Hearts of Wulin

 

  o f   

W   H 

 

 󰀲

GAME DESIGN GA ME DESIGN

by Lowell Francis  by Agatha Cheng, Jamila Nedjadi, Alun

A DDITIONA L DEVELOPMENT ADDITIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Rees, Sherri Stewart by  Joyce Ch*ng and Lowell Francis CHAPTER 16 CHAPTER 16 “NARRATIVE “NARRATIVE FIGHT SCENES” by Eric Farmer and Eli Kurtz WRITING WRITING

EDITING EDITING LAYOUT LAYOUT

by  David LaFreniere

by Harald Eckmüller

CULTURE CULTURE CUL TURE AND AND SENSTIVITY SENSTIVITY READING READING

by Yilin Wang, Agatha Cheng

(Chapter 1-5) ORIGINAL ART ORIGINAL ART

by Minerva Fox

by  Knumina Studios (page 4)/Shutterstock.com, asylsun (page 44)/Shu 44)/Shutterstock.co tterstock.com m and asharkyu (pg. 225)/ Shutterstock.com WATERCOLOR WATERCOLOR ART ART

LOGO LOGO

by J.L. Householder

PLAYTESTING PLAYTES TING AND AND FEEDBACK by

the Gauntlet Gaming Community, Te Gauntlet Forums, Forums, Origins Games on D Demand emand 2018 & 2019. PUBLISHED

by  Jason Cordova

by the Apocalypse engine by D. Vincent Baker and Meguey Baker. POWERED POWERED

Re nee Knipe for early encouragement encouragement and SPECIAL THANKS to Renee Jason Cordova for pushing to get this project forward TYPEFACES USED are Gauntlet Classic (by Dimitri Castrique),

Signika (by Anna Giedryś), Vidange Pro (by Jack Usine) and Artigo Display (by Joana Correia) Correia) Tis game is dedicated to Sherri Stewart as well as Te Gaun Gauntlet tlet Gaming Community 

 

CONTENTS Intro  Safetyy & Co  Safet Cont nten entt  Character  C haracter Creation Basic Moves  Confl  Co nflict ict & Ad Adva vanc ncem emen entt Entanglements Playbooks  Game  Ga mema mast ster erin ingg  GMin  GM ingg Moves  GMin  GM ingg Playbook Playbookss  Scena  Sce nari rioo St Start arter erss  Court  Co urtly ly Wu Wuxi xiaa Fantastic Wuxia History & Cultural Notes  Sett  Se ttin ingg Al Alte tern rnat ative ivess Narrative Fight Scenes  Appe  Ap pend ndic ices es

5 15 21 31 41 51 57 81 89 101 1111 11 1211 12 151 183 1911 19 199 2055 20

 

INTRO

 Ove  O vervi rview ew HEARTS OF WULIN is a roleplaying game emulating

long-form Chinese wuxia melodrama. It builds on Apocalypse World , a game created by Meguey and Vincent Baker. If you’ve played other Powered by the Apocalypse (PbtA) games you should find HEARTS OF WULIN easy to pick up (see PbtA differences on “PbtA Differences” on page 13). 13). If you haven’t, you may find HEARTS OF WULIN operates a little differently than other roleplaying games. At the table, the gamemaster (GM) presents a situation. The players take turns saying what their characters are doing; they may be in completely different locations or all together. The GM acts as both a traffic controller— managing who is centerstage—and interviewer—asking deeper questions about what the player characters (PCs) want to do, as well as what the characters may be thinking or feeling. They also portray non-player characters (NPCs). This is the conversation of play: The PC says what they are doing, the GM says what happens. When the outcome is in doubt or the drama of the moment calls for it, go to the Moves. Different actions may trigger the moves. Each move has a trigger listed in its text. Either the PCs or the GM can suggest that a moment has triggered a particular move. HEARTS OF WULIN  has a set of moves all characters can use—the Basic Moves. The characters will have some moves unique to them, called Role and Playbook Moves.

󰀵

 

󰀶

To resolve a move, the PC rolls two six-sided dice (2d6), adds one of the character’s Elements to the result, then checks that total with the move’s text. Any total result of 7 or greater is called a Hit. This means the character succeeded. A result of 10 or greater means the character has done the action fully, without complication, or with additional benefits. A result between 7 and 9 means the character has done it partially, with a complication, or to a lesser effect. A final result of 6 or less is called a Miss. Some moves specify what happens on a Miss (it’s always bad). If the move doesn’t specify what happens on a miss result, the GM will make a reaction called a GM Move. Whether the move’s miss result specifies what happens or not, The GM can always add to a listed miss result with a GM move if they decide doing so is appropriate. The GM doesn’t make rolls, instead they deal harm, introduce new elements, or change the story when they use these GM moves.

 What Play ayer er Ch Char arac acte ters rs Do Do??  What Do Pl In HEARTS OF WULIN, the player characters play potent heroes in a fantastic version of ancient China. PCs can do amazing things: fight expertly, balance on roof peaks, run along walls. But for all that skill and competence, the characters are undercut by their own hearts. Unrequited love, conflicting filial duty, loyalty to sworn friends—all these pull the characters in different directions. The PCs try to hold themselves together in order to live up to their heroic ideals. HEARTS OF WULIN doesn’t provide a specific setting. sett ing. Your table will build that together—establishing the factions and places of your world. HEARTS OF WULIN offers a toolkit for telling these wuxia stories. You can draw on media touchstones like Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon; Hero; Iron Monkey ; and The Untamed . There are books, online novels, comics, and more that offer other sources. But HEARTS OF WULIN, first and foremost, aims to emulate a particular kind of wuxia story.

