weapon suited to your ghting
style.
1 Fortune: Random bad luck befalls a rival of
your choice!
1 Fortune: Random good luck befalls you!

Rivalry, Love and Luck

[Fortune]

DESTINY COST:
1 Entangled Destiny: Your destiny is linked with
one of your rivals from the tourney, and you are
guaranteed to encounter them again.
(+1) Fortune: They are destined to meet defeat at
your hands and suer a 5 modier on any contested
roll with you.
(+2) Victory: Youre destined to be fast friends
or lovers! You will win them as an ally.

1 Entangled Destiny: A character of your choice

is romantically entangled with one of Red Lotus
students.
(+1) Fortune: The relationship turns out badly,
causing major inconvenience.
(+1) Victory: Its love! She becomes an ally of her
paramour.
(+2) Victory: Its love, and shes determined to

25

5 . T h e Ad ve n t u re L o re s h e e t

and motherhood! Strangely, though, many of

the girls seem to turn out to be erce courtiers
and members of the Wulin themselves... If Red
Lotus oers you her hospitality, you will be able
to mingle with these clever girls, and sneak into
the markets as part of the retinues of their wealthy
parents. She is concerned, however, about the
tendency of the Sheathed Blade mercenaries to
interfere with the business of the school, and will
likely ask you to petition the Governor to ban
them from the grounds a move the mercenaries
will resist with debate and violence.
0 Entangled Destiny: Razoreyes Gongsun, head
of the Guild of Gentleman Appraisers. This
wizened and acerbic old man remains a brilliant
Scholar, head of a guild of similarly ancient and
knowledgeable savants. They are the only party
trusted to appraise and identify the wonders of
the market, and thus know more about what is
in the market where than any others if they
sponsor you, youll have excellent information
with which to develop a plan of attack! Razoreyes
is also aronted by the profound risk Red Lotus
is taking with the reputation of the district: shes
having her students oer to appraise and identify
wonders at a bargain price! Its beneath the dignity
of the elderly to bandy words with the young, so
youll have to prove these girls ignorant in a test
of wits and likely defend yourselves from their
burgeoning kung-fu abilities!

6 . Mi l i t a n t S c h o l a r s h i p

6.

Militant Scholarship

Run the events in this chapter if your PCs choose

Ironhand Nan as their sponsor. Note that this
chapter and the following two are quite similar this
is intentional as the three tasks set by the sponsors
are structurally similar despite their aesthetic
dierences.

My train leaves in 90 minutes and

were only a third of the way through!
At this point, you should think seriously about
pacing if youre on any sort of time schedule.
Ideally you want about two hours remaining by
this point. If you have less, save time where you
can by cutting as quickly as possible to the action
in the Library. If youre really short on time (say
youve only got an hour) you could jump straight
to the market tell the players youre short on
time, and just ask them to quickly come up with
something cool their characters did while at the
Library.
Even if you have plenty of time, the game is
unlikely to suer from moving it along at a good
pace. Dont drag players to the ght scenes if
theyre having fun with whatever theyre doing,
but it is a wuxia game not only are the scenes
lled with kung-fu especially exciting, but theres
no particular reason not to have the characters
talk just as much when sts are ying as when
theyre sitting down for tea.

the Guild of Gentleman Appraisers, your players

may want to do some in-character chatting between
themselves or with Ironhand Nan. Try to strike a
balance between allowing the players to have fun
playing with characterisation, and moving the action
of the game along. Make sure that combat scenes
are also lled with talking play up the NPCs
personalities as they ght, and the players are bound
to respond. Ironhand is quite direct, and dicult to
hold in extended conversation. Hell be very helpful
giving the PCs pretty much any information that
they ask for, so long as he knows it.

Ironhand begins to walk towards the gates to

Prosperous Devil, gesturing for you to follow him
clearly not a man for extended ceremony. As he
approaches, the ostentatious jade and gold gates of the
district swing open, and a small army of servants in
sapphire blue livery scuttle forward, wielding peacock
feather brooms! The servants brush furiously to keep the
dust, sand and trash of Unruly Devil out of Prosperous
Devil, and as you pass by them, its instantly obvious
why.

Prosperous Devil is beautiful. Not ten yards from

the dust and cramped streets of Unruly Devil, enormous
green rolling estates are bordered by perfectly laid stone
roads. Healthy trees abound, goldsh idle in ponds,
and lanterns hang from gold thread across the roads.
There are few buildings but each is like a palace, with
high walls enclosing bamboo gardens, ornamental
pagodas, and sumptuous ancestor shrines. There is a
serenity to it that seems strange but welcoming after
the chaos outside fewer people walk the streets of
Suggested opening narration:
the entire district than any single alleyway outside the
As the last of his soldiers crashes unconscious to the gates!
ground, Ironhand Nan steps forward, scratching at
Only one thing could create such a paradise
his stubble.
amongst desert, rugged mountains and a sprawling
Quite a display, he rumbles, but a waste of time.
mass of a city that only a devil could love money.
The names Xiao-Li Pai, Feng Guo, Liang Shui and
More silver than the legendary Perfected Abacus of
Patience Meng have long been known to me. How
Covetous Xi could count in ten thousand years! The
could I ignore such talent? I oer them the hospitality
source of that unparalleled wealth dominates the heart
of our barracks in Prosperous Devil.
of the district, like the axle of a wheel the Ninefold
The important thing here is that Ironhand knows Prosperity Pavilions. This magnicent marketplace
who the characters are, and is familiar with their treads a ne line between rened majesty and truly
deeds. One of the nice things about playing an up- obnoxious displays of wealth. These markets are your
and-coming hero in Shen Zhou is that people tend target, for therein are the wonders you travelled so far
to know that youre up and coming.
to claim, but rst, there is the matter of repaying your
Between now and their host for his generous hospitality...
arrival at the Library of

26

The barracks of the Sheathed-Blade Empty-Hand

Prosperity Society may be the least opulent compound
in the entire district, but they are far more comfortable
than any mercenary quarters you have seen before.
Its walls are solid but brightly painted, giving every
indication of both security and success. Inside are signs
of hard training, but the spears, sabers, hook swords,
wolf-tooth staves and the like on display show no
signs of wear obviously they are of excellent quality,
frequently replaced, or both.

Metal Gear Wuxia

While the default assumption is that the group

will make a more overt display of their kung-fu
prowess, its ne for them to take this tack. They
will face a couple of problems, however:
Razoreyes Gongsun is extremely observant,
and considerably smarter than Ironhand Nan.
The Appraisers know that the PCs are coming,
having deduced why Ironhand brought them into
the district. Excessive snooping about may get the
old mans attention too, though he wont make
the rst move.
Ironhand really wants this done as soon as possible.
Wulin have a tendency to cause trouble and get
thrown out by the Governor he has no objection
to that, but wants to make sure his business is
taken care of rst. Anyone with decent Awareness
will pick up on this impatience easily this is a
Simple (15) Awareness task.
Most of the pre-generated characters are far
from stealthy.
Other than that, they have every chance of
sneaking away with the texts unnoticed if they make
appropriate rolls in line with their plans. If youre
pressed for time, you may want to abstract a lot
of the cautious set-up common to this style of play
using a few Tactics rolls, giving +5 modiers for
good quick rundowns of the PCs plans.

You are quickly settled in to a guest pavilion

overlooking a bamboo grove spartan accommodation,
but spacious and comfortable. The more astute soon
realise, however, that you will not rest there until
you have paid for your hospitality especially when
Ironhand calls around with some rice wine.
Please forgive me for burdening you with my
troubles, he says, in a voice that makes it clear he
cares little for forgiveness from anyone. There is a
problem that concerns me deeply, and theres not much
I can do about it myself.
In the past ve years, nine of the Ten Forbidden
Old Texts have passed through the market and
Razoreyes Gongsun has stolen them all! Naturally, he
has covered up his crimes as legitimate pursuit of his
business. Id like to see that the merchants he swindled
have their texts returned, that they may be then sold
to reputable scholars. How else will the good name
of the Ninefold Prosperity Pavilion be maintained?
Of course, were I to move against him openly, as a
property owner I would face the Governors wrath
she strives to keep the peace between residents, to avoid
blood-feuds. So here I am, stuck with my rice-wine,
while the texts sit not three li from here in his fabled
Library. Such a tragedy, my friends...
The message should be clear, but if need be,
Ironhand will become more explicit. Of course,
the players bought into this task, so they should be
already ready to go!

Ironhand Nans Motives

Ironhand Nan intends to return eight of the nine
texts to the merchants they were stolen from. What
he wants the ninth for is in the Sages hands.

The Library of the Guild of

Gentlemen Appraisers
The Guilds compound is circular, with long
dragon designs and displays of calligraphy winding
around its outer wall. Inside, the various homes of
the Guild members ring the much larger edice of the
Library, almost a microcosm of the way the district
itself rings the markets. Forty mercenaries guard the
compound, mostly to assure customers that their
goods are will remain secure while the Appraisers do
their work. The guards are competent, but not of the
calibre of Ironhands men.
The Library is a broad, circular fourlevel tower of wood and stone, forty
yards in height and 20 yards

27

6 . Mi l i t a n t S c h o l a r s h i p

Of the three tasks asked by the sponsors, this

is the most likely to provoke a group into tackling
it like a paramilitary inltration team, especially if
theyve played of certain popular cyberpunk games.

6 . Mi l i t a n t S c h o l a r s h i p

in diameter. Razoreyes uses this height to hang long

banners bearing enormous but exquisite calligraphy
extolling the virtues of knowledge, wisdom and old
age advertising his Guilds learning, and reminding
observers to respect their elders and betters.
The interior is a single great room, with the centre
dominated by grand tables where the Appraisers
meet, study and practice calligraphy. Each of the
three upper levels is a balcony lled with scroll racks,
chests and shelves. These are the domain of the Little
Brother Appraisers: men and women anywhere from
fteen to sixty, judged not yet old or cynical enough
to be true Appraisers! There are 10-20 Little Brothers
in the Library at all times. The interior also has many
banners of the type hanging outside both kinds
give a +5 modier to Climb the tower.
Finding one of the Nine Texts is a Moderate
(20) Learning task. Critical success makes this a free
action. The Texts are distributed throughout the
Library: you cant repeatedly search a shelf until nine
scrolls fall out, you need to move at least ten yards to
a new area and renew your search after nding a text.
You cannot search in an area where another character
has found a Text.

Using the setting

You cant swing a st in the Library without
knocking over a scroll stand, and there will always
be someone just about to grab a text over the other
side of the tower. Scrolls and paper should be ying
everywhere. Big pots of ink should be spilling
clever players or NPCs might use them to create
an unbalancing slick! Lightfoot leaps up, down and
across levels should be happening constantly not
to mention armoured minions crashing through
wooden balconies and scattering scrolls with the
impact!
The key is to have the NPCs make use of the
scenery, and describe their actions as impacting on
it every time. Its pretty clear the NPCs are weaker
than the PCs, so the players should get the message
that they can go even further!

Use the 5th Rank statistics provided for the two

Wulin opponents. Pick a Warrior and a Scholar: the
Warrior will lead the minions while the Scholar looks
for texts and interferes with PCs. If the Warrior or
his minions look like theyre in trouble too early, the
Appraisers will reluctantly send in the rest of their
mercenaries. Both Wulin opponents are convinced
The Little Brothers have instructions to secure that the Appraisers have every right to the Texts,
the Texts if unknown Wulin break into the Library. and that Ironhand is conducting blatant thievery a
They know the Library much better than the PCs, point they debate enthusiastically.
gaining a +10 modier to their Learning rolls. They
Victory!
each have 4 dice of Learning and no access to the
If the PCs escape with ve or more texts, Ironhand
River. Five will attempt to secure texts upon seeing
is pleased and will assist them in their attempt to raid
the PCs while the rest attempt to get help, generally
the Ninefold Prosperity Pavilion. Otherwise, he is
ail about, or valiantly try to push scroll stacks over
displeased. While he wont withdraw his hospitality, he
onto the characters. If a Little Brother succeeds in
oers no further assistance. However, the opposition
grabbing a Text, he will run o with it at 10 yards
really isnt up to the PCs calibre, and the encounter
per round. By default, re-securing a Text is a Finesse
will end in victory in the vast majority of cases.
roll resisted by the Little Brothers two Dodge dice.
However, players may come up with more creative
Fire! Fire!
ways to get texts away from them.
Of course, the big danger in a library is re.
Razoreyes has instructed two of the Wulin he Scattered, torn or even ink-splodged scrolls are just
sponsored into the district to protect the library, and more work for the Little Brothers, but re will send
given them 20 mercenaries to do so. Choose which everyone into a panic... generally the Little Brothers
band Razoreyes gave hospitality to preferably, those will drop everything to put it out.
the players seemed least interested in, saving the
Setting the library ablaze, particularly likely with
other band for the nale. Its also a good idea to have
use of Holy Fire, will earn Razoreyes Gongsuns
anyone the PCs have entangled as potential allies/
eternal enmity he will become a Hated Foe of those
love interests show up as well! The Library might get responsible. Clever PCs may wish to use ammable
a little crowded, but crazy ght scenes are an scrolls etc to provide Tactical Opposition to reelement of wuxia well worth indulging
using foes.
in...

28

7.

Political Aggression

Suggested opening narration:

A satised smile crosses Red Lotus lips as the last of

Ironhand Nans soldiers crashes to the ground.
Well! She exclaims, standing gracefully, languidly
fanning herself against the heat of the desert city.
That was certainly an entertaining way to spend an
afternoon. My thanks to the honourable master Nan
for his eorts in arranging this tourney.
The fan clicks shut.
However, I must regretfully suggest that it was
for no purpose other than entertainment. As mistress
of the Blossoming-Towards-Crimson Academy, I am
trusted to bring young women to their day of wearing
red in all proper virtue. The ghosts of my ancestors
would be shamed were I to invite any less than the
most noble of heroes to share a roof with those girls.
How could I invite any other than Xiao-Li Pai, Feng
Guo, Liang Shui and Patience Sima?
She nods to you gracefully and moves with practiced
elegance to the gates. The implication that you should
follow her is unmistakeable!
As she approaches, the ostentatious jade and gold
gates of the district swing open, and a small army
of servants in sapphire blue livery scuttle forward,
wielding peacock feather brooms! The servants brush
furiously to keep the dust, sand and trash of Unruly
Devil out of Prosperous Devil, and as you pass by
them, its instantly obvious why.
Prosperous Devil is beautiful. Not ten yards from
the dust and cramped streets of Unruly Devil, enormous
green rolling estates are bordered by perfectly laid stone
roads. Healthy trees abound, goldsh idle in ponds,
and lanterns hang from gold thread across the roads.
There are few buildings but each is like a palace, with
high walls enclosing bamboo gardens, ornamental
pagodas, and sumptuous ancestor shrines. There is a
serenity to it that seems strange but welcoming after
the chaos outside fewer people walk the streets of
the entire district than any single alleyway outside the
gates!

A lavish garden of ponds and waterfalls surrounds

the Blossoming-Towards-Crimson Academy. Beautiful
red buildings sit within the garden, clearly various
pieces of manor houses, temples, palaces and other
places that a married noblewoman would be expected
to be well at home in. Unlike most other estates in the
district, the Academy is not walled, and you can see
the students at within the grounds. Most of these girls
seem either docile, silly or both, products of sheltered
and spoiled lives. However, others watch you with
sharp eyes that betray keen minds, and you catch a
glimpse of at least a few training with weapons
perhaps even the beginnings of the Unfolding Glory
style you saw Pretty Hark use at the tourney.
Red Lotus bids you farewell for a short time while
you are settled into quarters. Oddly enough, while
your rooms are opulent, they are attached to a kungfu training hall! The hall is in the centre of a small
lake in the heart of one of the thickest peony groves on
the estate, and has no bridge it is necessary to use
Lightfoot to reach it!
Unsurprisingly you are gures of great interest
to the girls, and many nd excuses to be by the lake
calligraphy practice, reading poetry and the like.
Most can barely contain their giggling, but a few seem
interested but not unsettled by your presence a few
gazes of such calculating appraisal are directed your
way that you feel like youre about to be sold in the
Pavilions yourself!
Realistically, you wont actually get through that
much narration. However, the above should give
you plenty of details to use moving the
characters along from the tourney
to the Academy and hence

29

7 . Po l i t i c a l A g g re s s i o n

Run the events in this chapter if your players choose

Red Lotus Ling to sponsor their characters.Note that
the discussions on timing and characterisation time
at the beginning of the last chapter are just as relevant
to this one!

Only one thing could create such a paradise

amongst desert, rugged mountains and a sprawling
mass of a city that only a devil could love money.
More silver than the legendary Perfected Abacus of
Covetous Xi could count in ten thousand years! The
source of that unparalleled wealth dominates the heart
of the district, like the axle of a wheel the Ninefold
Prosperity Pavilions. This magnicent marketplace
treads a ne line between rened majesty and truly
obnoxious displays of wealth. These markets are your
target, for therein are the wonders you travelled so far
to claim, but rst, there is the matter of repaying your
host for his generous hospitality...

7 . Po l i t i c a l A g g re s s i o n

to their task. Most likely, they will wish to interact

with Red Lotus and possibly the girls of the academy,
which unless youre extremely pressed for time should
be encouraged. Red Lotus is a rened but somewhat
playful courtier, who has no particular secrets to hide
from the PCs. Shell happily explain that her most
talented students receive a proper education, training
them to dominate both the courts and the Wulin!
She will answer any questions the PCs about the
district to the best of her ability, though of the three
sponsors she has the least actual knowledge of the
markets themselves.
If the players have shown any interest in the
girls of the Academy (including but not limited to
entangling themselves with them), make use of the
Unfurling Crimson Banner Sisterhood detailed in the
Wulin chapter. These girls might provide a retinue
for Red Lotus on the way to the Academy through
Prosperous Devil, or otherwise be bold enough to
approach the PCs in their quarters via Lightfoot they are also the girls who can be seen practicing the
beginnings of Unfolding Glory. If any entanglements
are formed, some or all of the girls may insist on
accompanying the PCs on their mission, acting as
witnesses against the Empty Hand Society before
the Governor.
However, if the players are just waiting for the
chance to bust out the wirework violence at the next
opportunity, dont belabour the schoolgirls too much
get straight to the task at hand!