 

China has a long tradition of “martial arts” novels, dating back centuries. Often these had a strong fantastical element, with gods and monsters alongside heroes. In the early 20th Century, Chinese authorities—social, academic, and political—pushed back against these popular stories, believing they undercut science and rationalism. Fantastic elements fell away and the genre as a whole lost popularity. But in the 1950s and 60s, several authors—most importantly Jin Yong (aka Louis Cha) and Gu Long—began writing serialized novels which breathed new life into old wuxia tropes. They modified the supernatural elements and focused on the characters’ skills. These writers set the pattern and tropes for later wuxia stories. Think about how much Tolkien set the details for fantasy novels or Robert Howard for sword & sorcery stories. Jin Yong and his contemporaries’ influence on wuxia has been even deeper dee per and richer than those authors’ influence on Western fantasy literature. HEARTS OF WULIN doesn’t aim to emulate these novels exactly. Instead, the greatest inspiration comes from the television adaptations of those stories: Laughing in the Wind, The Legend of the Condor Heroes, and The Handsome Siblings . These are huge, sprawling stories—a series can have more than fifty episodes. All of the great novels have been adapted multiple times, sometimes within a few years of one another. They’re awesome—filled with amazing scenery, great fights, dozens of characters, romances dragged out over many episodes, gorgeous costumes, and constant twists and betrayals. That’s what HEARTS OF WULIN really builds on. It is not an emulation of historical China or even Chinese classical mythology. It is an homage to the many TV series adapted from novels which build on an older literary tradition, including, for most Westerners, the changes occurring when translated into English.

󰀷

 

󰀸

In the next section we talk a little more about wuxia and jianghu, but here are some basic concepts for new players:   This is a game of melodrama. While duels break out, they occur because of longings, thwarted desires, and terrible duties. In I n melodrama, reactions and responses are heightened, nothing is simple, and there’s always something at stake.   Characters often talk obliquely about things: emotions, desires, drives.  You belong to the world of the wulin—martial factions and clans with their own rules and hierarchies. The wulin live under an emperor, but that relationship can be fraught.  Characters have duties to a clan, a school, a mentor, a sibling, a parent, and so on which conflict with their desires and friendships. If a character doesn’t have such obligations, it’s usually because that character has broken away from their past.  Player characters will know their fellow PCs at the start and can get along 

with them, though there may be tensions. Forgeries and disguises are super effective, often even in the face of conflicting testimony or evidence. If you wear a generic disguise or obscure your gender, it will almost always work.

 What “Wux uxia ia”” an andd ot othe herr im impo port rtan antt te terrms  What “W mean Wuxia, wulin, jianghu. What are all these t hese terms? And why should you be familiar with them? With a knowledge of wuxia, wulin, and jianghu, you will have a clearer picture of the world you are about to create and enter, and the characters you are about to play. WUXIA 武侠

Most of us are familiar f amiliar or have grown up with Jin Yong (Louis Cha)’s fantastic worlds of swordsmen and adventures. Even people living in the primarilyEnglish speaking world have been exposed to t o movies and drama serials like The Legend of the Condor Heroes  and  and The Heaven Sword  and  Dragon Saber .

 

Likewise, the Xiaoli Feidao and Chu Liuxiang stories have captivated readers and audiences. Yong and his contemporaries Gu Long and Liang Yusheng are sometimes called the Three for “Three Legs of the Tripod of Wuxia.” The novels and the movies give us an idea of wuxia which roughly translates to “martial heroes.” Wuxia is not just awesome sword and martial arts skills, but a display and expression of popularity of the xia, the scholar warrior: a balance of courtly manners and deadly martial arts skills. The scholar warrior is at home whether sipping exquisite jasmine teas and fine wines, enjoying elegant poetry and playing the zither or wielding deadly weapons in combat. They are also a skillful healer, being an adept of traditional Chinese medicine, able to clear poisoned or blocked meridians in the body. XIA 侠

Xia means “chivalrous” or “hero.” A wuxia hero who follows the code of xia is called either a xiake (俠客, follower of xia) or youxia (遊俠, wandering xia). As heroes, they are fighters of oppression and warriors for justice. The term has evolved so much so from the warrior tales of the Three to the present today that we have xiayi tales whereby we see stories of romance and chivalry with woman heroes and protagonists. Wuxia as a s a genre label appeared at the end of the Qing dynasty, influenced by the Japanese genre of “bukyo:” militaristic adventure fiction inspired by bushido ideals. Wuxia is so popular that it has been done in films, television serials and video games. It is also illustrated in comics (manhua) and enjoys a huge following across the globe. With the internet and social media, light novels are extremely popular. Cross-platform and serialized, they can now even be accessible on smartphones and similar devices. WULIN 武林

The scholar warriors, the wanderers, the swordsmen and the sword maidens all interact within a community of sects, clans (orthodox and unorthodox) and factions. The community is called wulin, literally “martial forest.”

󰀹

 

󰀱󰀰

Like a dark forest, the wulin world is often filled with danger and intrigue. Major clans and martial arts houses battle to lead the community as  武林盟主 (wulin mengzhu): master of the wulin world. They often call upon the wulin world to  judge their competence. They challenge all comers (or people people who doubt their suitability). Often in wuxia, orthodox and unorthodox clans are pitted against each other. In many stories, the leader of the t he wulin world is not often the best or the most capable martial artist. Sometimes, this position is passed down from parent to child. The leader would act as the arbiter of law and order in the jianghu (see below). Yet, in between all these frenetic and perilous scenes, the wulin world could be a world of support, brotherhood, and love. Friends help one another. Allies seek out their sources of assistance in times of need. Siblings overcome differences to defend their clan. Sworn brothers and sisters sit around the table to share wine and food. JIANGHU 江湖

Wulin is part of the much broader and complicated jianghu, a term first coined by Zhuangzi in the late 4th century BC. It was used to describe the lifestyle or way of life of the scholar-officials who sought to distance themselves from the messy political intrigue and corruption of the court. Wulin, in this sense, could mean the life of a hermit or a recluse. Gradually, jianghu evolved over the centuries to mean a sub-culture as opposed to the mainstream. During the Song and Yuan dynasties, poets and writers began to use jianghu to describe a fictional world where protagonists lived by their own moral principles. The moral principles are similar to the Western concepts of idealized knighthood: chivalry, righteousness, virtue, loyalty, and vengeance. But they are not knights, ronin, or samurai. They are heroes who uphold Confucian C onfucian ideas of honour and help the weak. At the same time, jianghu became entwined with outlaws and their aversion to the government. Jianghu only crystallised in the 20th century when writers like Jin Yong and his ilk created their worlds of swordsmen and gentlemen warriors who operated on a basis of righteousness and conflicts that pitted martial artists and clans against each other in grand acts ac ts of good versus evil. Likewise, martial arts became a medium through which the characters show or express their moral beliefs. The stories included characters who, in pursuit of power, ended up abandoning their moral beliefs. This fictional world then formed the current interpretation of jianghu in Chinese popular culture.