After an hour or two happily drinking in the

serenity and beauty of the Academy - a welcoming
change after the hard journey on the Yellow River and
your time in the manic Unruly Devil - your hostess
comes to take tea with you. In a comfortably appointed
chamber bedecked with jade decorative weapons and
red ornamental scrolls, she condes in you a diculty
shes facing.
Anyone can see, dear guests, that you are wise
people, possessing great wu-wei! Surely you will have
noticed how this district seems to revolve around the
markets - indeed, for all the noble appearance of
our estates, we are one and all servants of the silver
tael. Governor Miang is concerned rst and foremost
with the maintenance of the districts prosperity; as a
result, she frowns upon direct disputes between
landowners, ensuring there is no soil from
which grudges might ower.

Some less sophisticated members of the community

take this as license to indulge in petty bullying,
assuming that any escalation on the part of those so
assaulted will draw the Governors displeasure. Such
an unworthy dog is Ironhand Nan and his Empty
Hand Society. He claims the constant presence of
his followers on the borders of my Academys estate
is charitable protection of the vulnerable young girls
here an excuse lighter than silk and not one hundredth
as strong! They are spying and bullying, frightening
the girls with their leers and recording the movements
of their parents when they come to visit.
Naturally, as I act in the role of their mother, I
have a Confucian duty to reciprocate the devotion of
my girls by protecting them from such things how
can I teach them lial piety if I do not respect it
myself? Yet I cannot go directly to the Governor to
petition her to ban the soldiers from our grounds, for
then it would appear that I am the one bearing a
grudge! Its especially mortifying as so many of the girls
parents will be arriving this evening. I hope you can
sympathise with my diculties.
Red Lotus language is owery, but her point
is blunt: the PCs are to petition the Governor to
keep the Empty Hand Society from the grounds of
the Academy. If the players dont get this instantly,
characters with decent Awareness (particularly Liang
Shui or Patience Meng) will grasp it instantly, along
with the implication that it must be done before the
parents arrive.

The Audience Chamber of Sapphire Miang

The palaces of the District Governors of Only Six
Devils tend to be quite unusual a combination of
the rather unique personalities of those six worthies
and the necessity of showing o their importance
without looking like they are placing themselves
above the Iron Shadow Warlord. Sapphire Miang has
the additional agenda of demonstrating that she is
not the hub of the district for all her authority, it is
the silver tael that truly rules Prosperous Devil. As a
result, the Ninefold Prosperity Pavilion remains the
heart of the district, and by far the most impressive
edice. Miang instead maintains ve estates in a ring
about the markets, quite eloquently declaring that
she controls access to the markets, if not the markets
themselves entirely.

30

The Water Palace is dominated by a long, mostly

ooded courtyard. Wulin are encouraged to Lightfoot
across to the palace building proper, but massively
overgrown blue lotus owers act as a compromise
between bridges and boats for those who have not
cultivated their chi. A long and broad stairway leads
up to the audience chamber, lined with Miangs
personal guards. Forty guards are present, although
they will not involve themselves in combat unless the
Governor is attacked. Inside, the hall is extremely
long, with draping blue silk banners and curtains
on either side of a central pool, stretching the length
of the hall, in which thousands of blue candles oat
and cast an eerie light. Wulin can Lightfoot easily
amongst them, whereas others must gingerly wade
to the Governor. Blue paper lanterns amidst the
hangings add to the strange lighting.
The Governor kneels upon a raised platform,
practicing calligraphy in blue ink on an exceptionally
long scroll that her servants move past her at the
A most auspicious argument, worthy sir.
Please allow me to retort with my
Thousand Scythe kick.
Many players will assume that social actions
and kung-fu will generally not happen in the same
scene.
This is your chance to disabuse them of that
notion in the most enjoyable way possible by
staging a rollicking kung-fu debate. The key to this
will be the NPCs, who will act like discussing the
ner points of customary law with someone while
kicking them in the face is the most natural thing in
the world. Be appropriately elastic with tactical time
it doesnt seem odd in a well choreographed movie
or comic that ghters always seem to have plenty
of time to natter on about their love triangles or
uniting all under heaven, and Weapons of the Gods
games can benet from having a similar feel.

precise rate of ow of the Yellow River. Whether

she was born with beauty is unknown, but in her
middle years she has obtained a poise and aura of
accomplishment that many nd beautiful. Her hair is
greying, but the sapphires arranged artfully through
it are most attering. Of course, it is her keen eyes
and very sharp wit that the observant xate upon,
and others overlook to their peril.
True to the nature of the Water Palace, the
Governor is in a mood dictated by stasis. She will
receive the PCs with few words, using the smallest
gestures to invite them to begin stating their case.
Have each PC make a Grace roll at Everyday (18)
diculty to impress her with their manners good
descriptions can earn a +5 bonus. Success ensures
the Governor is well-disposed to their proposals
add 5 yards to the nal distance the Empty Hand
mercenaries must stay from the school (see below)
for each successful roll. Add 10 yards for a Critical
Success. Subtract 5 yards for each failure theres no
middle ground!
After this roll, as the PCs begin to present their
argument, have them make Everyday (18) Senses rolls
with a success, they realise that shafts in the roof
(more for the movement of air than light) allow access
to the hall and that Ironhands soldiers are about to
drop in! If they fail, they are technically Surprised
as two Wulin and 40 soldiers jump down through
the silk hangings (many dropping in the water and
sending candles ying!). However, their foes do not
attack on the rst turn as they are recovering from
the drop.
Choose one of the two bands to be the one
Ironhand gave hospitality to preferably, make it the
one the players seemed least interested in, saving the
other band for the nale. However, its probably a
good idea to have anyone the PCs have entangled
as potential allies/love interests (including Red Lotus
girls) show up in addition to these opponents. Feel
free to introduce more minions and Wulin for any
allies to ght, but it should act purely as background
colour. Use the 5th Rank stats provided for the two
Wulin chosen by Ironhand to present his case
by default, this should be one Courtier and one
Warrior. The soldiers are Gang ghters divided into
two groups of 20, one following each Wulin, with a
Rating of 5.

31

7 . Po l i t i c a l A g g re s s i o n

Today the Governor is receiving petitioners in her

Water Palace, southwest of the markets. Unlike many
Governors this is a restful time for her, as she has
so few independent citizens that petitioners are quite
rare (by contrast, Cleaver Chen would never dream of
inviting petitioners without requiring massive bribes
from them, just to keep the situation manageable).
As a consequence, she is somewhat bored, and the
characters will have little trouble getting in to see
her.

7 . Po l i t i c a l A g g re s s i o n

As this occurs, the Governor will smile with an

Victory!
obviously brightened demeanour. Ah! she says. A
After 5 rounds, tally the result of the debate:
debate! Excellent!
subtract the oppositions result dice from the PCs
Her servants roll out fresh paper for her, and total, after adding any bonus from the initial Grace
she places ve characters on it one for each of roll for minding their manners! Each result dice
the elements. Please present an argument for each contributes 10 yards to the nal distance to which the
element. I will make my decision based on how Empty Hand Society may approach the Academy.
auspicious they are overall. Without hesitation,
If the total is 60 yards or more, Red Lotus will
Ironhands advocates attack, even as their Courtier be overjoyed and assist the PCs in their assault on
begins to debate, and their Warrior demands the market. If less, she is unhappy and will not assist
respectful silence!
them, but does not revoke her hospitality. If somehow
the total is negative, Red Lotus is furious and will
Sapphire Miang
not allow the PCs back on the grounds (Ironhands
The Governor has excellent Kung Fu and
men probably taunt them by oering to go in and get
numerous guards, but its unlikely anyone will oer
their gear).
her violence directly. If she comes in danger from
The Governor announces the total in a ringing
the environment she will activate Lightfoot and
tone,
and proclaims it law that mercenary companies
move (scroll and all) to a safer position, without
may approach no closer than that to the Academy.
breaking the ow of her calligraphy. She will not
In the unlikely event any of Ironhands advocates are
act like the combat in her audience chamber is in
standing, they ee at this point, swearing revenge.
any way unusual or undesirable.
Each round, choose an element, and have the
Governors brush hover near it. As a full action, a
character can make a Persuade skill roll to present
their case, gaining a +5 modier if the argument is
appropriate to that element. A character can sacrice
their full action to oppose this roll with an argument
of their own, rolling Persuade in the same fashion:
the opposition Courtier will do this on any round in
which they lose initiative. Otherwise, the roll is made
at Moderate (20) diculty, with a critical success
making the argument a Free Action. The Governor
only records the rst argument from each side each
round further attempts are useless. Even if the
PCs (as is likely) destroy their opposition within less
than ve rounds, the Governor will expect ve total
arguments to be made, so continue rolling for until
all ve elements are done!

32

Using the environment

Between the pool, candles, lanterns, silk
hangings and Sapphire Miangs servants, you
have no shortage of props to go ying. Make sure
the NPCs actions create appropriate turbulence,
have servants desperately throw themselves on
candles or splashes of water that might mar the
calligraphy scroll, and describe the plight of
Ironhands soldiers, forced to splash about without
Lightfoot.
By default, none of this will cause mechanical
trouble, but it should make the scene more vivid
- especially for anyone whos seen the similar
(though dryer) hall in Hero, and may be leveraged
by clever players for tactical opposition, or even
circumstance bonuses. The key is to play up the
NPCs impact on the scenery, so the players arent
shy about knocking it about themselves!

8.

Wisdom of the Elders

Suggested opening narration:

As the last of the mercenaries is slammed into the dust
of the tourney grounds, Razoreyes Gongsuns patience
nally snaps. He rises to his feet with as much speed as
his advanced years allow. Narrowing beady eyes at the
assembled Wulin, he visibly shakes with rage!
You impious rascals, do I look like I have long
left to live? How dare you waste my time with such
incompetence! I will soon be with your ancestors, and
they will haunt you to your dying days when they hear
how atrociously you have treated your elders. Imagine
leaving a respected citizen such as myself sitting out
here in the dusty hell of Unruly Devil without so much
as showing me one thing worth seeing! Only Xiao-Li
Pai, Feng Guo, Liang Shui and Patience Sima have
merit as heroes, and I knew that the moment they
stepped onto the docks!
The ancient scholar begins to stalk o towards the
gates. After a moment, he gazes back at the four of
you with the eyes of an angry falcon. Well? Are you
coming or not? We should have left hours ago... to
think I missed the appraisal of the Duke of Zhous
pipe to see those eight fools prance uselessly!
As he approaches, the ostentatious jade and gold
gates of the district swing open, and a small army
of servants in sapphire blue livery scuttle forward,
wielding peacock feather brooms! The servants brush
furiously to keep the dust, sand and trash of Unruly
Devil out of Prosperous Devil, and as you pass by
them, its instantly obvious why.
Prosperous Devil is beautiful. Not ten yards from
the dust and cramped streets of Unruly Devil, enormous
green rolling estates are bordered by perfectly laid stone
roads. Healthy trees abound, goldsh idle in ponds,
and lanterns hang from gold thread across the roads.
There are few buildings but each is like a palace, with
high walls enclosing bamboo gardens, ornamental
pagodas, and sumptuous ancestor shrines. There is a
serenity to it that seems strange but welcoming after

Only one thing could create such a paradise

amongst desert, rugged mountains and a sprawling
mass of a city that only a devil could love money.
More silver than the legendary Perfected Abacus of
Covetous Xi could count in ten thousand years! The
source of that unparalleled wealth dominates the heart
of the district, like the axle of a wheel the Ninefold
Prosperity Pavilions. This magnicent marketplace
treads a ne line between rened majesty and truly
obnoxious displays of wealth. These markets are your
target, for therein are the wonders you travelled so far
to claim, but rst, there is the matter of repaying your
host for his generous hospitality...
The compound of the Guild of Gentleman Appraisers
is circular, with long dragon designs and displays of
calligraphy winding around its outer wall. Inside, the
various homes of the Guild members ring the much
larger edice of the Library, almost a microcosm
of the way the district itself rings the markets. The
Library itself is a broad, circular four-level tower of
wood and stone, forty yards in height and 20 yards in
diameter. Long banners with enormous but exquisite
calligraphy extolling the virtues of knowledge, wisdom
and old age hang down its walls, yet more evidence of
Razoreyes determination to make sure no-one forgets
to honour their elders.
You are pointedly herded away from the Library and
towards rather comfortable quarters near the Guilds
mercenary barracks. Your needs are well catered for,
and though the furniture of your rooms is far from
gaudy, it is of exquisite quality and decorated with
antiques that would anywhere else be considered the
pride of a collection. You suspect Razoreyes gets away
with his foul humour for more than Shen Zhous
respect for the elderly vast wealth speaks louder than
an old mans wheeze.
As with the other scenarios, dont expect to get
through all the narration presumably the players
will want to interact with their surroundings or
NPCs, and should be encouraged to do so. Just use
the above as inspiration for your own introduction
of the players to Prosperous Devil and the
Guilds compound. Unlike the other
scenarios, however, this one

33

8 . Wi s d o m o f t h e El d e r s

Run the events in this chapter if the PCs choose

Razoreyes Gongsun and the Guild of Gentleman
Appraisers as their sponsor. As with the previous
chapter, the notes on timing and characterisation
in Militant Scholarship are just as applicable to this
chapter.

the chaos outside fewer people walk the streets of

the entire district than any single alleyway outside the
gates!

8 . Wi s d o m o f t h e El d e r s

sports a rather irascible and sour old man, who is

much more dicult to engage in conversation than
the straightforward Ironhand Nan or the amiable
Red Lotus. The best way of handling this is to
have Gongsuns lackeys Little Brothers, junior
Appraisers judged not yet elderly and cynical enough
by the geriarchy to be obviously pained and
panicked by the old mans treatment of such powerful
warriors. The Little Brothers will rephrase Razoreyes
words in the most diplomatic way they can, and
fall over themselves to help the mighty Wulin with
any questions they may have about the District or
the Guild. If the PCs ask any questions not found
in this module, just make up an answer that seems
appropriate (and jot it down for future reference if
you plan to run more games in Only Six Devils!).

and accomplished lower ourselves to argue with

little girls in the street? No, theres only one thing to be
done They are holding an appraisal session in about
an hour. You must go down there and demonstrate
their ignorance with superior learning. Youre close to
them in age, so it will be no shame for you, and no
doubt it will give you an opportunity to give some
of your rivals from the tourney a proper thrashing.
Perform to your capabilities and Ill ensure you have
an easy time of it when you seek to liberate your goals
from the markets.

While its blatantly obvious that Razoreyes wants

to maintain his monopoly over appraisal in the
district, it is true that the market is unlikely to be
helped by amateur competition. Why go all the way
to Only Six Devils when the goods in the markets
Eventually a sharp knock at your door heralds the are appraised by schoolgirls? You may as well stay in
return of Razoreyes Gongsun. While youre not exactly Thrashing Minister City!
pleased to see him, the thought of repaying your
Um, were supposed to punch schoolgirls?
implicit debt to him is rather appealing. He creaks his
way over to a chair slowly, irritably waving away the
The central message of last chapter bears repeating
Little Brothers trying to assist him.
here: talking and kung fu can not only share a scene,
Some claim Im an irritable, mean-spirited old they enjoy considerable synergy.
That said, the point of the scene is NOT to skewer
man. He pauses, almost as if setting a trap of silence
to catch any in his retinue who are simply toadies. schoolgirls, but to debate them. While the Unfurling
Strictly speaking, thats as accurate as if Huang Di Crimson Banner Sisterhood have some kung-fu
himself had said it, but thats beside the point. Youre skills, the violence will be provided by mercenary
intelligent looking for a pack of Wulin ruans, so troops and the PCs Wulin rivals. Feel free to make
that clear to the players as soon as necessary, though
youll have surmised straight away that I wouldnt
since the girls will not by default oer violence,
be nearly as successful if I hadnt consistently pleased nobody should feel put into the position of having to
the Governor by turning my considerable gifts to the give a teenage girl a decidedly unheroic pummelling
wellbeing of the community.
(well, other than Pretty Hark).
So, you will grasp that I do not say this solely out of
an old mans sourness: Red Lotus Ling is throwing the
The Blossoming-Towards-Crimson Academy
reputation of the Ninefold Prosperity Pavilion into
The appearance and grounds of the academy are
the dirt! Her ignorant students give away appraisals of described at length in Political Aggression, but this
goods for the markets for but a handful of silver coins, scene does not take place within the school proper.
and too many gullible merchants are falling for it! The Unfurling Crimson Banner Sisterhood have set
Even the few girls who have some native intelligence up a small appraisal fair at the edge of the estate,
dont have the experience to tell the sword Tiger Soul amidst a bamboo grove dominated by silver statues of
from an aphrodisiac. Imagine the humiliation well all the most legendary sages and scholars of Shen Zhous
endure when their errors inevitably ruin the markets history. Statues of Huang Di, the youthful features
reputation!
of Bufon Ju, and the shrouded gure of the Wulin
Of course, theres nothing I can do about it. The Sage gaze down upon the proceedings! Razoreyes
Governor forbids direct conict between the Gongsun is rather pointedly absent from the august
land owners of the district. Even if she metal assemblage.
The Sisterhood has mercenary guards: twenty
didnt, how could we a respected
Gang
ghters and two Wulin from the tourney.
organization of the elderly

34

A large number of wealthy individuals (most

with their own mercenary guards) have come to
have items appraised mostly friends and business
contacts of the girls parents. They will act as an
audience, and their troops will not intervene in the
inevitable violence except to extricate their clients
from immediate danger. For their part, the clients
will make appreciative noises at the unfolding drama
as appropriate.
There are ve artefacts waiting to be appraised. If
challenged in any way, the Crimson Banner girls will
indignantly demand that their challengers compete
with them to oer the superior appraisal, while their
Wulin protectors will simultaneously attack. The PCs
must meet both challenges at once! Each round, one
of the girls will hold up an item for appraisal.