 

A common theme in jianghu is that the courts of law are unreliable or corrupt. Disputes and arguments are to be handled and resolved by the community, either by mediation or force. Within the jianghu and wulin world, law and order are reinforced by the orthodox clans and righteous characters. They might form a coalition to combat against an unorthodox, evil, or unscrupulous clan. Most of the time, law and order is meted out by the wulin mengzhu, the leader of the wulin world. Even the jianghu has a “code” or norms which members follow. Honor is a strong motif, influenced by Confucian ideals. Members are to honour their own word or promise. They are to show respect and honour their elders e lders and seniors—even within a clan, age and level of skill matter. They are not to use their martial skills to hurt the vulnerable and those who are not trained martial artists. A member of the jianghu is obedient to their master, called a shifu. (See Code of Xia) XIANXIA 仙侠

Xianxia is a genre of Chinese fantasy incorporating Buddhism, Taoism, Chinese mythology, martial arts and other traditional aspects of Chinese culture. Examples of xianxia are The Legend of the White Snake and The Classic of Mountains and Seas . Xianxia is frequently fantastic, and romance is a common theme. Xianxia comics and movies are extremely popular as evidenced by the many interpretations of Journey to the West . Once Upon A Time (2017) is one of the most modern reimagined interpretations of Journey to the West . Another interpretation for xianxia is “cultivation literature.” The characters in xianxia novels often seek immortality which imparts eternal life, supernatural powers, and enhanced physical prowess. Gods, demons, shapeshifters, magical relics, and miraculous medicine are interwoven with passionate struggles where the protagonists attempt to attain (or “cultivate”) immortality by rigorous learning, meditation, and accumulating as many resources (like skills, powers, relics, etc.) et c.) as they can. The landscape is often that of ancient China, but a xianxia novel could also become more epic in nature.

󰀱󰀱

 

󰀱󰀲

Xianxia has evolved and become immensely popular in recent rec ent history, especially in the realm of Chinese web/online literature. BL (Boy Love) xianxia comics have taken off and reached a wide audience as a subgenre within xianxia. Wuxia and xianxia also have links with chuanqi (legendary tales or folklore). Chuanqi refers to short stories or fiction written in the Tang dynasty and includes ghosts and demons and and xiayi. So many recent renditions of wuxia and xianxia have hints of chuanqi or folklore. f olklore. (For example, Pu Songling’s Liaozhai Zhiyi [Strange Stories from a Chinese Studio] from the 17th century).

Romance and Sexuality in Wuxia Stories RO󰁍ANCE There is romance in the wulin and jianghu world. The stereotypical romance scenario in the novels, movies and drama serials is often between a handsome swordsman beautiful woman. Often is unrequited because both partiesand are atorn between duty to clanthe andromance self, or the romance becomes the story’s sub-plot as both parties navigate through a series of obstacles and setbacks in order to consummate their love. Sometimes, the drama comes when the swordsman or swordswoman is unable to express their love. They try to express it obliquely, only to be misunderstood by the other party. Longing and pining are common tropes in wuxia stories. st ories. The hero saving the maiden is a stereotypical motif, though wuxia often sees the reverse with sword maidens rescuing clueless heroes in more modern stories. (Also see xiayi and chuanqi.)

 SE  SEXUA XUALIY LIY In most traditional wuxia and xianxia stories, sexuality has never been explicit or overt. It is frequently handled with a fade-to-black. Romance is frequently heternormative, especially for the wuxia movies from the 1960s by the Shaw Brothers, while movies in recent years have been more diverse and inclusive. Modern wuxia fantasy is more and more open in the depiction of sexuality or desire. One example is A Chinese Ghost Story  (1987),  (1987), directed by Tsui Hark. It’s more along the lines of xianxia and Chinese folklore with thousand-year-old tree demonesses and spirits. The one scene with a kiss occurs when the ghostly heroine kissed the hapless hero underwater. The scene astonished audiences when the movie came out. The movie grew immensely popular in Hong Kong and many Asian countries.

 

Another example is the Chinese xianxia BL (boy love) manga and anime series  魔道祖师 (Mo Dao Zu Shi) aka The Untamed . This fiction has a huge following in China and internationally. Written by Mo Xiang Tong Xiu ( 墨香铜臭), the story sees the protagonist going down the unorthodox/demonic path as opposed to cultivating cultivating a state of immortality (xian) (xian) or purity. The story is extremely popular because of its gorgeous visuals and a strong gay sub-plot taking place because of the conflict between orthodox and unorthodox sects.

Romance and Sexuality in Hearts of Wulin HEARTS OF WULIN invites players to create diverse stories with LGBTQIA

characters. A martial artist could be nonbinary or genderfluid. They could also be asexual or demi.

PbtA Differences If you’ve played PbtA games before, here are some notable differences with HEARTS OF WULIN: ENTANGLEMENTS,”Entaglements” on page 51. ENTANGLEMENTS 51. In character creation, PCs develop a pair of Entanglements for their character: one romantic and one general. These Entanglements are relationships that drive the story and provide goals and obstacles. An entanglement is a triangle: the character has a relationship with one person (either PC or NPC) which is complicated by the character’s relationship with a second person (either PC or NPC). When the character comes face to face with issues from these Entanglements, the PC must roll the Inner Confict move and mark an experience point (XP). Entanglements are dynamic, not static, and may be rewritten at the start of any play session. BONDS ,”Bonds” on page 55 . 55 . Player characters have

Bonds. Bonds represent ties between the PC and their friends, enemies, and factions. PCs can spend Bonds to boost a single roll after the result is known. During a scene, the players can help another character by spending a Bond with them. The Comfort & Support move lets PCs create a bond on the fly to help someone.

󰀱󰀳

 

󰀱󰀴

SCALE ,”Scale”

on page 41. 41. Most conflicts resolve with a single roll. Each character has a Scale reflecting their skill, power, and technique. t echnique. PCs always have the same Scale. When a PC is fighting someone of equal Scale, the outcome is in doubt. When PCs fight a person below their Scale, they almost always win. But when PCs fight someone above their Scale, they lose. In the case of a loss, the move determines how much control the PC has to describe that loss. Scale is relative and dramatically-based. When facing superior foes, the PC may be able to find a way to even the Scale, but the PC may also have to go away and learn a new technique in order to face that opponent. ELEMENTS,”5. ELEMENTS

Elements” on page 27. 27. Player characters have five Elements which function like stat modifiers. For most moves, players choose the Element that will modify the roll with the relevant numerical modifier. Each Element has a set of positive and negative aspects which help the player choose which Element they wish to modify the roll. WOUNDS AND ND MARKING M RKING ELEMENTS, “PC Wounds and Marking ElePC WOUNDS ments” on page 48. 48. Instead of marking wounds wounds or hit points, PCs mark Elements. Until the PC clears a marked Element, they cannot roll with that Element’s modifying value. If the PC has the Style Element marked, the PC cannot fight and must retreat or find another approach. When the PC marks an Element as the result of a miss on a roll, the Element marked must be the Element the PC just used to modify the last roll. Note, however, characters also have a Wounded box. When a PC would mark an Element as the result of a miss, that PC may choose instead to mark the Wounded box rather than mark the Element just used. While the Wounded box is marked, the PC takes a modifier of -2 Ongoing to all actions.

 

SAFETY & CONTENT

 Saf  S afety ety Safety tools make games better. They help establish communication and consent. Because HEARTS OF WULIN deals with romance, emotional turmoil, and violence, these tools are super important. Tools, plural, because one alone isn’t sufficient; a layered approach helps everyone agree on what they want to play and provides a way to signal when things move out of bounds. Safety requires shared expectations, consent, and choice. This begins with the GM laying out the basics. One holistic technique is called the CATS procedure, originally created by Patrick O’Leary. CATS is is an acronym which stands for Concept, Aim, Tone, and Subject Matter. Following the CATS procedure can help facilitate a safe game. Following is an example of a model CATS procedure for playing a first session of HEARTS OF WULIN with new players.

󰀱󰀵

 

󰀱󰀶

 CASS  CA CONCEPT: In Hearts of Wulin you play martial heroes like those you might have

seen in Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon or  Hero  Hero. This is a fantastic version of classical China. You exist in a world slightly outside the normal order o rder of society—like commonfolk and imperial authority. In this world, factions and orders compete and scheme. Your characters have extraordinary athletic and ghting ghtin g skills, but you’re still bound by your heart. You’ll nd yourself in conict with w ith  your lov loves, es, d duties, uties, desir desires, es, aand nd emo emotions. tions. AIM: We begin with character creation. You choose a playbook representing

an archetype and developing your character’s story story.. Aer introductions, in troductions, you’ll create a web of Entanglements which establish what drives you and how you’re connected to other characters. Aer a break, I’ll lay out an inciting incident inc ident and we’ll frame where everyone’s characters begin. While the “plot” is important, impor tant, we’re really here for the melodrama. We will interact with NPCs, bounce ideas o one another, face the pain of our Entanglements, and from time t ime to time smite llains. TONE: Our tone is melodramatic. In

these stories, emotions, reactions and passions are heightened. Our characters must maintain their facade in the face of trials. This should be played straight—serious but not grim. There’s room for comedy and humor, but that should complement the play rather than drive dr ive it. Characters may be laughing in one scene, and cradling their dying lover in another.. It’s not always heartbreak. Sometimes you’ll nd your love, but oen another the world will conspire against that. SUBJECT M MATTER: TTER: Our stories involve combat to settle issues large and small.

You’ll oen be working to aid or advance your family or faction by solng probYou’ll prob lems. But the stories will also revolv revolvee around betrayal, heartbreak, romance, unrequited love, love, duty, and sang face. Fighting w will ill serve as an escape valve to the pressure of these emotional issues. HEARTS OF WULIN plays out in a

mythical China, as presented in Chinese wuxia TV shows, movies, and novels. It aims to honor these stories and treat them with respect. To that end, while we might reference the techniques and tropes of these sources, we don’t mock them. For example: flimsy sets, bad dubbing, and obvious wire work are a product of the budgets and resources of these filmmakers. We should celebrate what they managed to accomplish with these constraints. It’s also worth calling out one more point before you begin: Don’t do accents. Just don’t.

 

 Cul  C ultu ture re an andd Be Beha havi vioor  HINGS  HI NGS O KNOW KNOW ABOU ABOU HIS HIS WORLD Be aware that this world is still essentially and intrinsically Chinese and influenced by Confucian ideals. The chivalric principles of righteousness, virtue, loyalty, and vengeance are important; similarly important are concepts like the love and respect between parent and child, and the love and respect for older or elderly figures, such as parents, teachers, and mentors. Nothing is more poignant or painful in a wuxia or xianxia story than a child or a pupil grieving over the loss of a beloved parent or mentor. What can commonly be construed as courtly mannerism in the way people of the wulin and jianghu interact with each other can be better understood as an emphasis on respect, or the appearance of respect. “Having face”—treated with honour and respect—is vital to people of the wulin. This is why even enemies may speak politely, if bitterly, to each other. Playing up the tension of upholding social contract respect while dealing with the undercurrent of emotions isthe what makes scenesofso compelling. Characters’ actions and lives are governed by the strong Confucian system instilled from their upbringing. As such, characters might find it difficult to express strong emotions. They might even come c ome across as unemotional, though strong passion lies just beneath the surface.