A endishly clever silver puzzle-box, wrought to

resemble a tangle of thorns (Relevant Skill: Crafting)
An embarrassingly explicit scroll speaking eloquently
of the events of a certain court during a certain Emperors
reign, but with identifying details changed to protect
the guilty (Relevant Skill: Politics)
An intricate clockwork Go table apparently trying
to give rather specic military advice in highly obscure
fashion (Relevant Skill: Tactics).

Make sure you inform the players which ability is

to be rolled!
While this is going on, a furious Kung Fu battle
should be in progress. The Scholar opponent will do
their best to rebut and ridicule the PCs appraisals
this has no mechanical eect, but should keep people
talking. Meanwhile, the Warrior will lecture the PCs
on bullying little girls a somewhat uncharitable
interpretation that the PCs will be in their rights
to refute with words, sts or both! Its reasonably
likely the PCs will defeat their opponents before the
appraisal is over if so, the appraisal continues over
the crumpled forms of their foes!
If the PCs succeed on three or more of the
appraisals Razoreyes will be overjoyed (perhaps going
so far as to give the PCs an approving nod), and will
assist them with the markets. Otherwise, he has to be
convinced by the Little Brothers not to try to have
them turfed back into Unruly Devil!
Using the environment
Bamboo groves are a staple of the kung-fu
genre.Even an entirely random group of players
should have a pretty good grasp of what theyre for,
but dont hesitate to have the NPCs demonstrate!
Bamboo should slide apart and fall in the aftermath
of sword cuts, constantly rustling and bending as
ghters jump about from stalk to stalk, and leaves
should be falling everywhere!

Competitive appraising involves creating a name

and short history for the item, and then making a
contested roll of a skill relevant to the item. This is a
full action, or a free action on a critical success. The
girls roll 4 dice, and enjoy a +5 bonus for having been
pre-informed of which items would be brought to
them, but they have no River to use. The contested
roll is made when a PC chooses to do so, on their
initiative. Only one PC can do this each round, and
if the round ends with no roll being made, the girl
automatically wins. PCs can gain a +5 bonus for
coming up with clever or entertaining ideas for the
secret history of the items there is no default truth
as to what they are; rather any explanation made in
combination with a winning roll.

Meanwhile, the silver statues are there for a single

purpose to fall over, as catastrophically as possible.
The Crimson Banner girls have a red silk tent from
which they conduct their appraisals it should be
torn up and collapse at the rst available moment.
Wealthy folk should end up running about in a
panic, their nery becoming stained as the dirt of
the forest oor is churned up by their running.

The items are:

A scroll with particularly ne calligraphy. However,
each character is written backwards, and the text
apparently making no sense (Relevant Skill: Learning)
An ossied organ of some kind, glowing with a faint
red light (Relevant Skill: Medicine)

Simply put: the fact that success in this scene is

determined by academic victory should not
in any sense lessen its action element!

35

8 . Wi s d o m o f t h e El d e r s

Choose which of the two bands the Red Lotus

gave hospitality to preferably, make it the one the
players seemed least interested in, saving the other
band for the nale. Feel free to have anyone the
PCs have entangled as potential allies/love interests
(including Red Lotus girls) show up as well. You can
introduce more minions and Wulin for these allies to
ght, but these should only be background colour,
and their actions dont need to be rolled out. Use 5th
Rank stats for the two Wulin assigned to guard the
Crimson Banner girls preferably a Warrior and a
Scholar (the Warrior leads the mercenary troops).

9 . T h e Ni n e f o l d Pro s p e r i t y Pa v i l i o n

9.

The Ninefold Prosperity Pavilion

Did anyone else realise Zhou Dynasty

architecture was so... big?
In Weapons of the Gods, you can encounter
anyone from a humble rice farmer to baneful
kung-fu warriors who can split mountains with
their hands. So too do the locations range from
rustic shacks to spectacular palaces you couldnt
build today, let alone in the early fourth century!
Only Six Devils is one of the best places in Shen
Zhou to see this contrast, from the mad warren of
mismatched buildings that is Unruly Devil, to the
Cold Fortress of its master (depicted on page 60
of the main rulebook).
Even in Prosperous Devil this gradient from the
familiar to the fantastic is evident. The compound
of the Guild of Gentleman Appraisers and the
Blossoming-Towards-Crimson
Academy
are
remarkably well-appointed, but neither would be
out of place in historical China. Sapphire Miangs
palaces are extraordinary, but would not be jarring
in an epic kung-fu movie. The Ninefold Prosperity
Pavilion, however, is a rival to the Cold Fortress
vast, fantastic, and far more elaborate than even the
economy of Prosperous Devil can justify. It is most
properly at home in the comics.
By default, you should play up this escalation
of locations throughout the adventure. The more
spectacular the market is, the less the players are
likely to feel theyre indulging in petty theft, as
opposed to an act of heroic daring. If theyre fans
of kung-fu comics, leaping around enormous and
strange locations with Lightfoot is probably part of
the appeal of the game in the rst place!
However, if your players are looking for an
experience more authentic to historical China or
popular kung-fu epics like Crouching Tiger, Hidden
Dragon or Hero, feel free to scale back the markets
to be appropriate to that level of fantasy the action
of the scene should function exactly the same!

Run the events in this chapter after the PCs

complete the task set them by their sponsor.
Alternatively, run them at any time they decide to
storm the markets in a t of Wulin impetuousness!
The Home Stretch
Having nished the second major scene of the
adventure, you should ideally have about an hour
remaining. If you have more, great luxuriate
in the nal ght scene, adding whatever detail
seems fun, or nish up early and spend some time
discussing the game and system with the players.
If you have less than an hour but more than
half an hour, you should be ne as long as you pay
attention to pacing and keep the scene moving at
a good clip.
If you have less than half an hour, realistically
youre not going to get through the scene. Your
best course of action is to begin it, and then use
the appearance of rival Wulin looking for the
same Splendours as the PCs as a clihanger (it
might be best to omit the sponsors warning about
their rivals from the setup for this scene). If you
can arrange another session, begin with the market
scene, and esh out the rest of the session with plot
hooks from the next chapter.
The Ninefold Prosperity Pavilion is the characters
objective, and forms the nal - and hopefully most
exciting scene of the adventure.
Ideally, this scene should take place after the
players have completed their task for their sponsor.
Run a short bridging scene between that encounter
and this it will give the sponsors a chance to react
appropriately to the PCs success (or lack thereof ),
and give them impetus to head to the markets. If
(as is most likely), the PCs were victorious, the
sponsor will praise them (or get as close to praise as
Razoreyes can manage, if they chose the Appraisers),
and explain to them the assistance theyll be oering
them at the market (see the callout below). If the
PCs failed, theyll be lectured, but pushed towards
the markets regardless of course, in this case, its
because the sponsor wants to get rid of them!

The sponsor will warn the PCs that while the

Wulin they fought earlier will probably lay low for a
little while, those guested by the third Sponsor (Red
Lotus if the PCs are with Ironhand, Razoreyes if they
chose Lotus, or Ironhand if they chose Razoreyes)
have been most active gathering up catalogues,
questioning locals on the markets, and generally
watching the Pavilion from afar. Its clear theyre
planning something soon!

36

The Pavilion
The Ninefold Prosperity Pavilion is one of the
most spectacular structures in all of Six Devil City,
only denitively eclipsed by the Cold Fortress of the
Iron Shadow Warlord. However, it does not reveal its
true majesty until one draws close from a distance,
the markets seem a majestic series of pagodas and
pavilions, but nothing particularly remarkable in
scale. This is an illusion: the markets are set in a deep
depression, and less than half their height is visible
from outside! The walls of the depression are circular,
vertical, with a vast diorama of Nwas battle against
the River Lord and his minions to create humanity
carved into them in bas-relief. Five stairways to the
markets spiral down in a mandala pattern, waterfalls
arcing out from strategic places in the bas-relief to
pass over the stairs!
As the walls are fty yards high (or, more correctly,
deep), its quite an experience merely to walk down to
the market! Of course, on the edge of the Northern
Desert, having thirty waterfalls merely for decoration
is not mere opulence, its obscenity beyond even the
vast waste of water keeping Prosperous Devil green,
exciting both desire and loathing in the inhabitants
of other districts!
At the bottom of the depression is a lake of clear
water, in which sits a carefully manicured garden
island. The pavilions and pagodas (towers, when
revealed at their full height) rise from the island,
linked by white stone bridges. The clever will quickly
deduce the reason for the lowered position of the
market it keeps such tall towers from exceeding
the height of the Cold Fortress! Everything else
about the Ninefold Prosperity Pavilion displays
staggering hubris, but its builders were not so foolish
as to challenge the Iron Shadow Warlord in even the
smallest way.

The central tower is the widest (they are largely

equal in height), its walls apparently carved from solid
sapphire. The eight other towers, mostly constructed
of ne woods and white marble, are spaced equally
around it, and surrounded themselves by much
smaller wooden structures. All of the structures are
extremely open and airy, letting light and air stream
into the markets within.
The market is quite crowded when compared to
the rest of the district. Particularly busy is the central
tower, serving as the main gathering place and social
nexus of the Pavilion. Relative to the actual size of
the markets, however, they are incredibly sparsely
populated most merchants have an enormous
amount of space to themselves, and only the bottom
level of each tower is used for commerce. The
market is beautiful, but its size relative to the actual
requirements of its function is nothing less than
appalling.
The central tower is entirely hollow, and it is a
rare person who remains unimpressed when standing
within that vast sapphire cylinder. Dim blue paper
lanterns subtly enhance the natural lighting, and
bright white lanterns join them in the evening. The
circular hall is dominated by a great statue of Nwa,
under which gather those who have come to the
market to sell a single wonder, waiting for the buyers
to heed them. The buyers themselves representatives
of the wealthiest and most powerful men and women
in all Shen Zhou gather in groups in the centre.
They whisper ercely, attempting to get the better of
each other, but prevent the merchants from exploiting
their rivalry. Brokers and lesser merchants scuttle up
to these professional buyers, as well those visiting the
market, hoping to tempt them into a lucrative deal,
or sell them luxuries to ease the stresses of dealing in
the market.
Empty-Hand Society troops patrol the market.
Many merchants keep other troops with their goods,
but in general they are few in number and less erce
than Ironhands soldiers.
The principle merchants of the district (arguably
the principle merchants of Only Six Devils, or as they
would have it, Shen Zhou) occupy the surrounding
structures, which the buyers typically move to and
from via the sapphire hall. In this particular case,
each of the Splendours is with a merchant
in a dierent tower.

37

9 . T h e Ni n e f o l d Pro s p e r i t y Pa v i l i o n

The focus on the Wulin rivals is important apart

from the complications inherent to the Splendours
chosen by the PCs, their Wulin rivals are the primary
challenge of the scene. Realistically, theres little a
merchant (no matter how wealthy) can do to stop
determined Wulin from making o with his goods
normally they rely on Ironhand Nan to prevent
this, but today hes either secretly backing the thieves,
or determined not to get involved. You might want
to conceal the groups rivals until the Splendours are
almost in their hands, but by default, the players
should feel the need to keep the pace up!

9 . T h e Ni n e f o l d Pro s p e r i t y Pa v i l i o n

Statue of Huangti: Luckily, this three yard tall,

solid gold statue of the Yellow Emperor is miraculously
lighter than one would expect. Sadly, the Immortal
Emperor has no patience for sloth. Heaven has
not made his Yellow counterpart easy to carry, just
possible... it takes a Legendary (40) Lift roll to pick
up the statue, after which an awkward shue will
take you ve yards per round (it eectively weights
about 1,500 pounds). Theres no particularly obvious
or easy way to get the damn thing out of the market,
but you should be receptive to any ideas the players
may come up with the player hasnt bought active
hindrance, just a general lack of help.

Assistance from the Sponsors

If the PCs succeeded on the task assigned to
them by their sponsors, they receive the following
assistance in their raids:
Ironhand Nan: The master of the EmptyHand Society gives strict orders that the PCs
are not to be interfered with. The Empty-Hand
soldiers ignore the PCs, eectively halving the
number of Minions the PCs need face.
Red Lotus Ling: Many of the parents of the
Red Lotus girls are visiting its no trouble to
have the PCs integrated into their shopping trips!
Hiding amongst the rich and powerful families
and their retinues gives a +5 modier to Stealth
rolls, but more importantly, who would dare risk
hurting them and starting a feud? If a family and
retinue is present, a PC can use them to tactically
frustrate their rivals, allowing a Condence,
Grace or Inspire roll as a Tactical Opposition
Free Action. Add a +5 modier if the PC is
romantically entangled with the Red Lotus girl
in question, +10 if they purchased the one-point
love Victory, and +15 if they purchased the twopoint version. Make sure the players are aware of
this ability its not a secret for them to discover.
Razoreyes Gongsun: The Guild of Gentleman
Appraisers can provide exceptionally detailed
information on the Splendours. Explain to the
players the exact mechanics for the complications
for obtaining the Splendours (as detailed below).
Any time the players can relate information given
to them by Gongsun to a roll to interact with a
Splendour, they benet from a +5 modier.

Wind Monkey: This monkey is not just

hyperactive, its actively mischievous. Wind Monkey
unlock ed its cage several hours ago, but decided to
hang around in order to make trouble. Once the
PC (or a Wulin rival) arrives, the monkey will burst
from its cage and bolt for it, leading them on a merry
chase throughout the market and its surrounds.
Wind Monkey resists all attempts to seize it with
Dodge (6 dice, +10 modier), or Athletics (6 dice,
+5 modier) as appropriate. It moves 20 yards a
turn as its normal move, and is considered to have
Lightfoot to Headlong Flying Leap, with eectively
innite chi to fuel the techniques. Once caught, only
a Hard (30) Awareness roll to show supreme serenity
will quieten the monkey otherwise its a constant
struggle!

The Splendours
Each of the Splendours has a degree of awkwardness
associated with it, inversely proportionate to the
amount of destiny spent to entangle it. As a result,
acquiring the Statue of Huangti or Wind Monkey
are the most dicult tasks in the adventure, while
the Porcelain Maid is on the cusp of rescuing herself
anyway!

The Mirror of Ying Zheng: The key problem

with the Mirror is its fragility. Whenever a character
carries the mirror in combat or moves faster than 5
yards in a round, they must make an Everyday (18)
Finesse roll at the end of the round. The Sage may
also elect to make this roll if particularly spectacular
violence occurs near the Mirror while its at rest, in
which case a single die is rolled. If the roll is failed,
the Mirror begins to vibrate alarmingly, on the verge
of breaking. Roll again at the end of the next round
(regardless of conditions during that round) if the
roll succeeds, the Mirror is steadied. If it is failed, it
breaks. During the round in which it vibrates, any
character can attempt to steady the Mirror as a full
action with an Everyday (18) Finesse roll.

Each Splendour is in a dierent merchant

stall while the merchant will protest the theft of
A character carrying the Mirror may always
their goods, theres not much they can do beyond
defend for it with their Dodge or Finesse skills. Any
appealing to Ironhands troops. If the player successful attack breaks the Mirror.
has concocted a history between their
character and the merchant, play
along!

38

The Catalogues and the Wedding Dress of Lady

Zhou: Neither of these Splendours involves any
special complications; even the blind savant painting
new catalogues doesnt care about the old ones being
stolen out from under his nose hes only interested
in the next one!
The Black Ginseng: Kept in a porcelain pot, its
relatively safe to handle the Ginseng. However, if a
combat value of 20 is directly applied to the pot it
will break, and then theres trouble! The character
does have a powerful connection with the Ginseng,
though, and gets a +5 modier to any attempt to recontain it or otherwise spirit it away safely.
The Porcelain Maid: This beautiful girl has
porcelain skin and long hair made from extraordinarily
thin and strong black glass, which she brushes while
waiting for an opportunity to escape. She has chosen
the name Ci Zhuan for herself, and has a literally
musical voice since she cant breathe, her voice is
produced by innitely complex clockwork similar to
a music box. Ci Zhuan has excellent Awareness and
instantly grasps the connection between herself and
the PC who entangled her. She will happily go with
the PC, resisting any attempts to prevent her from
doing so. She rolls 5 dice for all skills.
OK, you got the dress. Now for another
ten exciting minutes of Feng chasing
Wind Monkey!
Buying the cheaper Splendours buys you trouble,
NOT extra screen time. Make sure that picking a
mechanically boring option like the Wedding Dress
of Lady Zhou doesnt mean the scene is boring for
that player. They invested the destiny in an easy ride,
so they should look good doing it and get a chance
to bask in the cameras gaze a bit.

Rivals, Allies and Minions

Besides the inherent complications for each
Splendour, the major diculty the PCs will contend
with in this scene is their Wulin rivals. Now is the time
to bring out anyone the players entangled as rivals, or
at the least seemed to have a greater connection with,
as well as anyone and everyone they spent destiny on
that hasnt surfaced yet.
By default, the PCs will face two 4th Rank Wulin
rivals from the band you didnt use in the second
task, preferably one Warrior and one other. They will
be accompanied by a number of minions, depending
on which sponsor the PCs chose:
Ironhand Nan: If the PCs succeeded in Ironhands
task, they face one group of 20 Gang ghters hired
by Red Lotus Ling. These are lead by the Warrior
Wulin rival. If they failed, they also face a unit of
Empty Hand Society troops 20 Gang Fighters lead
by a 5th Rank disciple of Ironhand!
Red Lotus Ling: The PCs face 20 Gang Fighters
working for Razoreyes Gongsun, lead by the Warrior
Wulin rival, as well as 20 of Ironhands men - Gang
Fighters lead by a 5th Rank disciple.
Razoreyes Gongsun: The PCs face two groups of
20 Gang Fighters, all Ironhands men! One group is
lead by the Warrior Wulin rival, the other by a 5th
Rank disciple.
Regardless, the minions will divide themselves
between PCs as normal, even if the PCs are scattered
all over the market! Unless the players are rather
clever about it, their rivals will be at the market at
roughly the same time they are, leading directly to
a confrontation. If the players attempt to stake out
the markets and try to wait for an opportunity to
spirit the treasures away with no opposition, feel free
to have their rivals head straight in and leave with
the Splendours! The characters will still have every
opportunity to chase down or ambush their rivals to
claim the prizes, but the pace of the game will be
kept brisk.
These foes are after the same prizes the PCs are
choose which Splendour the Wulin rivals will
head after rst, either based on entanglements or
randomly. Obviously, this means that some of the
PCs will have an easier time than others: they will
be ghting through only minions, while
their companions battle rivals equal
to them in mastery of Kung

39

9 . T h e Ni n e f o l d Pro s p e r i t y Pa v i l i o n

The Marvellously Inappropriate Censor: With

the constant cloud of incense billowing out of this
infernal silver burner, its tough to breathe while
carrying it! Anyone carrying the Censor loses their
breath in two colours of chi (their choice), though
the breath is regained as soon as they set it down.
Wrapping a scarf around ones mouth or taking other
measures to prevent inhaling the incense directly
lowers this to one colour of chi.

9 . T h e Ni n e f o l d Pro s p e r i t y Pa v i l i o n

Fu! This is an excellent opportunity for PCs to earn

deeds of Kuan, Zhong, Hen or Si by helping or
abandoning their friends.
In general, their rivals will NOT ght to the
death, much preferring the run o, swearing
revenge approach. Before they resort to this, make
sure you keep up the talking pick a motivation for
the NPC to be after the Splendour, and have them
debate their right to it enthusiastically! A PC might
even end up agreeing a possible deed of Kuan, Xia
or Yi! Remember that you chose these characters
because you judged them to be more interesting to
the players. Think about why you made that choice,
and then use them to the hilt to make this an exciting
scene involving interesting rivals, rather than a
straight heist with kung-fu wielding speedbumps.

Finally, one speaks.

By the nine tails of the Irrepressible Thieving
Monkey, they stole those things from the markets! They
must be heroes beloved of heaven! We need rice-wine,
drums and recrackers, this is a moment worthy of
festival!
And so the adventure ends, with the characters
becoming unlikely folk heroes of Unruly Devil.

Finishing it O
Once the PCs have dealt with their rivals and seized
the Splendours theyre after, their most sensible course
of action is to leave the markets. The Empty Hand
Society will acknowledge their victory and attempt to
herd them out rather than actually apprehend them
(unless the PCs were allied with Ironhand, in which
case theyll get explicit congratulations and a friendly
suggestion that it is an auspicious time to retreat!).
Outside the market the PCs will nd their sponsor
waiting, along with a hefty force of their followers
and troops. Even if the PCs failed their task in the
second encounter, have the sponsor enthusiastically
congratulate the characters they should feel the feat
they just achieved was impressive, even if they did
it easily (in fact, it might be worth giving everyone
a deed of Ba at this point!). However, the sponsor
will indicate that the Governor will NOT be pleased,
and that its time to make themselves scarce. Theyve
bribed the gate guards to let the PCs out of the
district if they go now, theyll have a clear run. The
sponsor has brought with them the PCs eects from
their rooms back at the sponsors compound, and if
necessary, an ox-cart to give any poor sap who chose
the Statue of Huangti or the Mirror of Ying Zheng a
break.
If the players accept this, the gates to Unruly
Devil swing open as they approach, and the small
legion of peacock-feather-broom sweepers rush out
to keep the dust from Prosperous Devil. As they
emerge into the crowds, heat and chaos,
many of Unruly Devils residents will
stare at them long and hard.

40

The markets are quite crowded?

Of course they are - my players entangled
half of Shen Zhou!
Its almost certain that the events of your game
will not turn out exactly as described above.
For a start, since any destiny entanglements not
completely resolved in the second scene should
be dealt with here, chances are theres going to
be a much bigger crowd of characters than those
indicated above.
While you can introduce extra enemies for any
assortment of allies the PCs end up with to ght
or otherwise deal with, remember that Secrets
of Destiny are intended to be interesting and
worthwhile, not purely aesthetic. Make sure that
any allies bought with destiny do provide tangible
mechanical aid to the PCs though of course
that shouldnt mean overwhelming numerical
advantage. Feel free to have the allies ghting o
minions and other minor nuisances most of the
time, and then give the PCs a hand when they
need it. Allowing PCs to use their allies to provide
Tactical Opposition is also an excellent way of
handling the matter.
As for the aesthetic element, youll have to rely
on your judgement as Wulin Sage as to how to
handle all these characters interacting with the
PCs during their big scene. It should ow from
the events so far in the game and the personalities
of the PCs as expressed by your players, more so
than what weve written on the character sheets.
We will note, however, that its quite amusing
to have a Red Lotus girl wanting to discuss
marriage with a PC while theyre ghting for their
life and trying desperately not to break the Mirror
of Ying Zheng!

10. Auspicious Complications

During the Adventure

This adventure was specically designed to for
one-shot games for new Weapons of the Gods players.
If youre running it for experienced players or over
multiple sessions, there simply might not be enough
material. Here are some ideas to extend the adventure
in Prosperous Devil:
Too Easy? The core factor keeping the three
substantial scenes of the adventure from overwhelming
the available time is that theyre actually quite easy.
Despite there being many minions in each scene, in
terms of real power, the PCs vastly outgun their foes.
With experienced players or extra time, that doesnt
necessarily have to be the case. Adding an extra Wulin
rival or two will greatly extend the scenes.
Running o the Rails. Weve tried to give the players
lots of choices, largely because the core adventure is
quite linear in order to meet the strict time goal. In
the absence of that goal, feel free to remove some of
the explicit structure. You have ve locations, three
factions lled with mutual animosity, and (counting
both versions of the rivals) stats for sixteen Wulin rivals!
Thats a lot for you and your players to work with! As an
interesting twist, the Governor might oer to cut a deal
with the PCs getting them the Splendours they want
if they can keep their rivals at each others throats.
Defend your sponsor! Youll probably note that
each of the tasks given by the sponsors is aggressive in
nature: go somewhere else, ght two of the enemy, and
achieve some objective. But where are the other two
ghters from the opposing band? Making an aggressive
move of their own, of course... Running a defensive
scene where the PCs are on home ground could make
a nice counterpoint to the second encounter.
Exploring the Market. The market is extremely
strange. Even the massive amount of wealth that ows
through it every day couldnt pay for the water it wastes!
Obviously something is going on the PCs might nd
something very strange or sinister lurking beneath the
pretty face of the district!
More Destiny. Simply giving the players a little more
bonus destiny to spend on the Adventure Loresheet will
complicate the plot by its nature!

Local Heroes. The characters become something of

a small phenomenon in Unruly Devil, as stealing from
the Ninefold Prosperity Pavilion is an impressive feat!
Everybody from street peddlers to Governor Chen is
keen to take advantage of this. Soon the players have
their choice of a dozen or more challenges in the form of
job oers, earnest pleas for charity, marriage proposals,
bandit gangs looking to prove themselves against the
heroes, and political machinations of powerful Unruly
Devil potentates.
Runaway Blossom. A girl the players recognise
from the Academy approaches the characters in some
distress. It seems her parents decided the school did
nothing other than encourage the girls to make eyes at
the Wulin and pulled their daughter out. Shes desperate
to continue her training in kung fu, however, and has
run away from her parents in an attempt to return to
the school. If they can get the girl back into Prosperous
Devil somehow, the characters will be in Red Lotus
good graces. Otherwise, they can return the girl to her
parents, and probably be rewarded.
Shared Circumstances. The PCs Wulin rivals are
also likely to be turfed, politely or otherwise, from
Prosperous Devil. Having failed in their quests, they
may try to induce the PCs into helping them out for
example Jin might try to entice the PCs into helping
him ght Glasseye Yans bandits and Governor Chen,
while Fei might try to get them to travel south and
depose Emperor Hu. Other NPCs may have changed
circumstances Pretty Hark may have been approached
by the Jade Dragon Society and become involved in the
erce feud between them and Red Lotus.
Mercenary War. Inevitably, the PCs were either
Ironhands allies, or dealt him a stinging blow. That
has earned them allies and enemies amongst the older,
more traditional mercenary companies of Xia, who have
very divided opinions on the renegade Nan. Wulin are
often the wild card that can make or break a companys
fortunes, and so the PCs may end up sucked into this
erce competition, giving them the opportunity to
travel Shen Zhou with the various companies, and
involve themselves in conicts all across the
land.

41

1 0 . Au s p i c i o u s C o m p l i c a t i o n s

This chapter presents a number of ideas for

further complicating the lives of your heroes during
the events of Auspicious Beginnings, or after theyve
re-emerged into Unruly Devil.

Further Complications
Hopefully, by now your players are raring for
more. If so, its probably best to start a campaign of
your own devising, and let the players create their
own characters. If you want to tide them over for a
while, here are a few ideas on what to try next:

No t e s o n N P C s

Wulin Rivals
Note that the NPCs for this adventure have been
given statistics in line with those for the PCs ie
they are specically oriented for short-term play. As
a result, theyre short on social advantages, Lores,
Secret Arts and other traits useful for campaign play.
If you intend to use them in longer-term games, you
may want to redistribute their Destiny accordingly.
The eight Wulin rivals of the PCs are presented
in two versions a Fifth Rank version and a Fourth
Rank version. The Fifth Rank is the top half of the
page, the Fourth Rank the bottom we suggest after
printing out the page you cut it in half, as a half-page
character sheet is much more convenient to work
with in play.

Assume these powerful characters roll 5-7 dice

for skill rolls, have the nest quality gear, and one
or more Uncommon kung-fu styles. Ironhand Nans
sword, Hidden Razor, is a Class III god-weapon,
while the others have an extensive complement of
Secret Arts. Sapphire Miang likely has a God Weapon
of her own, and possibly knows a Rare style.
Likewise, there are a number of minor characters,
named and unnamed, not likely to enter into direct
conict with the PCs outside or their roles in the
previous chapters such as the Little Brother Appraisers
or the Unfurling Crimson Banner Sisterhood. These
characters will more or less recognise that the PCs
outclass them, and are happy to let the PCs rivals take
the brunt of the ghting. Additionally, keeping such
characters out of direct conict gives you a bit more
exibility if one of the players becomes interested
enough in a Crimson Banner girl that she becomes a
major campaign xture, having her as high 5th Rank
or low 4th might be better for your purposes.

All NPCs in this section use the Revised Kung-Fu

Web Extra versions of kung-fu styles where relevant
(see http://www.eos-press.com/downloads.html).
Feel free to replace these with the standard versions of
kung-fu from the main rule book, but as a downloadGenerally assume these characters roll 3-5 dice for
only product, this adventure assumes you have access skill rolls (or 1 in areas theyre not interested in) and
to the latest errata and web extras.
have a single Common kung-fu style if they have any
kung-fu at all.
None of these NPCs have the skill I need!
Is this a heist game or a beauty contest?
Auspicious Beginnings often calls for contested
skill rolls. However, you wont know who your PCs
Its true that Auspicious Beginnings is not exactly
are in contest with until youve played through the
light on attractive characters, with attractive
rst scene! As a result, you might want to use an
female characters enjoying a majority due to the
NPC in a situation where theyre called to make
skewing eect of the Unfurling Crimson Banner
skill rolls when theyve only got one die or so.
Sisterhood. This isnt particularly uncommon
in the genre, and helps increase the odds of a
Thats okay you can either fudge the numbers
romantic element to play.
a bit to get them up to 4 or 5 dice if it seems
reasonable (a good plan in the tutorial), or simply
To the extent that the proliferation of beauty is
let the contesting PC cruise in for the win.
a problem, it might be worth only emphasising
one or two of the Red Lotus Girls, and possibly
eshing out some male NPCs, such as Ironhands
By default, the other NPCs of the game will
lieutenants, as being attractive.
not enter into conict with the PCs, and thus no
statistics are oered for them here. Sapphire Miang
Regardless, you should narratively emphasise the
is too powerful to be defeated by starting characters
attractiveness of appropriate PCs where possible
within the available timeframe. Likewise, Ironhand
Quality Good Looks may be disproportionately
Nan, Red Lotus Ling and Razoreyes Gongsun as
common amongst these characters, but its Xiao-Li
3rd Rank characters are all vulnerable to defeat by
Pai and Liang Shui that will be on the cover of the
the PCs, but are powerful enough to make that
comic or the movie poster the Red Lotus Girls
quite time consuming. With their large supply of
would be lucky to get a group shot! Even Pretty
lieutenants and lackeys, they dont have much
Harks Perfect Good Looks are there mostly to
reason to risk direct confrontation anyway
make her disguise ridiculous not to overshadow
theyll almost always defer in
Xiao-Li Pais sword princess role!
favour of their underlings.

42

Welcome to Shen Zhou!

Today, you are playing one of four bold young

heroes who have travelled to the far edges of Shen
Zhou, seeking the infamous Only Six Devils to
seize some of the most famed splendours in all the
land. Only Six Devils is a mighty city set between
harsh mountains, the great Yellow River, and the
erce Northern Desert. The personal domain of the
mysterious and terrifying Iron Shadow Warlord, it
has no law other than his word, and the eccentric
whims of his six District Governors powerful men
and women whom locals claim to be the titular Six
Devils. The city is famed for two things: the ruthless
professionalism of its mercenaries, and the splendour
of its markets. It is said that you can buy anything
within the walls of Only Six Devils.
However, you have no intention of buying
anything. Your motives may be as noble as righting an
injustice to your homeland or as selsh as increasing
your fame with the boldest of thievery, but you are
here to take one of Shen Zhous greatest treasures!
You have banded with other brave members of the
Wulin who also seek a treasure only Six Devil City
can provide, having fallen together and forged a fast
bond of friendship ghting the Devil Cloud gang on
your journey! However, even for such a mighty band,
the markets do not give up their splendours easily.
You begin in the chaotic madness of Unruly Devil
District, the most densely populated place in all of
Shen Zhou. The treasures that you seek lie in the
exclusive serenity of Prosperous Devil District, on
sale in the legendary Ninefold Prosperity Pavilion!

Which of these four bold heroes will you be today?

Xiao-Li Pai
A loyal daughter and erce Warrior, her virtue
and ambition soar to the skies, and her sword skill is
higher than the clouds!
Feng Guo
A young Warrior who may not be wise, but is
stronger than an ox with honour that knows no
bounds, and sts like iron!
Liang Shui
A Courtier of unparalleled dedication, he breaks
hearts with his smile and poetry, and breaks bones
with his sound-based kung-fu!
Patience Meng
A brilliant Scholar, tragically too young to retire
to a mountain and contemplate the Dao. His wise
advice seems almost magical, his Daoist spells
confound the strongest foe, and he can still crack
heads with his sta!
Never played Weapons of the Gods before?
Not a problem the adventure youre about
to embark on serves rst and foremost as an
introduction to the game. In particular, the rst
scene serves explicitly as a tutorial, making sure
you understand the basic rules concepts before
you launch into the full frenzy of kung-fu battle!

43

C h a r a c t e r Sh e e t Pr i m e r

Shen Zhou, or Land of the Gods, is an epic

and fantastic vision of fourth-century China, and
serves as the setting of Weapons of the Gods. You
play young, up-and-coming heroes of the Wulin: the
Martial Arts world. Whether Warriors, Courtiers or
Scholars, your characters are already well-known for
their heroic deeds, and are able to focus their chi in
spectacular displays of martial-arts power. Seeking
challenge, fame and power, you struggle against
other martial artists, armies and even monsters in an
attempt to have your name known throughout the
land!

Sapphire Miang, Governor of Prosperous Devil,

forbids any to enter her district unless invited by
one of the wealthy magnates who dwell there.
Luckily, those magnates often have need of brave (or
foolhardy) ghters to aid them in their feuds. On
this very day, three such nobles are holding a tourney
to gain their favour. How lucky for you you can
run on water, split stones with your sts, and count
the drops of rain as they fall... how can you fail?

X i a o - L i Pa i

Xiao-Li Pai

ambitiously show your martial might. Youre polite,

gracious and cheerful, but strike at the unrighteous with
uncompromising power. Try your best in every situation
to please the shades of both parents by increasing
your fame while showing the greatest virtue! Current
members of the Nan clan may cause you diculties as
they take extreme exception to your use of their style,
but as a lial daughter, you cant ignore your mothers
wish that you use it to rise to glory in the Martial Arts
world! Luckily there are plenty of other renegades ever
since Hong Dong rose to power over the Nan, so youre
far from the only one in such a position.

Invincible Sword Princess, 4th Rank Warrior

Fame: Youve never heard of Xiao-Li Pai, the

Orphaned Princess Blade? How embarrassing for you!
Quickly, friend, let me tell you all about her her fame
is growing, and you dont want to look foolish when
your friends are talking about her! Her sword skill is
peerless, her lial piety matchless! Every young man in
Shen Zhou sees her grace and beauty and is lovestruck;
every mother hears of how she avenged her slain parents
against the cruel soldiers of Emperor Hu and wants her
to marry their sons! Young she may be, but as she
travels north her heroic deeds mount to the skies, and After a long journey, youve reached Only Six Devils
in search of a fabulous treasure. Luckily along the
tales of her virtue not far behind!
way youve fallen in with a band of righteous heroes.
Oh, youll know her if you see her she looks small, Working together youre sure to recover the treasures
fragile and demure, but her eyes sparkle with you seek within the day!
fearlessness! She wears her hair long, smiles often, and
of course Pleasant Duty, her longsword, is nearly as tall ORIGIN: Dispossessed Noble
PASSION: Obsession - Filial Piety
as she is!
REGION: The Jin Empire (Nan Territory)
History and Heart: Daughter of a noble and virtuous
ocial of royal blood in the Jin Empire, you were ATTRIBUTES & SKILLS
raised amidst opulence but took your fathers lessons (All Skills have +1 die to their rating unless otherwise noted)
in propriety and virtue utterly to heart. Your diculty, MIGHT (JADE/WOOD CHI) 4
however, was with the virtue of lial piety, because Athletics 3 [leaping 1]
your parents had extremely dierent ideas of the sort Fight 3 [kicks 1]
of young woman you should be! Despite your fathers Hardiness 3 [regaining chi 1]
many qualities, your mother eschewed his humility and SPEED (CRIMSON/FIRE CHI) 5
lack of ambition, wishing for greater wealth and status. Initiative 3
Their arranged marriage had always been a burden upon Dodge 3 [projectiles 1]
her, and she was determined that you would choose Finesse 3
Melee 3 [sword 1]
your own path in life becoming a power in your own
right. She arranged for you to be trained in the ways of PRESENCE (GOLD/EARTH CHI) 1
the sword by a renegade member of the Nan clan, even Condence 3 (no bonus)
Grace 3 [city 1] (no bonus)
learning the clans secret Heart Moves the Blade style!
Conversely, your father wanted you to lead a quiet and
serene life of virtue, lled with humility and acting for
the slow yet steady betterment of the world. Caught
between the extremes of humble ocial and ambitious
wife, your dedication to lial piety was a hard road,
but while they lived you managed to nd compromises
that kept them both happy. However, calamity struck
when your fathers humane policies irritated Emperor
Hu. Now your parents are gone from this world, and
theres no tricking ghosts! You properly avenged them
against the Emperors soldiers with your Heart Moves
the Blade, but now you have to try to live a life that
would keep them both happy. Has a sixteen-year-old
girl ever had such trouble?