 HINGS NGS NO NO O DO A A HE HE ABL ABLEE  HI  󰀨󰁐LUS  󰀨󰁐L US I󰁍󰁐 I󰁍󰁐OR ORAN AN HI HINGS NGS O DO A HE ABL ABLE󰀩 E󰀩 DO NOT BE LOUD AND ND BRASH. BR SH. Your character might be a colorful rebel, but

manners still dictate how you interact with the others at the table. DO NOT NOT KISS.  Unless your GM allows it (because it

serves to heighten the melodrama/drama of the scene), do not kiss! Watch the movies or read the novelizations. How do they convey love or passion? Is it through gestures or eye contact? In what ways can love be conveyed? A xiake respects men and women (and in this case, this also a lso includes nonbinary femme and gender fluid characters). The table should be a safe space for everyone. Respect should be first and foremost as the main guideline for any roleplaying session. Note that some folk might feel uncomfortable with the overt expression of love. Always seek an understanding from your GM and your fellow players.

󰀱󰀷

 

󰀱󰀸

CULTUR CUL CULTURAL TUR L APPROPRIATION PPROPRI TION TION OR APPRECIATION. PPRECI TION. TION.  Worried or afraid that you might

be appropriating someone else’s culture? HEARTS OF WULIN is essentially heavily inspired and influenced by Chinese wuxia. Its concepts are still heavily steeped in Chinese culture and beliefs. The key thing here is respect. You are not your character. After leaving the table, you are still you. Do not browbeat or berate someone at the table for not being that knowledgeable about wuxia, or Chinese culture and history. Do not go around aand nd claim that you have a better understanding of things Chinese because you “lived in China or Asia for x years.” More so if there are people of Chinese descent in the group. That’s very rude. At the same time, Chinese people are not expected to educate or serve as bearers of impeccable knowledge of all things Chinese. The Chinese people are not a monolith. They’re not expected to know everything about gongfu or Chinese traditions! DO NOT MANSPLAIN. M NSPL IN. DO READ RE D UP ON CHINESE HISTORY, HISTORY,, BELIEFS HISTORY BELIEFS AND ND TR TRADITIONS. DITIONS.  Or have a

working knowledge of how society worked in Chinese history. Ultimately, be respectful and appreciative. IMPORTANT NOTE: Stereotypes and slurs should not be tolerated. Any

player who thinks using a stereotype (think: Fu Manchu) or a slur is acceptable should be evicted, no questions asked. DO REMEMBER REMEM BER THE X-CARD. X-C RD.

 

 Saf  S afety ety Too oolls Your choice of safety tools may vary, but two excellent tools for creating safe play space are Lines & Veils and the X-Card. For more resources and safety tools see the TTRPG Safety Toolkit by Kienna Shaw and Lauren Bryant-Monk. (http://bit.ly/ttrpgsafetytoolkit) It showcases many additional options.

LINES 󰀦 VEILS BY BY RON RDS RON EDW EDWARDS Lines are topics, images, and material which the group agrees will not appear in play. A veil on the other hand gives consent that these things may appear but we will fade to black or turn away from them in play. The Buffy Rule is an example of a veil on sexual content. In the television show, Buy the Va Vampire mpire Slayer, when things get hot and heavy between two characters, the camera would always fade to black and close out the scene. If you’re playing face to face you have a couple of options for how to facilitate Lines & Veils. The GM can provide a copy of a list of items to everyone that players can mark their choices and/or add additional items on. Alternatively, the GM could provide index cards to everyone to write out their choices. The GM then collects these and builds a comprehensive list. If you’re playing online, you can set up a spreadsheet with a prepared list. Players can make their picks throughout character creation. It’s important that players can make their choices or add to the list anonymously. The Lines & Veils list should also be dynamic, meaning players may add to it after the start of play.

 X󰀭CARD BY JOHN JOHN STAVROPOULOS ST VROPOU VROPOULOS LOS  X󰀭CARD BY The X-Card is a tool used in play. When something comes up during the session which a player finds objectionable, problematic, triggering, phobic, or even wildly off-tone, any player may invoke the X-Card. In a physical space, players should each have their own X-Card. Online, players can agree on a physical signal, verbal cue, or other technique. t echnique. To facilitate safe play, it is best that players not be asked to justify or defend their choice to use the X-card. The GM may ask for clarification of where to cut, but should do so respectfully. They can then roll back the scene, excise the problem content, and then proceed with the scene. Even if something has occurred earlier in a game without being X-Carded, if it becomes an issue later, players should feel free to X-Card the content.

󰀱󰀹

 

 󰀲󰀰

 ON 󰁍AGI 󰁍AGICC AND AND 󰁍YH In these wuxia worlds, characters can perform amazing feats: leaping, striking with force of will, perfect disguises, etc. But these feats are not treated as magic or supernatural. In many “grounded” films, the possibility of actual supernatural forces—ghosts, curses, monsters—terrifies everyone. HEARTS OF WULIN takes this approach with the default setting. Modern wuxia media comes out of several traditions, including ones with more high fantasy elements—particularly sinister ghosts, the intervention of gods, and trickster fox f ox spirits. In the 1980s Tsui Hark’s Zu Warriors  made  made more magical elements palatable to modern films. If your table wants to add more magic and fantasy you have a couple of easy options. Talk with the table to see if they want: 1. THE SUPERN SUPERNATURAL TUR L AS S COLOR AND ND B BACKGROUND. CKGROUND. Ghosts, spirits, and vampires may existbut in from the world buttime they’re unusual. Often they’re hoaxes, time to one rare may and prove to be the real deal. 2. TO H HAVE VE LOTS LOTS OF OF THE TTHE HE SUPERN SUPERNATURAL TUR L PRESENT PRESENT IN THE THE SETTING. SETTING. In this case you’ll want to use the optional rules and mechanics from “Fantastic Wuxia” on page 151. 151.