GENIUS (WHITE/WATER CHI) 1

Learning 1
WU WEI (SILVER/METAL CHI) 4
Awareness 2
Senses 2

CHI AURA: 2
RIVER: 2
HEALTH POINTS PER LEVEL: 15
ARMOUR: 5 points

Quality Good Looks: You have a +5 modier to skill

rolls (usually Presence skills) where your good looks are
a factor.
Overwhelming Passion: Your dedication to the shades
of your parents knows no bounds! If your Filial Piety
causes you real trouble, you gain a point of Destiny.
You travel Shen Zhou trying to both Possession: Pleasant Duty, Quality Longsword.
humbly better society, and Speed +5, Strike +15, Damage +5

44

Heart Moves the Blade

Uncommon Silver Chi (Artful: Swords Only)
Critical: Disarm or Maim

1. Surefoot. Using this technique lets you run on

water, climb at your running speed, cling to walls like a
spider, and take no damage from falling. Cost: 1 chi of
any colour.

1. Ambition: Soaring Blade. Apply a +10 modier

to both the Strike and Damage of your sword for one
attack or defence. You may draw your sword as a Free
Action to make this attack or defence. Cost: 1 Silver
chi

2. Run Like a Deer. This technique lets you Cover

Ground as a Free Action (i.e. you can run without losing
the opportunity to attack). You also gain a +5 modier
to any Dodge roll that you describe well. Cost: 2 chi of
any colour.

The peerless sword skill of the Nan Clan, focusing all

the passion and virtue of a warrior into an invincible
movement of the blade!

2. Brutal: Speed Blade. Activate this technique at the

beginning of the round to apply a +10 modier to your
swords Speed, gain a Secondary Attack, and win ties
when blocking for the round. Cost: 2 Silver chi

3. Headlong Flying Leap. You can make enormous

leaps as a Free Action roll Athletics at diculty 18,
travelling ten yards per result die. You gain a +10
modier to Dodge skill rolls that are well described.
Cost: 3 chi of any colour.

Weapon

Initiative Attack/Block

Damage

Pleasant Duty

4d + 5

5d + 15

Result dice + 5

Kick

4d + 15

5d

Result dice - 5

Strategy
Xiao-Li is a typical example of a sword-focused
warrior. Her attacks and blocks are excellent even
without spending chi, and when she uses Strike
bonus techniques some opponents wont be able to
cope! However, shes very vulnerable if disarmed, and
is quite fragile, so be careful!

Dragon Saber
Common Crimson Chi (Artful)
Critical: Disarm or Maim
A erce yet precise sword style, Dragon Saber leaves
crimson echoes of your blade behind your cut!
1. Flash of Steel. Add +10 to your swords Strike for a
single attack or defence. You may summon your weapon
to your hand from up to 5 yards away as a Free Action
to make this attack or defence. Cost: 1 Crimson chi

Ambition: Soaring Blade is your primary technique

use it every round on your attack, supplementing
it with Submission to the Earth when you really
want it to hurt. Moon Covered By Clouds is a very
strong defence, and you should use it whenever you
can, but remember it burns Jade chi faster than you
regain it. Use Brutal: Speed Blade on your rst
turn to pressure your opponent, and then once more
during a battle to nish an enemy o. Use Flash
of Steel for defence and recovering from Disarm,
or to improve your Secondary Attack from Brutal:
Speed Blade.

2. Dragon Speed. Invoke this technique at the

beginning of the round to gain a +10 modier to the
weapons Speed, and reduce the rst defence rolled
against you this round by 1 die. Cost: 2 Crimson chi
3. Submission to the Earth. If you successfully attack
with this technique, your opponent is knocked down,
and you do +2d damage! Cost: 3 Crimson chi

Cloud Mastery
Common Jade Chi
This style focuses your jade chi to conceal your
ghting spirit from your enemy!
1. Phantom of the Clouds. Add a +10 modier to your
weapons Speed for the round. Cost: 1 Jade chi
2. Moon Covered by Clouds. Using this technique
applies a 10 modifer to the Strike of any attacks made
against you this round. Cost: 2 Jade chi

45

Ku n g Fu a n d Ex t r a o rd i n a r y Te c h n i q u e s

Lightfoot
Common Any Chi
Lightfoot is the ability to defy the rules of the world
as you move! Every member of the Wulin has this
kung-fu its so universal that you can spend any
colour of chi to fuel its techniques!

Fe n g Gu o

Feng Guo

wicked Lucky Tusks (amongst other pirates and bandits)

and casting down corrupt tax-collectors. You quickly
Honourable Fist, 4th Rank Warrior
became a local hero, and more and more of your time
Fame: Feng Guo? Of course Ive heard of him, do was taken up as word of injustices was brought to you.
you take me for some sort of country bumpkin? Thats
You were away when the Bei clan came for your master.
exactly what Feng started out like himself a humble
You left your home after burying him, determined to
woodworker out in the wilds of Chenghan. Suddenly
gain fame in the Wulin and prove that he was a man of
everyone in the country was talking about him when he
virtue, and right to teach you the way of the Iron Fist!
crushed the Lucky Tusks gang single-handedly, and threw
You dont seek to destroy the Bei, only force them to
the wicked tax collector of the region into a pig-sty!
acknowledge their error... and perhaps get revenge on
Hes in Only Six Devils, is he? Oh, yes, hes easy enough his killers. Your quest to increase your fame has brought
to spot. Not much to look at medium height and you to Only Six Devils, where you have fallen in with a
short hair but though hes wiry, those muscles are like band of heroes all determined to recover treasures from
steel and his hands are calloused all over. They say he the markets of Prosperous Devil District. You feel much
used to cut down trees with his hands and carve the stronger ghting alongside such good people, so fame
wood with his ngers! Usually goes bare-chested, too, should not be far away!
which the girls love far more than his face.
ORIGIN: Peasant
Feng Guo is a virtuous young hero all right, but Ill tell PASSION: Obsession - Prove Masters Virtue
you this: if he thinks youre in the wrong, swallow your REGION: Chenghan (Xi Territory)
pride. Hes as stubborn as they come when he thinks its
ATTRIBUTES & SKILLS
a matter of honour!
History and Heart: Your birth was as humble as they
come your family were peasant woodworkers, spending
most of their time fashioning cheap tools for those who
tended the farms. You never had much of an education,
but as you grew you always had an instinctive sense
of right and wrong. Your mother laughed and called
you her little Confucius, but in truth neither of your
parents encouraged you to do much other than work.
Fortune smiled upon you when your village played host
to a runaway member of the Bei clan, who claimed he
had ed after clashing with his lords son. The warrior
defended your village from bandits, and was rewarded
with a place to sleep, and such food as could be spared.
He admired your natural nobility and powerful
physique, and made you his student. He taught you to
cultivate your chi, and eventually passed on his powerful
Bei Fist technique.
You have never thought yourself wise but you know
right from wrong, and you cant be dissuaded when
you think your strength can set something right. Youre
not stupid; you know youre not ready to strike down
Emperor Hu or overturn the bizarre laws of Only Six
Devils, but you value your simple code above any law
or standard of conduct, and you would throw away
everything else to serve it if the matter was serious
enough.

(All Skills have +1 die to their rating unless otherwise noted)

MIGHT (JADE/WOOD CHI) 5

Athletics 3 [smashing stu 1]
Climb 3
Fight 3 [palms 1]
Hardiness 3 [regain chi 1]
Lift 3 [throwing 1]

SPEED (CRIMSON/FIRE CHI) 4

Initiative 3 [palms 1]
Dodge 3

PRESENCE (GOLD/EARTH CHI) 4

Condence 3 [acting honourably 1]
Inspire 3 [fear 1]

GENIUS (WHITE/WATER CHI) 1

Crafting 3 [woodwork 1] (no bonus)

WU WEI (SILVER/METAL CHI) 1

CHI AURA: 2
RIVER: 2
HEALTH POINTS PER LEVEL: 15
ARMOUR: 5 points
Status 1 (Local Hero). Youre a long way from home,
but if you can convince the Sage that an NPC is from
near your village, theyll be well-disposed to you!

Iron Fists: You can block sharp weapons without

suering any damage, and your sts have +5 Strike
So, despite your masters wishes, as you entered rather than +0
your late teens you began to ourish your Robust: You gain 2 Health for each point of Jade Chi
martial prowess: slaughtering the you spend to heal.

46

1. Surefoot. Using this technique lets you run on

water, climb at your running speed, cling to walls like a
spider, and take no damage from falling. Cost: 1 chi of
any colour.
2. Run Like a Deer. This technique lets you Cover
Ground as a Free Action (i.e. you can run without losing
the opportunity to attack). You also gain a +5 modier
to any Dodge roll that you describe well. Cost: 2 chi of
any colour.

Eagle Claw
Common Crimon Chi Brutal (Palms Only)
Critical: Disarm or Maim
Eagle Claw may be a st style, but it makes your
ngers slash like knives!

Fist of Iron
Uncommon Jade Chi Brutal (Palms Only)
Critical: Disorient or Stun
The feared Bei Fist Skill, unrivalled amongst the
bare-handed arts!
1. Living Weapon. Use this technique to change the
statistics of your palms to Speed +15, Strike +5, Damage
+10 for the round. Cost: 1 Jade chi
2. Body of Iron. Activate this technique to gain a +10
modier to your Armour for 3 rounds. Cost: 2 Jade
chi
3. Rainbow Stunning Strike. Activate this technique
while attacking to change the statistics of your palms
to Speed +15, Strike +10, Damage +10. If this attack
hits, you opponent loses their breath in a colour of chi
for each result dice. You may also spend Jade chi to add
damage dice on a one-for-one basis. Cost: 3 Jade chi
Weapon

1. Quick Rip. Activate this technique when attacking

or blocking to gain a +10 modier to the Strike of your
palms. If used for an attack you also gain a +5 modier
to damage, and +1d damage if your opponent hasnt
acted yet. Cost: 1 Crimson chi

Initiative Attack/Block

Damage

Palms

5d + 15

5d + 5

Result dice - 5

Palms
(Living Weapon)

5d + 15

5d + 5

Result dice + 10

Palms (Rainbow
Stunning Strike)

5d + 15

5d + 10

Result dice + 10

Strategy
Feng is a very typical unarmed ghter: he doesnt hit
as often as a swordswoman or parry so well, but when
he does hit, he hits hard. He can also take quite a
pounding.
Fist of Iron is a technique you should be using every
round not only does it greatly add to your damage,
but when using it, you have access to the powerful
Disorient and Stun criticals. Because it changes the
statistics of your Palms rather than adding to them, you
can still add modiers to those statistics, so you should
use Quick Rip to enhance your attacks whenever you
can. Because you cant parry as well as a sword user,
you should use Body of Iron or Hardness of the Bell
to boost your armour at all times. Flashing Talons
is extremely useful, but be careful as you cant aord
it every turn. Save enough Jade chi for Rainbow
Stunning Strike, and when you have a full River, hit
your opponent with a Rainbow Stunning Strike +
Quick Rip to cripple them.

2. Flashing Talons. Activate this technique to get a

Secondary Attack with your palms. Cost: 2 Crimson
chi

Golden Temple Bells

Common Gold Chi
This art, developed by Zan Buddhist Monks, has
spread throughout Shen Zhou. What warrior would
not wish to strengthen their esh with the power of
their spirit?
1. Bell-Carrying Sinews. Activate this technique to
gain a +10 modier to a Lift roll. Cost: 1 Gold chi
2. Hardness of the Bell. Activate this technique to
gain a +10 modier to your Armour for the round.
Cost: 2 Gold chi

47

Ku n g Fu a n d Ex t r a o rd i n a r y Te c h n i q u e s

Lightfoot
Common Any Chi
Lightfoot is the ability to defy the rules of the world
as you move! Every member of the Wulin has this
kung-fu its so universal that you can spend any
colour of chi to fuel its techniques!

L i a n g Sh u i

Liang Shui

neither will you ever be a sorcerer, so you employ your

silver tongue to keep a band of heroes around you at all
Dashing Literati, 4th Rank Courtier
times. The bunch youve met on your way to Only Six
Fame: Whos Liang Shui? Fool! Three pretty daughters Devils all seem to be there for the same reason each to
all unwed and you arent paying attention to threats to recover a dierent wonder from the markets there.
their virtue? Best lock them up no, send them down
Heaven has obviously blessed you with a powerful band
the river no, send them downriver in a locked box!
of companions, so youd be a fool to throw it away.
Shui is a prominent literati, excelled on all the exams, Youre determined to keep the band together and ride
but you wouldnt call him a scholar! He lives for two the wave of fame sure to arise from your heroic deeds!
things: politics and fun, and he throws himself into
To you, the most important eld of challenge is in the
both with equal fervour! Why, just last month he
interactions of human beings. This is why, despite your
strode into Three Blessings Town and restored poor old
impressive calligraphy and knowledge of the classics,
Magistrate Kwans authority after the mess his corrupt
you dont consider yourself a scholar. Your learning,
sons and Shen Dong had made of the place... all in
your looks, your kung fu and your music are all tools
one day! It was an act worthy of the courtier-heroes of
of leverage over other people. You are always on the
old, yet Liang Shui decided a days hard work deserved
lookout for opportunities to use them for noble ends
a days hard celebration, and held a massive feast for
ends that coincidentally will put you in position to
himself at Kwans place - even talking Kwans daughters
reap the greatest rewards!
into dancing for him!
ORIGIN:
Hes a handsome man with clever tongue and a talent
PASSION: Joy - Work and Reward
for music, and his achievements are as high as the
REGION: Southern Liang (Dong Territory)
clouds! Youll know him anywhere for his long black
hair, green eyes and ne silks, while still being t and ATTRIBUTES & SKILLS
not soft in the slightest! So you see you cant trust your (All Skills have +1 die to their rating unless otherwise noted)
daughters within ten thousand miles of such a man!
MIGHT (JADE/WOOD CHI) 4
History and Heart: Your father was a noted warrior, Athletics 3
and though you never had much taste for his lifestyle, he Fight 3 [palms 1]
passed onto you one indelible trait: a hatred for idleness. Hardiness 1
You dont even like sleeping! From the youngest age SPEED (CRIMSON/FIRE CHI) 1
you lled every moment of your day, whether working Dodge 3 [projectiles 1] (no bonus)
studiously on your education, or playing as hard as you Finesse 1
could in your leisure time. On the same day you gained PRESENCE (GOLD/EARTH CHI) 5
top-marks on your all-important exams, you danced for Condence 3 [regaining chi 1]
six hours with the women of your favoured tea-house! Grace 3 [city 1]
So you live your life at all times. You work incredibly hard
for conspicuous and exemplary success in governance,
commerce, and the tasks of a courtier, and you repay
yourself equally with the nest enjoyment to be had.
Your works achieve virtuous ends, but it is a foolish
father who leaves you with access to his daughters...
You are determined to keep up the proud traditions of
the literati both as political champions of just rule,
and as gures of desire and delight for the women of
Shen Zhou.
Your chief motivation at this time is to increase your
fame in the Wulin. In time, youll nd a ministry worthy
of your talents, but for now, you crave the challenge
oered by the Martial Arts world and strive to
improve yourself as much as possible. Your
Kung Fu is excellent, but you know
it will never be the best and

Inspire 3 [extraordinary techniques 1]

Perform 3 [music 1]
Persuade 3 [big lies 1]

GENIUS (WHITE/WATER CHI) 4

Learning 3 [the classics 1, calligraphy 1]
Politics 3
WU WEI (SILVER/METAL CHI) 1

Awareness 3 [understanding people 1] (no bonus)

Investigation 3 [hidden secrets 1] (no bonus)

CHI AURA: 2
RIVER: 2
HEALTH POINTS PER LEVEL: 15
ARMOUR: 5
Quality Good Looks: You get a +5 modier to skill rolls
(usually Presence skills) where your good looks are a
factor.

48

1. Surefoot. Using this technique lets you run on

water, climb at your running speed, cling to walls like a
spider, and take no damage from falling. Cost: 1 chi of
any colour.
2. Run Like a Deer. This technique lets you Cover
Ground as a Free Action (i.e. you can run without losing
the opportunity to attack). You also gain a +5 modier
to any Dodge roll that you describe well. Cost: 2 chi of
any colour.
3. Headlong Flying Leap. You can make enormous
leaps as a Free Action roll Athletics at diculty 18,
travelling ten yards per result die. You gain a +10
modier to Dodge skill rolls that are well described.
Cost: 3 chi of any colour.

Cloud Mastery
Common Jade Chi
This style focuses your jade chi to conceal your
ghting spirit from your enemy!
1. Phantom of the Clouds. Add a +10 modier to your
weapons Speed for the round. Cost: 1 Jade chi
2. Moon Covered by Clouds. Using this technique
applies a 10 modifer to the Strike of any attacks made
against you this round. Cost: 2 Jade chi

Extraordinary Courtier Techniques

You may use any of the following Techniques as a full
action. Liang must quote or reference Confucius, Meng
Tzu or some other great sage in order to use any of
these techniques (it doesnt have to be a real quote, but
it helps if it sounds wise). Alternately, you may spend
two chi of the same colour to gain a +5 modier to your
Inspire roll to activate one of these techniques.
Anger Inspiring Technique: Make a Moderate (20)
Inspire roll, opposed by your opponents Condence. If
you succeed, they suer a 10 modier to all actions due
to blinding anger, until someone (including themselves)
takes a full action to resolve the anger.
Instant Inspiration Technique: Spend a Free Action in
addition to a Full Action to activate this technique you
use the Free Action to demonstrate your superiority
through proper behaviour! Add a +5 modier to your next
action.
Exploitation of Sorrows Technique: Make a Moderate
(20) Inspire roll, opposed by your opponents Condence.
If you succeed, they suer a 10 modier to all nondefensive actions for a round in their misery!
Fear Inspiring Technique: Make a Moderate (20) Inspire
roll, opposed by your opponents Condence. If you
succeed, they suer a 5 modier to all actions opposing
you for ve turns.
Note: These Techniques are not the end of Liangs Courtier
abilities. In longer term games, a Courtier can apply the
Secret Arts of Intrigue to manipulate the emotions of
friend and foe alike, creating and twisting inspirations
and passions!

Music of War
Common Gold Chi
Critical: Disorient or Stun

Strategy
Liang doesnt look like much of a ghter, but used
carefully he can be devastating. Its quite dangerous
for him to be in close combat, so try staying back and
using your Extraordinary Techniques to confound
your foes and give your allies an easier time. When
you can ll your river, hammer a vulnerable foe with
Threnody of Torment! While you have more dice for
Block than Dodge, youre still generally better o using
Dodge and boosting it with your Lightfoot. Make sure
to use Moon Covered By Clouds in any turn where
you expect to be attacked by named characters, or if
you have spare Chi and want to make sure Minions
have no chance.
Instant Inspiration Technique doesnt look like much,
but its your best friend for non-combat actions
where such modiers are rare.

1. Single Note of Pain. Activate this technique to

make an attack by playing your ute (a Performance roll
at 5d) at a target up to 10 yards away. Since youre not
using a weapon, you gain no Speed, Strike or Damage
modier, but the attack ignores armour! Cost: 1 gold
chi
2. Agonising Melody. As Single Note of Pain, but up
to 50 yards range, and with +1d damage. Cost: 2 gold
chi
3. Threnody of Torment. As Single Note of Pain, but
up to 100 yards range, +2d damage, and causes your
opponent to lose their breath in their Favoured Chi for
a round. Cost: 3 gold chi
Weapon
Palms

Initiative Attack/Block
1d + 15

5d

Damage
Result dice - 5

49

Ku n g Fu a n d Ex t r a o rd i n a r y Te c h n i q u e s

Lightfoot
Common Any Chi
Lightfoot is the ability to defy the rules of the world
as you move! Every member of the Wulin has this
kung-fu its so universal that you can spend any
colour of chi to fuel its techniques!

Pa t i e n c e Me n g

Patience Meng

you face its many challenges, and generally keep you

busy while the years drag on so very slowly.

Daoist Genius, 4th Rank Scholar

Fame: Ah yes, I recall Patience Meng. Young Longingfor-the-mountain, yes? One of the nest minds of all
Shen Zhou, but quite literally a man before his time! If
youve ever wondered what the greatest sages do before
they retire to the mountains as old wise men, and
actually begin their careers as great sages, well, this is it.
They enter the Wulin and wait as patiently as they can
for the years to turn their hair appropriately white!
Hes hardly idling, though. As sad as it is for him to
be a young man, and not yet a wizened old master,
hes putting his genius to work in the world to learn
wisdom! You cant fault his kung-fu, but its his advice
that does the greatest good... why, it was his plans that
won the Broken Sword Battle, that won the heart of
Ice-hand Jen for Firehair Shen, and won the Foolish
King Wager! Such a humble young man, too, always
seeming grateful for the chance to test out his wisdom,
almost like he fears it will go rusty while he waits for
old age!

You seek out challenge with an open heart, looking

to nd the correct balance of wisdom and virtue to
solve every problem. Where necessary, you act yourself
breaking heads if they need it but you also give
exceptionally good advice. Even your most obscure or
strange suggestions often turn out for the best, so you
try to share your wisdom when you can. You have fallen
in with a band of heroes on your way to Only Six
Devils, and you can sense that being with them will
bring challenge to constantly youre quite grateful
and will do your best to keep them together! Youre not
motivated by worldly desires but you realise you must
experience the world, so its valuable to be a part of
this heroic band! You do your best to keep them from
getting into too much trouble, of course...
ORIGIN:
PASSION: Obsession - Wisdom
REGION: Western Yang (Xi Territory)
ATTRIBUTES & SKILLS

Is that him there? Why it must be three ring sta,

the best beard he can muster, an old mans clothes still
too new to need patching. You couldnt mistake that
earnest serenity or those sharp eyes Patience Meng
has come to Unruly Devil!

(All Skills have +1 die to their rating unless otherwise noted)

History and Heart: A wise child, the youngest of a

large brood of minor nobles, you quickly realised that it
was your destiny to be a wise old man of the mountains.
Then a moment of perfect horror hit you: you were
only ten, and old age was at least fty years away!

Initiative 3 [advice 1] (no bonus)

Dodge 2
Finesse 1
Melee 3 [sta 1] (no bonus)

You comforted yourself with the knowledge that

you were not yet educated. A decade later, you had
devoured every available scrap of knowledge, and your
father was beginning to make noises about exams
and gainful employment! Forty years of government
service, you judged, would not make you wise so
much as exceptionally cynical. While close, it was not
exactly right for your destiny. You resolved to become
a sorcerer, and set out into the wilderness to learn from
the great Daoists.

MIGHT (JADE/WOOD CHI) 1

Fight 3 [kicks 1] (no bonus)
Hardiness 1

SPEED (CRIMSON/FIRE CHI) 2

PRESENCE (GOLD/EARTH CHI) 2

Condence 2
Grace 3 [advice 1] (no bonus)

GENIUS (WHITE/WATER CHI) 5

Learning 3
Medicine 3 [advice 1]
Tactics 3 [advice 1]

WU WEI (SILVER/METAL CHI) 5

Awareness 3
Investigation 3
Senses 3 [hearing 1]

CHI AURA: 2
Of course, they could see your destiny too. They taught RIVER: 2
you a few things, but found your quest amusing. How HEALTH POINTS PER LEVEL: 15
can you leave the world if youve never been there? ARMOUR: 5
theyd say, which apparently passes for a joke of greatest
Weapon
Initiative Attack/Block
Damage
hilarity if youve been on a mountain long enough.
Kick
3d + 15
4d
Result dice - 5
Taking their wisdom to heart you took up a sta
and entered the Wulin, hoping that the
Three-Ring Sta
3d
4d + 15
Result dice + 10
tumult of the Martial Arts World
will teach you wisdom while

50

Lightfoot

God of Wind Kick

Common White Chi Brutal (Kicks Only)

Critical: Maim or Stun
This erce style channels the power of your genius to kick
at the most vulnerable places on a foe with the speed of
the wind!
1. Earthly Spirit Kick. Activate this technique at the
beginning of the round to gain a +10 modier to the
Speed of your kick, +1d damage for your rst attack, and
the ability to leap 20 yards as a free action to make that
attack. Cost: 1 White chi
2. Heavenly Deity Kick. As Earthly Spirit kick, but
with a +5 modier to Strike. The damage modier is now
+2 dice, and leaping distance becomes 30 yards. Cost: 2
White chi

Waves Like Water

Common Silver Chi: Artful/Brutal (Long weapons only)

Critical: Disarm or Maim
This style uses the length and exibility of your sta to
create a blurring shield around you, snaking through your
opponents defence!
1. Sliding Strike. Activate this technique at the beginning
of the round to apply a -10 modier to the opponents
defence when attacking.. Cost: 1 Silver chi
2. Fierce Flexible Fence. Activate this technique to gain
a +10 modier your weapons Strike for all blocks for the
round. You may defend against Ranged attacks without
penalty. Cost: 2 Silver chi
3. Rolling Wave Attack. Activate this technique to gain
a +10 modier to your weapons Strike for all attacks and
blocks this round, and ignore 5 points of armour on any
successful attack. Cost: 3 Silver chi

Sheltering Water Intercession: Make a Moderate (20)

Learning roll. If you succeed, only those who beat your
Learning roll with your Awareness can look at you to
everyone else, youre invisible for the next ve rounds.
Summoning the Earths Folly Technique: Make a
Moderate (20) Learning roll, opposed by your targets
Awareness. If you succeed, they suer chi ow loss in the
colour of your choice until they commit an act of folly
something plausible but stupid.

Secret Art of Genius

Your sheer brilliance allows you to make the nest

plans! When trying to make a brilliant plan, roll a skill
appropriate to the plans nature (Initiative for eective
timing, Medicine for health, Tactics for military matters,
Grace for social matters) at a Moderate (20) diculty. You
gain a +5 modier for your particular genius for tactics.
Normally this roll can only take place between scenes
making a plan in a single turn applies a 10 modier.
If you succeed, you may spend a point of Joss to make the
plan ecacious. You may have two such plans running at
once. When making the plan, choose one of the following
eects to benet anyone actively following your plan:
+5 modier to appropriate skill rolls
2 points of chi regeneration in an appropriate
colour per round rather than one.
+1 bonus to an appropriate Attribute (also
raising the corresponding chi)
Note: These Techniques are not the end of Patiences
Scholar abilities. In longer term games, a Scholar can
apply the Daoist Secret Arts to manipulate the luck and
destiny of friend and foe alike, creating and changing
curses and blessings!

Strategy

Patience is the weakest ghter of the pre-generated

characters, but by no means the least dangerous. Dont
get involved in the thick of combat too lightly stay
back, using your Extraordinary Techniques to confound and manipulate opponents until youve lled
your River. Then leap in with a God of Wind attack, following up with a River-fuelled Rolling Wave
Attack! Try to lay clever plans before going into
battle dont sweat the details, as the bonuses given
by the Secret Art of Genius simulate good planning.
Improved Attributes and Chi Regeneration are more useful than a +5 modier in combat, but that modier
can be a big deal for non-combat skills where
such modiers are rarer.

Extraordinary Daoist Spells:

You can use one of these Techniques as a Full Action.

You must also spend a Free Action to use them this is
the cost of the ritual nger gestures needed to work the
spell! Alternately, you may instead pace the pattern of
constellations and gain a +5 modier to your Learning roll
this prevents you from Covering Ground this round.
Great Benison of Fire: If you succeed on a Moderate (20)
Learning roll, you apply a +10 modier to an allys next
action.

51

Ku n g Fu a n d Ex t r a o rd i n a r y Te c h n i q u e s

Common Any Chi

Lightfoot is the ability to defy the rules of the world as you
move! Every member of the Wulin has this kung-fu its
so universal that you can spend any colour of chi to fuel
its techniques!
1. Surefoot. Using this technique lets you run on water,
climb at your running speed, cling to walls like a spider,
and take no damage from falling. Cost: 1 chi of any
colour.

Terrible Rising Water Technique: Make a Moderate (20)

Learning roll, opposed by your targets Awareness. If you
succeed, they are unable to approach within 15 yards of
someone or something of your choice for the next round.

Mountain Chung, Warrior

GROUP: The Righteous (etc.) Society
RANK/ARCHETYPE: 5th Rank Warrior
This Zan monk earns his name! Who
has ever seen such a giant, and with shaved
head and prayer beads, no less? Quiet as a
mountain, and normally gentle, hes worse
than any earthquake when enraged! His st
skill is good, but his greatest asset is sheer
toughness, added to the strength of his faith.

ATTRIBUTES & SKILLS

(Note: All Skills have +1 die to their rating unless

otherwise noted.)

MIGHT (JADE/WOOD CHI) 4

Athletics 3 [breaking things 1]
Fight 3 [palms 1]
Hardiness 3 [regain chi 1]
Lift 3 [throwing 1]

KUNG FU STYLES
Lightfoot: (Any chi)
1: Surefoot. Run across water, up walls,
recover from Downed
Golden Temple Bells: (Gold)
1: Bell-Carrying Sinews. +10 Lift
2: Hardness of the Bell. +10 Armour/round
Holy Fire: (Crimson)
1: Flame Strike. +10 Strike, +1d damage
2: Seven-Fire Fist. +10 Strike, Int. 2
Burning
COMBAT
Iron Fists (Quality): Initiative: 4d + 15
Attack/Defence: 5d + 5 Damage: Result
Dice 5
May block weapons unarmed

5th Rank
SPEED (CRIMSON/FIRE CHI) 4
Initiative 3
Dodge 3

PRESENCE (GOLD/EARTH CHI) 4

Condence 3

GENIUS (WHITE/METAL CHI) 1

Learning 3 (no bonus)

WU WEI (SILVER/WATER CHI) 2

Awareness 2
Senses 2

ARMOUR: 5 Points
CHI AURA: 1
RIVER: [ ]
HEALTH POINTS PER LEVEL: 15

Mountain Chung, Warrior

GROUP: The Righteous (etc.) Society
RANK/ARCHETYPE: 4th Rank Warrior
This Zan monk earns his name! Who
has ever seen such a giant, and with shaved
head and prayer beads, no less? Quiet as a
mountain, and normally gentle, hes worse
than any earthquake when enraged! His st
skill is good, but his greatest asset is sheer
toughness, added to the strength of his faith.

ATTRIBUTES & SKILLS

(Note: All Skills have +1 die to their rating unless

otherwise noted.)

MIGHT (JADE/WOOD CHI) 4

Athletics 3 [breaking things 1]
Fight 3 [palms 1]
Hardiness 3 [regain chi 1]
Lift 3 [throwing 1]
SPEED (CRIMSON/FIRE CHI) 4
Initiative 3
Dodge 3
PRESENCE (GOLD/EARTH CHI) 4
Condence 3
Inspire 1
GENIUS (WHITE/METAL CHI) 1
Learning 3 (no bonus)
WU WEI (SILVER/WATER CHI) 4
Awareness 3
Senses 3
ARMOUR: 5 points
CHI AURA: 2
RIVER: [ ] [ ] [XX] [XX] [XX]
HEALTH POINTS PER LEVEL: 17

KUNG FU STYLES
Lightfoot: (Any chi)
1: Surefoot. Run across water, up walls,
recover from Downed
Golden Temple Bells: (Gold)
1: Bell-Carrying Sinews. +10 Lift
2: Hardness of the Bell. +10 Armour/round
Holy Fire: (Crimson)
1: Flame Strike. +10 Strike, +1d damage
2: Seven-Fire Fist. +10 Strike, Int. 2
Burning
Subtle Hand (Silver, Down/Stun)
1: Feint. Attack at +10 Strike. Result dice
added to next defence roll rather than doing
damage
2: Pause for Thought. Attack at +10 Strike.
Stun on standard success
COMBAT
Iron Fists (Quality): Initiative: 4d + 15,
Attack/Defence: 5d + 5, Damage: Result
Dice 5
May block weapons unarmed

4th Rank
52

Emerald Zilong, Warrior

GROUP: The Righteous (etc.) Society
RANK/ARCHETYPE: 5th Rank Warrior
In his gleaming green armour, and with
his swift dragon-spear, who can defy this
young hero? Merry at heart and bearing no
grudges, he ghts valiantly, looking ever for
a Lord worthy of his service! Sadly for them,
the young ladies of Unruly Devil have failed
to attract his eye, for his devotion is strong
and lies elsewhere...

ATTRIBUTES & SKILLS

(Note: All Skills have +1 die to their rating unless

otherwise noted.)

MIGHT (JADE/WOOD CHI) 3

Athletics 3 [leaping 1]
Fight 2
Hardiness 1
Lift 2 [armour 1]
SPEED (CRIMSON/FIRE CHI) 4
Initiative 3 [spear 1]
Dodge 3
Finesse 3
Melee 3 [spear 1]
PRESENCE (GOLD/EARTH CHI) 2
Condence 2
Grace 2 [city 1] (no bonus)
GENIUS (WHITE/METAL CHI) 2
Tactics 3 [small unit 1] (no bonus)
WU WEI (SILVER/WATER CHI) 4
ARMOUR: 10 points
CHI AURA: 1
RIVER: [ ] [XX] [XX] [XX] [XX]
HEALTH POINTS PER LEVEL: 15

KUNG FU STYLES
Lightfoot: (Any chi)
1: Surefoot. Run across water, up walls,
recover from Downed
2: Run Like a Deer. Cover Ground as Free
Action. +5 Mobility
Dragon Saber (Crimson, Disarm/Maim)
1: Flash of Steel. +10 Strike, summon
weapon from 4 yards as Free
2: Dragon Sword. +10 Speed, -1d from rst
opponents defence
Waves Like Water (Silver, Disarm/Maim)
1: Sliding Strike. -10 to opponents defence
2: Fierce Flexible Fence. +10 Strike for
blocks, defend normally against Ranged, 1
round duration
COMBAT
Kick: Initiative: 4d +15, Attack/Defence: 3d
Damage: Result Dice 5
Long Spear: Intiative: 5d + 10, Attack/
Defence: 5d +5, Damage: Result Dice +10

5th Rank

Emerald Zilong, Warrior

GROUP: The Righteous (etc.) Society
RANK/ARCHETYPE: 4th Rank Warrior
In his gleaming green armour, and with
his swift dragon-spear, who can defy this
young hero? Merry at heart and bearing no
grudges, he ghts valiantly, looking ever for
a Lord worthy of his service! Sadly for them,
the young ladies of Unruly Devil have failed
to attract his eye, for his devotion is strong
and lies elsewhere...