 

CHARACTER CREATION

 Cha  C harrac actter Cre reat atiion 󰀱. 󰁐LAYBOOKS To begin character creation, the GM should introduce and then let players look through the six playbooks available. Each has a theme and a set of unique moves. They’re a little like classes or roles in other games. Players will have the opportunity to take moves from other playbooks as their character advances. Each playbook has three Roles listed. Once a playbook is selected, then one role along with its associated move should also be selected. Note that players will not have the opportunity to select another role move, so choose carefully! Each player ought to choose a different playbook, however two can duplicate if the players and GM agree. In these circumstances, the duplicate-playbook players should take care to select moves which don’t overlap.

 󰀲󰀱

 

 󰀲󰀲

The six playbooks are: AWARE: These characters aim to show how wisdom provides solutions. Play this if you want to be thoughtful and wise or if you want others to recognize your skill and learning. The three Aware roles are Master, Scholar, and Traveling Teacher. BR VO: These characters want to enjoy every moment. Play this if you want BRAVO: to have a good time despite the duties placed on you or to act as a foil to more straightlaced characters. Bravo roles are Favored Eldest, Gallivant, and Thief. LOYAL: These characters emphasize and express the tension between duty and self. Play this character if you want to be upright, righteous, and torn between your obligations and personal desires. Loyal roles are Devoted Child, Official, and Swordsman. OUTSIDER:  These characters act against convention, in the wulin world, the normal world, or both. Play this character if you want to be distanced from the wulin roles world,are butRebel, drawnTrickster, back intoand it byWanderer. relationships and promises. The Outsider STUDENT:  These characters are always learning and revel in naïveté. Play this character if you want to play the innocent in a complex world of corruption and falsehoods, revealing truth through your questions. The Student roles are Hopeful Apprentice, Temple Wanderer, and Younger Sibling. UNORTHODOX: These characters conceal their truth. They can change the UNORTHODOX: tone of the game, so always check with the table before choosing this playbook. Play this character if you want to hide something about yourself and have a weird secret that shapes your world. The Unorthodox roles are Accidental, Hidden and Prodigy. Players next choose two other non-role moves from their selected playbook. When playing a one shot, the GM may instead instruct players to select moves during play.

 󰀲. NA󰁍 NA󰁍EE Players should next come up with a name for their character. Online name generators are useful for this, as well as films and novels. Generally surnames come first, followed by given names. Characters may also have or only be known by a descriptive nickname in the wulin world. Set your character’s pronouns.

 

 Gen  Ge nde derr As mentioned in the “What ‘Wuxia’ and other important terms mean” section, HEARTS OF WULIN takes an open approach to gender and sexuality. While some older wuxia books and films can be regressive and conservative, HEARTS OF WULIN stories are open to all. Heroes, authorities, and villains can be any gender, non-binary, genderfluid, or whatever players wish. In play, the characters should take this for granted. Players should establish their pronouns and be attentive to listen to how others identify themselves. The HEARTS OF WULIN world is also created open to all forms of sexuality—gay, straight, bisexual, asexual, etc. are treated as accepted. If a particular player wants tension to arise from their choice of sexuality, that player should check with the table. If any fellow player doesn’t want that as a global detail, consider having that prejudice be an aberration associated with a particular group. Even in this case, always check in to confirm everyone’s willing to have this sort of theme present. Finally, in HEARTS OF WULIN, as in the real world, trans women are women and trans men are men. All deserve dignity, rights, and respect. In some stories, notably Jin Yong’s Proud Smiling Wander Wanderer  er , crossing over genders is read as a negative. This game setting doesn’t accept that. Instead, the setting of HEARTS OF WULIN prefers the movie adaptation of that same novel, in which Brigitte Lin as Dongfang Bubai (Invincible Asia) created an enduring trans icon. Invincible Asia is strong, striking, and trans.

 󰀲󰀳

 

 󰀲󰀴

 󰀳. LOOK Next, players select as many descriptors for their character as they like. APPEARANCE: beautiful, burning eyes, chiseled features, close-cropped hair, crooked smile, flawless skin, gentle face, glowing skin, hairless, handsome, hopeful eyes, lively eyes, long andskin, flowing long single lustrous hair, muscled, open face, pallid petlocks, petite, ite, piercing eyes,braid, pigtails, porcelain skin, relaxed smile, rough eyes, rounded features, scarred, solidly-built, stern grin, stony eyes, stormy eyes, stubble and shadow, tanned skin, tattooed, unassuming, unflinching gaze, unkempt hair, vulpine look, warm eyes, well-kept beard, wild beard. DRESS: bare-armed, brightly-dyed clothes, clan-marked garb, colorful silks, commoner’s clothes, concealing hat, courtly garb, dark and stealthy dress, elegant costume, excessively ornamented, flowing dress, fur-lined f ur-lined gear, intricately patterned outfit, martial dress, meditation robes, modest clothing, official garb, ornate wear, ragged garb, resplendent with insignia, road worn simple clot hes, traveler’s dress, veiled,clothes, worn and dirtyjewelry, robes. stylish dress, temple clothes,

 󰀴. SYLE Each character has a fighting style. Players should invent a cool name for their character’s fighting style. The player gets to say what it looks like and what kind of tradition it comes out of. Next, players select one of the five Elements (Earth, Fire, Metal, Water, Wood) to associate with the fighting style. Players should pick the Element that reflects what their style looks like. For example, a flowing, rolling style might use Water, while one based on tightly controlling the environment could be Metal. Note, these Elements are the character’s stats, so the Element selected for fighting will be the Style Element and always modify combat rolls. For further explanation, see the Elements section below for associations.

Players next pick which weapon their character’s style most readily uses. HEARTS OF WULIN assumes all PCs can fight unarmed, and some specialize in that. However, most characters have a favored weapon or one their style is known to use with devastating effectiveness. While there is no mechanical penalty for using a different weapon, the style and weapon pick give the characters color.

 

 On Ch Chin ines esee We Weap apoons Wuxia shows and movies often have fantastical weapons with amazing superpowers and abilities. The weapons are memorable and, most importantly, they have beautiful and elaborate names to match their devastating powers. Many are magical or are ancient relics. Some are anqi 暗器, or concealed weapons, designed to be used or thrown like the weapons of an assassin. Anqi are also part of the xia’s repertoire if the xia is trained to use them. Anqi can take many forms. They can be superfine needles in a spring-operated ornate box or silver stars (similar to Japanese shuriken) thrown from afar. A skilled xia is able to utilize even the most prosaic object or item at hand as a weapon. Chopsticks, spoons, chairs, reams of silk, hair pins, fans, wooden sticks, beads, mirrors, kitchen knives, and ladles have all been used as weapons in popular wuxia fiction. Even the scholarly qin/zither could be used as a weapon. The most famous weapons in wuxia fiction are the titular Heaven Sword and Dragon Saber as well as the Jade Dragon Sword from the Shaw movies. Traditionally, there are eighteen types of weapons used in the wushu martial arts. Some of the eighteen weapon types include:   Single-edged sword (dao)   Double-edged sword (jian)   (Great) Axe   Spear    Bow and arrow  

Halberd   Staff (pole) (gun)   Shield   Chain   Mace   Club

 󰀲󰀵

 

 󰀲󰀶

NOT BLE WE NOTABLE WEAPONS PONS IN WUXI WUXIA MOVIES

Heavenly Sword   Dragon Saber    Jade Dragon Sword   Kwan Dao   Shaolin spade   Meteor hammer    Xiaoli feidao   The butterfly swords from Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon   Purple Lightning (a whip made of purple electrical energy)   Blood Flute   Flying Quillote  

In xianxia literature, even musical instruments like the t he qin/zither or the flute could be turned into a magical weapon. By plucking the zither strings or blowing into the flute, the resulting frequency or sound is a weapon, used to deal with either mortal opponents or supernatural beings.

Fighting without weapons Bare fist fighting can be considered c onsidered a venerable art form (like SShaolin haolin boxing). An ordinary hand could be turned into a devastating weapon. The strike made (in)famous in Buddha’s Palm (如來神掌)(1982) is one such example, though it may be more recognizable to Western audiences from its use in Stephen Chow’s Kung Fu Hustle (2004). Wing Chun is a popular martial arts form that doesn’t involve weapons, but instead focuses on the practitioner’s agility and movements of hands and limbs.

 

 󰀲󰀷

UNUSUAL WUXIA WEA󰁐ONS Besides the weapons listed above, wuxia stories and cinema feature a variety of unorthodox and unusual weapons. You may choose from these as well. Brush (The Supreme Swordsman), Butterfies (The Buttery Murders ),), Chain (My Fair Princess )),, Cloth (Return of Condor Heroes ),), Explosives   (The Buttery Murders )),, Fans (The Sentimental Swordsman), Flute  (Legend of the Condor Heroes )),, Flying guillotines (Master of the Flying Guillotine), Hair (Bride with White Hair ), ), Horsetail whisk (Demi-Gods & Semi-Dels )),, Metal wrist rings (Legend of Dagger Li), Needles  (Heavenly Sword, Dragon Saber )),, Snakes (Swordsman II), Transforming blades (Brotherhood of Blades )),, Umbrella (Shadow ),), Whips (The Shadow Whip)

 󰀵. ELE ELE󰁍E 󰁍ENS NS

Players next assign each of the following numbers to one of the Elements: +2, +1, +1, 0, -1. In HEARTS OF WULIN, players freely select the Element that will modify the roll before the roll occurs, with two exceptions. First, players always roll with their Style Element when fighting. Second, players cannot roll with their Style Element when rolling the Inner Conflict move. Each Element has loose associations: on the left are positive associations and the right are the negative ones. The latter represents a lack, imbalance, or over-abundance of that Element. EARTH  e EARTH f FIRE   m METAL  w WATER   WOOD  o WOOD

Caution, Focus, Presence

Obsessive, Disdainful, Uncaring 

Creativity, Speed, Passion

Reckless, Alienating, Scattered 

Control, Calculation, Reflection

Unsatisfied, Inflexible, Scared 

Awareness, Wisdom, Flexibility

Uncertain, Isolated, Depressed 

Patience, Growth, Curiosity

Overconfident, Angry, Licentious 

 

 󰀲󰀸

 󰀶. IN INROD RODUCIO UCIONS NS Once every player character is ready, players should introduce their characters. The GM and other players may ask questions to flesh out the characters’ stories. This may help players decide on Entanglements (see below). FACTIONS: CTIONS: Wuxia stories often contain many factions of different sizes with fantastic ON FA

names and competing agendas. These are a great way of fleshing out the characters’ backstories. Players should feel free to come up with a faction they belong to, have left, are hunted by, etc. An example of different named factions can be found in the Appendix. These factions are organized into Righteous, Ambiguous, and Unrighteous. This reflects their reputation, not necessarily how they actually act.