ATTRIBUTES & SKILLS

(Note: All Skills have +1 die to their rating unless

otherwise noted.)

MIGHT (JADE/WOOD CHI) 3

Athletics 3 [leaping 1]
Fight 2
Hardiness 1
Lift 2 [armour 1]
SPEED (CRIMSON/FIRE CHI) 5
Initiative 3 [spear 1]
Dodge 3
Finesse 3
Melee 3 [spear 1]
PRESENCE (GOLD/EARTH CHI) 2
Condence 2
Grace 2 [city 1] (no bonus)
GENIUS (WHITE/METAL CHI) 2
Tactics 3 [small unit 1] (no bonus)
WU WEI (SILVER/WATER CHI) 5
ARMOUR: 10 points
CHI AURA: 2
RIVER: [ ] [ ] [XX] [XX] [XX]
HEALTH POINTS PER LEVEL: 17

BACKGROUNDS
Good Looks (Quality)

KUNG FU STYLES
Lightfoot: (Any chi)
1: Surefoot. Run across water, up walls,
recover from Downed
2: Run Like a Deer. Cover Ground as Free
Action. +5 Mobility
3: Headlong Flying Leap. Cover Ground or
Leap as Free Action. Everyday (18) Athletics
to leap 10 yards per result die. +10 Mobility
Dragon Saber (Crimson, Disarm/Maim)
1: Flash of Steel. +10 Strike, summon
weapon from 4 yards as Free
2: Dragon Sword. +10 Speed, -1d from rst
opponents defence
3: Submission to the Earth. Adds Downing.
+2d damage
Waves Like Water (Silver, Disarm/Maim)
1: Sliding Strike. -10 to opponents defence
2: Fierce Flexible Fence. +10 Strike for
blocks, defend normally against Ranged, 1
round duration
3: Rolling Wave Attack. +10 Strike for
round, ignore 5 points of armour

4th Rank

COMBAT
Kick: Initiative: 4d +15, Attack/Defence:
3d, Damage: Result Dice 5
Dragon Spear: Initiative: 5d + 10, Attack/
Defence: 5d +10, Damage: Result Dice +10

53

BACKGROUNDS
Good Looks (Quality)

Tan Dong, Courtier

GROUP: The Righteous (etc.) Society
RANK/ARCHETYPE: 5th Rank Courtier
A splendid soldier-bureaucrat, in his
middle years hes left the army of the Jin
Emperor to follow his clan in the Wulin.
His hair is grey, but his eyes are erce and
wits keen and who would not fear his
spear-skills? He ghts to reunify the land.
Though the battle will not be won in his
lifetime, his calculated, even ruthless moves
bring things together, not tear them apart.

ATTRIBUTES & SKILLS

(Note: All Skills have +1 die to their rating unless

otherwise noted.)

MIGHT (JADE/WOOD CHI) 4

Fight 2 [palms 1]
Hardiness 2
Lift 2 [armour 1]
SPEED (CRIMSON/FIRE CHI) 1
Dodge 1
Melee 3 [spear 1] (no bonus)
PRESENCE (GOLD/EARTH CHI) 4
Condence 3
Inspire 3
Persuade 3
GENIUS (WHITE/METAL CHI) 4
Learning 1
Politics 3
Tactics 3 [small unit 1]
WU WEI (SILVER/WATER CHI) 2
Awareness 2
ARMOUR: 10 points
CHI AURA: 1
RIVER: [ ] [XX] [XX] [XX] [XX]
HEALTH POINTS PER LEVEL: 15

KUNG FU STYLES
Lightfoot: (Any chi)
1: Surefoot. Run across water, up walls,
recover from Downed
Heavens Thunder (Jade, Knockback/Down)
1: Dragon Wind. +10 Speed, double
running speed.
2: Lashing Torrent. Secondary Attack

5th Rank

Tan Dong, Courtier

GROUP: The Righteous (etc.) Society
RANK/ARCHETYPE: 4th Rank Courtier
A splendid soldier-bureaucrat, in his
middle years hes left the army of the Jin
Emperor to follow his clan in the Wulin.
His hair is grey, but his eyes are erce and
wits keen and who would not fear his
spear-skills? He ghts to reunify the land.
Though the battle will not be won in his
lifetime, his calculated, even ruthless moves
bring things together, not tear them apart.

ATTRIBUTES & SKILLS

(Note: All Skills have +1 die to their rating unless

otherwise noted.)

MIGHT (JADE/WOOD CHI) 5

Athletics 2
Fight 3 [kicks 1, palms 1]
Hardiness 2
Lift 2 [armour 1]
SPEED (CRIMSON/FIRE CHI) 1
Dodge 3 (no bonus)
Melee 3 [spear 1] (no bonus)
PRESENCE (GOLD/EARTH CHI) 4
Condence 3
Inspire 3
Persuade 3
GENIUS (WHITE/METAL CHI) 4
Learning 2
Politics 3
Tactics 3 [small unit 1]
WU WEI (SILVER/WATER CHI) 2
Awareness 2
Senses 2
ARMOUR: 10 points
CHI AURA: 2
RIVER: [ ] [ ] [XX] [XX] [XX]
HEALTH POINTS PER LEVEL: 16

EXTRAORDINARY TECHNIQUES:
Fear Inspiring Technique: Moderate (20)
Inspire opposed by Condence. 5 to target
opponents opposed actions against you for
ve turns.
Distracting Suggestion Technique:
Moderate(20) Inspire opposed by
Condence. 1 to Presence and Genius for
remainder of scene.
COMBAT
Palms: Initiative: 1d +15, Attack/Defence:
4d, Damage: Result Dice 5
Long Spear: Intiative: 1d + 10, Attack/
Defence: 4d +5, Damage: Result Dice +10

KUNG FU STYLES
Lightfoot: (Any chi)

1: Surefoot. Run across water, up walls, recover

from Downed
2: Run Like a Deer. Cover Ground as Free
Action. +5 Mobility

Heavens Thunder (Jade, Knockback/Down)

1: Dragon Wind. +10 Speed, double running
speed.
2: Lashing Torrent. Secondary Attack
3: Crashing Thunder. Make Condence + 10 as
5 yard radius Area Attack. Adds Down.

4th Rank

COMBAT
Palms/Kicks: Initiative: 1d +15, Attack/
Defence: 5d Damage: Result Dice 5
Long Spear: Intiative: 1d + 10, Attack/
Defence: 4d +5, Damage: Result Dice +10
BACKGROUNDS
Status 3 (Reputable)

54

Thousand Scythe Kick (Gold, Knockback/

Maim)

1: Fast Scythe Kick. +10 Speed, +10 Strike

2: Sweeping Scythe Kick. +10 Strike, Adds Down

EXTRAORDINARY TECHNIQUES:
Lassitude, Joy and Love: Moderate (20) Inspire
opposed by Condence. 10 on initiative until
Full Action sacriced.
Fear Inspiring Technique: Moderate (20)
Inspire opposed by Condence. 5 to target
opponents opposed actions against you for ve
turns.
Distracting Suggestion Technique:
Moderate(20) Inspire opposed by Condence. 1
to Presence and Genius for remainder of scene.

Clever Li-Li, Scholar

GROUP: The Righteous (etc.) Society
RANK/ARCHETYPE: 5th Rank Scholar
Li-Li was a little plain, so her village
didnt pay as much attention to her as they
should. If they had, they might have noticed
that she always seemed to know what fate
had in store for the village next... a talent
the clever young girl soon realised she
possessed, but felt it was wasted on a sleepy
little village. Its lucky shes so clever, since
her combination of naivet and ambition
is a big danger in Only Six Devils, but her
thick country accent cant hide her brilliance
from discerning eyes.

ATTRIBUTES & SKILLS

Clever Li-Li, Scholar

GROUP: The Righteous (etc.) Society
RANK/ARCHETYPE: 4th Rank Scholar
Li-Li was a little plain, so her village
didnt pay as much attention to her as they
should. If they had, they might have noticed
that she always seemed to know what fate
had in store for the village next... a talent
the clever young girl soon realised she
possessed, but felt it was wasted on a sleepy
little village. Its lucky shes so clever, since
her combination of naivet and ambition
is a big danger in Only Six Devils, but her
thick country accent cant hide her brilliance
from discerning eyes.

ATTRIBUTES & SKILLS

(Note: All Skills have +1 die to their rating unless

otherwise noted.)

MIGHT (JADE/WOOD CHI) 3

Athletics 2
Fight 3
Hardiness 1
SPEED (CRIMSON/FIRE CHI) 1
PRESENCE (GOLD/EARTH CHI) 3
Condence 3
Persuade 3 [advice 1] (no bonus)
GENIUS (WHITE/METAL CHI) 4
Learning 3
Medicine 3 [advice 1]
Politics 3 [advice 1]
WU WEI (SILVER/WATER CHI) 4
Awareness 3
Investigation 3
Senses 3 [sight 1]
ARMOUR: 5 points
CHI AURA: 1
RIVER: [ ] [XX] [XX] [XX] [XX]
HEALTH POINTS PER LEVEL: 15

KUNG FU STYLES
Lightfoot: (Any chi)
1: Surefoot. Run across water, up walls,
recover from Downed
2: Run Like a Deer. Cover Ground as Free
Action. +5 Mobility
Blizzard Fist (Silver, Down/Stun)
1: Frost-Numbing Fist. Damage inicts test
penalties of next level down
2: Frozen Moon. -5 to opponents strike for
round if in personal combat
Secret Art of Genius:

5th Rank
(Note: All Skills have +1 die to their rating unless
otherwise noted.)

MIGHT (JADE/WOOD CHI) 4

Athletics 2
Fight 3
Hardiness 1
SPEED (CRIMSON/FIRE CHI) 1
Dodge 3 (no bonus)
PRESENCE (GOLD/EARTH CHI) 4
Condence 3
Persuade 3 [advice 1]
GENIUS (WHITE/METAL CHI) 4
Learning 3
Medicine 3 [advice 1]
Politics 3 [advice 1]
WU WEI (SILVER/WATER CHI) 4
Awareness 3
Investigation 3
Senses 3 [sight 1]
ARMOUR: 5 points
CHI AURA: 2
RIVER: [ ] [ ] [XX] [XX] [XX]
HEALTH POINTS PER LEVEL: 17

Legendary Genius: +5 to Politics Advice rolls.

COMBAT
Palm: Initiative: 1d +15 Attack/Defence: 4d
Damage: Result Dice - 5

KUNG FU STYLES
Lightfoot: (Any chi)

1: Surefoot. Run across water, up walls, recover

from Downed
2: Run Like a Deer. Cover Ground as Free
Action. +5 Mobility
3: Headlong Flying Leap. Cover Ground or Leap
as Free Action. Everyday (18) Athletics to leap 10
yards per result die. +10 Mobility

4th Rank
55

Golden Temple Bells: (Gold)

1: Bell-Carrying Sinews. +10 Lift

2: Hardness of the Bell. +10 Armour/round

Blizzard Fist (Silver, Down/Stun)

1: Frost-Numbing Fist. Damage inicts test

penalties of next level down
2: Frozen Moon. -5 to opponents strike for
round if in personal combat
3: Wounded By Frost. Damage inicts test
penalties of next level down. +10 Strike, +2d
damage

Secret Art of Genius:

Legendary Genius: +5 to Politics Advice rolls

COMBAT
Iron Fist: Initiative: 1d +15 Attack/
Defence: 4d + 5 Damage: Result Dice 5
May block weapons unarmed.

Black-Saber Jin, Warrior

GROUP: Four Fierce Flames of Rebellion.
RANK/ARCHETYPE: 5th Rank Warrior
This shaggy-haired but roughly
handsome warrior looks like hed be far
more at home on a horse than the streets
of Unruly Devil, but in truth he knows the
city far better than the other heroes. Jin was
the master of the Thousand Sabers bandit
gang, but his fortunes tumbled when the
Hell Clan warrior Glasseye Yan moved into
the area. Hes out for revenge, both on Yan
and on Governor Chen, who left Jin and
his men to die. Despite this melancholy
fortune, Jin keeps up a cheerful appearance,
his natural love for mayhem and battle
keeping him joking and laughing as he
ghts his way to Prosperous Devil!

ATTRIBUTES & SKILLS

Black-Saber Jin, Warrior

GROUP: Four Fierce Flames of Rebellion.
RANK/ARCHETYPE: 4th Rank Warrior
This shaggy-haired but roughly
handsome warrior looks like hed be far
more at home on a horse than the streets
of Unruly Devil, but in truth he knows the
city far better than the other heroes. Jin was
the master of the Thousand Sabers bandit
gang, but his fortunes tumbled when the
Hell Clan warrior Glasseye Yan moved into
the area. Hes out for revenge, both on Yan
and on Governor Chen, who left Jin and
his men to die. Despite this melancholy
fortune, Jin keeps up a cheerful appearance,
his natural love for mayhem and battle
keeping him joking and laughing as he
ghts his way to Prosperous Devil!

ATTRIBUTES & SKILLS

COMBAT
Palms: Initiative: 4d +15, Attack/Defence:
4d, Damage: Result Dice -5
Paired Hook Swords: Initiative: 5d + 10,
Attack/Defence: 5d +10*, Damage: Result
Dice +5
*+5 only for single blade

Senses 3
Stealth 3

(Note: All Skills have +1 die to their rating unless

otherwise noted.)

MIGHT (JADE/WOOD CHI) 4

Athletics 3
Fight 3
Hardiness 3
SPEED (CRIMSON/FIRE CHI) 5
Initiative 3 [hooked sabres 1]
Dodge 3
Finesse 3 [thievery 1]
Melee 3 [hooked sabres 1]
Ride 3 [horse 1]
PRESENCE (GOLD/EARTH CHI) 1
Condence 1
GENIUS (WHITE/METAL CHI) 1
WU WEI (SILVER/WATER CHI) 4
Senses 3
Stealth 3
ARMOUR: 5 points
CHI AURA: 1
RIVER: [ ] [XX] [XX] [XX] [XX]
HEALTH POINTS PER LEVEL: 15

KUNG FU STYLES
Lightfoot: (Any chi)

1: Surefoot. Run across water, up walls, recover

from Downed
2: Run Like a Deer. Cover Ground as Free
Action. +5 Mobility

Heart-Breaking Blade (Crimson, Disarm/

Maim)

5th Rank
(Note: All Skills have +1 die to their rating unless
otherwise noted.)

MIGHT (JADE/WOOD CHI) 4

Athletics 3
Fight 3
Hardiness 3

SPEED (CRIMSON/FIRE CHI) 5

Initiative 3 [hooked sabres 1]
Dodge 3
Finesse 3 [thievery 1]
Melee 3 [hooked sabres 1]
Ride 3 [horse 1]

1: Killing Spree. +5 Strike, +2d damage, Free

weapon draw
2: Lightning Killing Spree. +10 Speed, +5 Strike,
+2d damage, Free weapon draw
3: Killing Frenzy Spree. +10 Speed, +5 Strike,
+3d damage, Free weapon draw, Area Attack 5
feet radius

BACKGROUNDS

Good Looks (Quality)

Weapon Training (Hooked Swords)

COMBAT
Palm: Initiative: 4d +15, Attack/Defence:
4d, Damage: Result Dice -5
Paired Hook Swords: Initiative: 5d + 10,
Attack/Defence: 5d +10*, Damage: Result
Dice +5
*+5 only for single blade

KUNG FU STYLES
Lightfoot: (Any chi)

1: Surefoot. Run across water, up walls, recover

from Downed
2: Run Like a Deer. Cover Ground as Free
Action. +5 Mobility

Heart-Breaking Blade (Crimson, Disarm/

Maim)
1: Killing Spree. +5 Strike, +2d damage, Free
weapon draw
2: Lightning Killing Spree. +10 Speed, +5 Strike,
+2d damage, Free weapon draw
3: Killing Frenzy Spree. +10 Speed, +5 Strike,
+3d damage, Free weapon draw, Area Attack 5
feet radius

4th Rank
PRESENCE (GOLD/EARTH CHI) 1
Condence 3 (no bonus)
Inspire 3 [fear 1] (no bonus)

GENIUS (WHITE/METAL CHI) 1

Tactics 3 [small unit 1] (no bonus)

WU WEI (SILVER/WATER CHI) 4

ARMOUR: 5 points
CHI AURA: 2
RIVER: [ ] [ ] [XX] [XX] [XX]
HEALTH POINTS PER LEVEL: 15

Cloud Mastery (Jade)

1: Phantom of the Clouds. +10 Speed

2: Moon Covered By Clouds. -10 to Strike on
attacks against you for round

Yellow River (Silver, Disarm/Knockback)

1: Perilous Rapids Meditation. +10 Speed,

summon weapon (5 yards) as Free Action.
2: Broken Stones Prayer. Melee attack at Short
Range (10 yards). 1d from defence if they
attempt to close

BACKGROUNDS
Good Looks (Quality)
Weapon Training (Hooked Swords)

56

Pretty Hark, Warrior

GROUP: Four Fierce Flames of Rebellion.
RANK/ARCHETYPE: 5th Rank Warrior
Dressing up as a boy to prove that girls
are every bit as good at kung fu is a timehonoured tradition, but it helps if youre not
so stunningly pretty and incredibly fervent
about proving girls equality that a blind
man can see what youre up to from three
countries away! Hark is a good person at
heart, but shes carried away with proving
something to people that have long since
accepted it the Wulin is well aware of the
deadliness of women ghters! Its possible
there are oppressive parents shes rebelling
against... she seems to very much enjoy
causing the destruction that she thinks is a
natural part of being a boy. Hark has long
hair that she conceals very poorly under a
cap, and a gure that resists being hidden.

ATTRIBUTES & SKILLS

Pretty Hark, Warrior

GROUP: Four Fierce Flames of Rebellion.
RANK/ARCHETYPE: 4th Rank Warrior
Dressing up as a boy to prove that girls
are every bit as good at kung fu is a timehonoured tradition, but it helps if youre not
so stunningly pretty and incredibly fervent
about proving girls equality that a blind
man can see what youre up to from three
countries away! Hark is a good person at
heart, but shes carried away with proving
something to people that have long since
accepted it the Wulin is well aware of the
deadliness of women ghters! Its possible
there are oppressive parents shes rebelling
against... she seems to very much enjoy
causing the destruction that she thinks is a
natural part of being a boy. Hark has long
hair that she conceals very poorly under a
cap, and a gure that resists being hidden.

ATTRIBUTES & SKILLS

BACKGROUNDS
Good Looks (Perfect)

Awareness 3
Investigation 3

(Note: All Skills have +1 die to their rating unless

otherwise noted.)

MIGHT (JADE/WOOD CHI) 4

Athletics 3 [leaping 1]
Fight 3 [sta 1]
Hardiness 1
SPEED (CRIMSON/FIRE CHI) 2
Initiative 2
Dodge 2
Finesse 2
PRESENCE (GOLD/EARTH CHI) 4
Condence 3
Grace 3
Perform 3
GENIUS (WHITE/METAL CHI) 1
Learning 1
Politics 1
Tactics 1
WU WEI (SILVER/WATER CHI) 4
Awareness 3
Investigation 3
ARMOUR: 5 points
CHI AURA: 1
RIVER: [ ] [XX] [XX] [XX] [XX]
HEALTH POINTS PER LEVEL: 15

KUNG FU STYLES
Lightfoot: (Any chi)
1: Surefoot. Run across water, up walls,
recover from Downed
Waves Like Water (Silver, Disarm/Maim)
1: Sliding Strike. -10 to opponents defence
2: Fierce Flexible Fence. +10 Strike for
blocks, defend normally against Ranged, 1
round duration
Universal Blow (Jade, Knockback/Down)
1: Flowers in the Fog. +10 Speed
2: Hail of Blows. Secondary Attack,
Universal Blow Only

5th Rank
(Note: All Skills have +1 die to their rating unless
otherwise noted.)

MIGHT (JADE/WOOD CHI) 4

Athletics 3 [leaping 1]
Fight 3 [sta 1]
Hardiness 1

SPEED (CRIMSON/FIRE CHI) 2

Initiative 2
Dodge 2
Finesse 2

COMBAT
Palm: Initiative: 3d +15 Attack/Defence: 4d
Damage: Result Dice 5
Wolf-Tooth Sta: Initiative: 3d, Attack/
Defence: 5d +15 Damage: Result Dice +10
BACKGROUNDS
Good Looks (Quality)

KUNG FU STYLES
Lightfoot: (Any chi)

1: Surefoot. Run across water, up walls, recover

from Downed
2: Run Like a Deer. Cover Ground as Free
Action. +5 Mobility
3: Headlong Flying Leap. Cover Ground or Leap
as Free Action. Everyday (18) Athletics to leap 10
yards per result die. +10 Mobility

4th Rank

Waves Like Water (Silver, Disarm/Maim)

PRESENCE (GOLD/EARTH CHI) 4

Condence 3
Grace 3
Inspire 2
Perform 3

1: Sliding Strike. -10 to opponents defence

2: Fierce Flexible Fence. +10 Strike for blocks,
defend normally against Ranged, 1 round
duration

Universal Blow (Jade, Knockback/Down)

GENIUS (WHITE/METAL CHI) 1

Learning 1
Politics 1
Tactics 3 (no bonus)

1: Flowers in the Fog. +10 Speed

2: Hail of Blows. Secondary Attack, Universal
Blow Only

Unfolding Glory (Gold, Down/Maim)

WU WEI (SILVER/WATER CHI) 4

ARMOUR: 5 points
CHI AURA: 2
RIVER: [ ] [ ] [XX] [XX] [XX]
HEALTH POINTS PER LEVEL: 15

57

1: How Swift Thy Weapon. +10 Speed, +1d

Initiative, Free Weapon Draw.
2: Willow Stance. +10 Strike to Blocks, +10
Dodge, +1d to defences. Round duration.
Channel: 2 Silver

COMBAT
Palms: Initiative: 3d +15 Attack/Defence:
4d, Damage: Result Dice 5
Wolf-Tooth Sta: Initiative: 3d +5, Attack/
Defence: 5d +15, Damage: Result Dice +10.

Fei Hsiao, Courtier

GROUP: Four Fierce Flames of Rebellion.
RANK/ARCHETYPE: 5th Rank Courtier
There is no shortage of disposed
southern nobles angry at Emperor Hu, but
not many of them become so enraged that
they stop distinguishing between him and
other questionable rulers! Fei is a beautiful
woman in her thirties with stark white
hair, wielding a magnicent kwan dao,
and with an endlessly brilliant approach
to conversation. She seems to always have
a contingency plan for any eventuality,
prepared for anything that comes across
her path a strange counterpoint to her
unbridled fury at corrupt governance, and
her determination to topple every corrupt
regime everywhere!

ATTRIBUTES & SKILLS

Fei Hsiao, Courtier

GROUP: Four Fierce Flames of Rebellion.
RANK/ARCHETYPE: 4th Rank Courtier
There is no shortage of disposed
southern nobles angry at Emperor Hu, but
not many of them become so enraged that
they stop distinguishing between him and
other questionable rulers! Fei is a beautiful
woman in her thirties with stark white
hair, wielding a magnicent kwan dao,
and with an endlessly brilliant approach
to conversation. She seems to always have
a contingency plan for any eventuality,
prepared for anything that comes across
her path a strange counterpoint to her
unbridled fury at corrupt governance, and
her determination to topple every corrupt
regime everywhere!

ATTRIBUTES & SKILLS

(Note: All Skills have +1 die to their rating unless

otherwise noted.)

MIGHT (JADE/WOOD CHI) 1

Athletics 1
SPEED (CRIMSON/FIRE CHI) 4
Dodge 3
Finesse 3
Melee 3 [kwan dao 1]
PRESENCE (GOLD/EARTH CHI) 4
Condence 3 [majestic surety 1]
Grace 3 [city 1]
Inspire 3 [love 1]
Perform 3 [ute 1]
Persuade 3 [clever debate 1]
GENIUS (WHITE/METAL CHI) 4
Learning 2
Politics 3
WU WEI (SILVER/WATER CHI) 2
Awareness 2
ARMOUR: 5 points
CHI AURA: 1
RIVER: [ ] [XX] [XX] [XX] [XX]
HEALTH POINTS PER LEVEL: 15

KUNG FU STYLES
Lightfoot: (Any chi)
1: Surefoot. Run across water, up walls,
recover from Downed
2: Run Like a Deer. Cover Ground as Free
Action. +5 Mobility
Holy Fire: (Crimson)
1: Flame Strike. +10 Strike, +1d damage
2: Seven-Fire Fist. +10 Strike, Int. 2
Burning
EXTRAORDINARY TECHNIQUES:
Anger Inspiring: Moderate (20) Inspire
opposed by Condence. 10 on all actions
until any character sacrices a full action to
resolve anger
Instant Inspiration: +5 to a mundane roll
Exploitation of Sorrows: Moderate (20)
Inspire opposed by Condence.10 to all
non-defensive actions for one round
COMBAT
Palms: Initiative: 1d +15 Attack/Defence:
1d Damage: Result Dice 5
Kwan Dao: Initiative: 1d + 5, Attack/
Defence: 5d +5, Damage: Result Dice + 15

5th Rank
(Note: All Skills have +1 die to their rating unless
otherwise noted.)

MIGHT (JADE/WOOD CHI) 1

Athletics 1
SPEED (CRIMSON/FIRE CHI) 4
Dodge 3
Finesse 3
Melee 3 [kwan dao 1]
PRESENCE (GOLD/EARTH CHI) 4
Condence 3 [majestic surety 1]
Grace 3 [city 1]
Inspire 3 [love 1]
Perform 3 [ute 1]
Persuade 3 [clever debate 1]
GENIUS (WHITE/METAL CHI) 4
Learning 3
Crafting 3
Politics 3
Tactics 3
WU WEI (SILVER/WATER CHI) 3
Awareness 3
Investigation 3
ARMOUR: 5 points
CHI AURA: 2
RIVER: [ ] [ ] [XX] [XX] [XX]
HEALTH POINTS PER LEVEL: 16

KUNG FU STYLES
Lightfoot: (Any chi)
1: Surefoot. Run across water, up walls,
recover from Downed
2: Run Like a Deer. Cover Ground as Free
Action. +5 Mobility
Holy Fire: (Crimson)
1: Flame Strike. +10 Strike, +1d damage
2: Seven-Fire Fist. +10 Strike, Int. 2
Burning
Golden Temple Bells: (Gold)
1: Bell-Carrying Sinews. +10 Lift
2: Hardness of the Bell. +10 Armour/round

4th Rank

COMBAT
Palms: Initiative: 1d +15 Attack/Defence:
1d Damage: Result Dice 5
Kwan Dao: Initiative: 1d + 5, Attack/
Defence: 5d +5, Damage: Result Dice + 15

58

EXTRAORDINARY TECHNIQUES
Anger Inspiring: Moderate (20) Inspire
opposed by Condence. 10 on all actions
until any character sacrices a full action to
resolve anger.
Instant Inuence Technique: +5 to a
mundane roll
Exploitation of Sorrows: Moderate (20)
Inspire opposed by Condence. 10 to all
non-defensive actions for one round.
Secret Art of Genius

Doctor Jang-Lu, Scholar

GROUP: Four Fierce Flames of Rebellion
RANK/ARCHETYPE: 4th Rank Scholar
This brash yet impeccably groomed
young man wears a doctors clothes,
and indeed is well-versed in the arts of
medicine... but seems to take a warriors
tack. He likes to claim that he has coldly
decided to treat the illness of the world by
cauterising the wicked, but he does seem to
take a great deal of joy from any excuse to
use his powerful kicking style and superior
intellect to get the best of an opponent. Hes
easily recognisable by his medicine bag and
long braid.

ATTRIBUTES & SKILLS

(Note: All Skills have +1 die to their rating unless

otherwise noted.)

MIGHT (JADE/WOOD CHI) 1

Fight 3 [kicks 1] (no bonus)
SPEED (CRIMSON/FIRE CHI) 1
Dodge 3 (no bonus)
Finesse 3 [ne manipulation 1] (no bonus)
PRESENCE (GOLD/EARTH CHI) 4
Condence 3
GENIUS (WHITE/METAL CHI) 5
Learning 3 [calligraphy 1]
Medicine 3 [injuries 1]
Crafting 3
WU WEI (SILVER/WATER CHI) 4
Awareness 3
Investigation 3 [hidden secrets 1]
Senses 3 [touch 1]
ARMOUR: 5 Points
CHI AURA: 1
RIVER: [ ] [XX] [XX] [XX] [XX]
HEALTH POINTS PER LEVEL: 15

KUNG FU STYLES
Lightfoot: (Any chi)
1: Surefoot. Run across water, up walls,
recover from Downed
Thousand Scythe Kick (Gold, Knockback/
Maim)
1: Fast Scythe Kick. +10 Speed, +10 Strike
2: Sweeping Scythe Kick. +10 Strike, Adds
Down

5th Rank

Doctor Jang-Lu, Scholar

GROUP: Four Fierce Flames of Rebellion
RANK/ARCHETYPE: 4th Rank Scholar
This brash yet impeccably groomed
young man wears a doctors clothes,
and indeed is well-versed in the arts of
medicine... but seems to take a warriors
tack. He likes to claim that he has coldly
decided to treat the illness of the world by
cauterising the wicked, but he does seem to
take a great deal of joy from any excuse to
use his powerful kicking style and superior
intellect to get the best of an opponent. Hes
easily recognisable by his medicine bag and
long braid.

ATTRIBUTES & SKILLS

(Note: All Skills have +1 die to their rating unless

otherwise noted.)

MIGHT (JADE/WOOD CHI) 1

Athletics 3 (no bonus)
Fight 3 [kicks 1] (no bonus)

SPEED (CRIMSON/FIRE CHI) 1

Dodge 3 (no bonus)

Finesse 3 [ne manipulation 1] (no bonus)

EXTRAORDINARY TECHNIQUES
Grievous Act of Metal: Moderate (20)
Learning roll opposed by Awareness. Full
action. 10 modier to the action of
opponent.
Instant Inuence Technique: +5 to a
mundane roll
Summoning the Earths Folly: Moderate
(20) Learning opposed by Awareness.
Opponent suers chi ow loss in one colour
until they do something objectively foolish.
COMBAT
Kicks. Initiative: 1d +15, Attack/Defence:
4d, Damage: Result Dice -5

KUNG FU STYLES
Lightfoot: (Any chi)

1: Surefoot. Run across water, up walls, recover

from Downed
2: Run Like a Deer. Cover Ground as Free
Action. +5 Mobility
3: Headlong Flying Leap. Cover Ground or Leap
as Free Action. Everyday (18) Athletics to leap 10
yards per result die. +10 Mobility

4th Rank

EXTRAORDINARY TECHNIQUES
Grievous Act of Metal: Moderate (20)
Learning roll opposed by Awareness. Full
action. 10 modier to an opponents
action.
Instant Inuence Technique: +5 to a
mundane roll
Summoning the Earths Folly: Moderate
(20) Learning opposed by Awareness.
Opponent suers chi ow loss in one colour
until they do something objectively foolish.

PRESENCE (GOLD/EARTH CHI) 4

Condence 3

GENIUS (WHITE/METAL CHI) 5

Learning 3 [calligraphy 1]
Medicine 3 [injuries 1, kung fu 1]
Crafting 3

WU WEI (SILVER/WATER CHI) 4

Awareness 3
Investigation 3 [hidden secrets 1]
Senses 3 [touch 1]

ARMOUR: 0
CHI AURA: 2
RIVER: [ ] [ ] [XX] [XX] [XX]
HEALTH POINTS PER LEVEL: 15
BACKGROUNDS
Superior Specialty: +5 to Medicine kung-fu rolls

COMBAT
Kicks. Initiative: 1d +15, Attack/Defence:
4d, Damage: Result Dice -5

59

Drunken Monkey (Silver)

1: Monkey Capering. +10 dodge

2: Monkey Roll. +10 Armour, escape from tight
spot

Thousand Scythe Kick (Gold, Knockback/

Maim)

1: Fast Scythe Kick. +10 Speed, +10 Strike

2: Sweeping Scythe Kick. +10 Strike, Adds Down

Wisdom of the Seven Gates (White)

1: Pain-Negating Method. Full action, Medicine

skill roll. Each Wound level treated as a degree of
diculty (Battered = 10, Injured = 15, Wounded
= 18 etc). Success erases wound penalties.
2: Disturb the Jade Leaves. Medicine roll as
attack. Success shuts down a single specialisation,
a critical two specialisations, for 3 rounds.
3: Pruning the Jade Branches. On Attack, if
Genius higher than opponents, adds Stun, and
they must skip one action per two result dice.

Empty Hand Lieutenant

RANK/ARCHETYPE: 5th Rank Warrior
These bright and disciplined young men
are the future of Ironhand Nans mercenary
company, and theyre well aware that they
carry the pride of their Society wherever
they go!
Use these stats whenever you need a
quick character to lead Minions.

ATTRIBUTES & SKILLS

KUNG FU STYLES
Lightfoot: (Any chi)
1: Surefoot. Run across water, up walls,
recover from Downed
2: Run Like a Deer. Cover Ground as Free
Action. +5 Mobility
Dragon Saber (Crimson, Disarm/Maim)
1: Flash of Steel. +10 Strike, summon
weapon from 4 yards as Free Action
2: Dragon Sword. +10 Speed, -1d from rst
opponents defence

(Note: All Skills have +1 die to their rating unless

otherwise noted.)

MIGHT (JADE/WOOD CHI) 3

Athletics 3
Fight 2
Hardiness 1
Lift 2 [armour 1]

5th Rank

ARMOUR: 5 points
CHI AURA: 1
RIVER: [ ] [XX] [XX] [XX] [XX]
HEALTH POINTS PER LEVEL: 13

SPEED (CRIMSON/FIRE CHI) 4

Initiative 3 [sword 1]
Dodge 3
Finesse 3
Melee 3 [sword 1]

COMBAT
Palm: Initiative: 4d +15 Attack/Defence:
3d Damage: Result Dice 5
Longsword: Initiative: 5d+5, Attack/
Defence: 5d+10, Damage: Result Dice +10

PRESENCE (GOLD/EARTH CHI) 2

Condence 2
Grace 1 [city 1]

GENIUS (WHITE/METAL CHI) 2

Tactics 3 [small unit 1] (no bonus)

WU WEI (SILVER/WATER CHI) 2

Blank Minions sheets: use these to keep track of the groups of followers encountered in the game.
An example sheet has been pre-lled for twenty Gang Fighters, led by the Empty Hand Lieutenant detailed above.
Example:

5
Followers Rating _______

Empty Hand Troops

Gang Fighters
Number
Present

20

Leaders
Presence

Base Value 7
(unit of 5)
2:

3:

Base Value 7
(unit of 5)

Base Value 7
(unit of 5)

4:

5:

4:

3:

5:

4:

5:

6:

Followers Rating _______

Force

Gang Fighters
Number
Present

1: ______________
2: ______________
3: ______________
4: ______________
5: ______________
6: ______________

1:

1: ______________
2: ______________
3: ______________
4: ______________
5: ______________
6: ______________

3:

2:

1: ______________
2: ______________
3: ______________
4: ______________
5: ______________
6: ______________

1:

4:

6:

3:

60

5:

OPPONENTS

Leaders
Presence

2:

OPPONENTS

Leaders
Presence
1:

OPPONENTS

Leaders
Presence

2:

Xiao-Li Pai
1: ______________
Feng Guo
2: ______________
Liang Shui
3: ______________
Patience Meng
4: ______________
5: ______________
6: ______________

Force

Gang Fighters
Number
Present

Number
Present

6:

Followers Rating _______

Force

Gang Fighters

OPPONENTS

1:

Base Value 7
(unit of 5)

Followers Rating _______

6:

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Auspicious
Beginnings

B y J ye Nic ols on
a n d B e n ja m in L e on g=