 󰀷. EN ENANG ANGLE󰁍 LE󰁍EN ENS S Next, each player must define two Entanglements for their character. An Entanglement is a relationship the character has with one person which is complicated by another relationship with a second person. The player character will choose one Romantic and one General Entanglement. Each playbook has three suggestions for each. If none fit, the player may look at the longer list in the Appendix or make up their own. Players Players should feel free to modify term terms—a s—a parent could be any authority figure, a sibling could be a cousin, etc. In an order set by the GM, players one at a time put forward one Entanglement and fill in the blank spaces following the procedure below. Once everyone has done that, go back in the same order and put forward the other Entanglement, repeating the same process.

 ASEXULA XULAIY IY AND AND RO󰁍A RO󰁍ANI NICC EN ENANG ANGLE󰁍 LE󰁍EN ENS S  ASE HEARTS OF WULIN is a game of wuxia melodrama which most often

includes romance. However, some players may be uncomfortable with romance in play or may wish to play an asexual character. The table should be open to this. One solution is to let that player take two General Entanglements. Another is to reframe the Romantic Entanglement to reflect a deep devotion or friendship.

 

Each Entanglement has spaces for two names. Each Entanglement should include one fellow player character and one NPC. Players should suggest which characters are assigned to the Entanglement as they put it forward, and ask the players named if they agree and consent to the Entanglement for their character. Players should work together to revise an Entanglement if any player is not comfortable. Players should feel free to decline an Entanglement they are not sure about. If an Entanglement is with a faction, clan, or group, the GM and player should work together to name someone as the face of that relationship. Players receive an XP for facing and interacting with their Entanglements at the end of a play session. When a player’s character comes face to face with the emotions attached to one of their Entanglements, that player must roll the Inner Confict move.

BONDSS  󰀸. BOND Finally, players choose one person from each of their character’s established Entanglements and write in a Bond with a value of 1 for each of them. Bonds are a currency players can spend to aid their character or other characters after a roll. Each Bond has a name and a number. When a player spends a Bond, the number associated with the Bond is reduced by 1 and a +1 is added to the result of the roll. Spending a Bond in this way does not destroy the fictional connection or relationship, but instead uses the emotional energy from the relationship to fuel the changed fictional outcome from the change in the roll outcome. Bonds can be with PCs, NPCs, or Factions.

 󰀲󰀹

 

BASIC MOVES

 Coore Mec  C echa han nic icss & Bas asic ic Mov oves es These moves are available to all characters. The game unfolds as a conversation between the players and the GM. Players describe what their character does and the GM says how the world responds. At certain points, a PC may do something that is risky, dangerous, or will have a major impact on the story. At that point, the player and GM figure out what move is happening and roll following the instructions of the move. Each move has a Trigger —the character’s action that activates the Move. It is possible more than one move’s trigger condition is satisfied by the player’s actions. Often it will be clear which move is most appropriate for the situation, but sometimes the player may need to clarify their intent to figure out exactly what move should be triggered. The GM and player may discuss and negotiate about which move is the best fit.

󰀳󰀱

 

󰀳󰀲

The fictional actions of the characters should drive players to the proper move. Rather than a player saying, “I want to do Hearts & Minds to this NPC,” the player should describe what their character is saying and doing to the NPC and how the character is getting across what they want. Players should set up their intentions and approaches so everyone can visualize what’s happening. At the same time, if a player is uncertain about how to trigger a particular move, they should feel free to ask the GM and their fellow players. The whole table can help find the path there. Each playbook gives players access to unique moves outside of Basic Moves, which are called Role Moves and Playbook Moves. Some playbook moves call for a roll, while others just give you a bonus or additional options without the need for a roll.

HOW ELE󰁍ENS AFFEC ROLLS When a move is triggered, the player activating the move decides which Element is most appropriate for their character’s mood, approach, and intent, the statkeywords. modifier ofThe that element to the rollassociated result. Each Elementand hasadds descriptive five Elements (with positive and negative associations) are: EARTH  e EARTH f FIRE   m METAL  w WATER   WOOD  o WOOD

Caution, Focus, Presence

Obsessive, Disdainful, Uncaring 

Creativity, Speed, Passion

Reckless, Alienating, Scattered 

Control, Calculation, Reflection

Unsatisfied, Inflexible, Scared 

Awareness, Wisdom, Flexibility

Uncertain, Isolated, Depressed 

Patience, Growth, Curiosity

Overconfident, Angry, Licentious 

NOTE: While these five are part of Chinese spiritual and medical thought, these

associations are game abstractions and do not represent the complexity of that thinking.

If a player can pick any Element, why wouldn’t they always roll with the Element with the highest stat modifier? A) because that’s not much fun and B) because when the player makes a roll, the rolled Element is at risk. If the roll goes badly, the GM may respond by making the player Mark the used Element, which means the player loses access to it for later rolls.

 

FOR EXA󰁍󰁐LE Crystal Flower stalks around the outskirts of an abandoned temple, trying to figure out the plans of her adversaries. The GM knows that the trigger for the Study move is “When you study something in order to learn about the world or establish new facts, roll.” The GM asks Crystal Flower’s player if she thinks the Study move is being triggered, and both player and GM agree. Crystal Flower’s player must choose which Element applies to her roll. Water’s an obvious choice, because it represents awareness. But if Crystal Flower is focused on doing this carefully, she might roll with Metal for control. On the other hand, if she’s gone off alone she might roll Fire because she’s being reckless. Or maybe she decided on this course of action in the first place because she was angry, in which case she could roll Wood.

Players may generally whichever they believe appropriate the situation, with two select exceptions. First,Element when a player character engages for in a fight, either through the Duel move or Deal with Troops move, that roll is always modified with your fighting Style Element. Second, when a player character must roll the Inner Conflict move, the player may roll with any Element except their Style Element.

RESOLVING 󰁍OVES Almost every move is resolved in the following way: when a move is triggered and calls for a roll, the player whose character triggered the move rolls two six-sided dice and adds the stat modifier of the chosen Element (shorthand: roll 2d6 + Element). NOTE: Some GM moves will force a player to mark an Element. Players cannot roll with

a marked Element. The highest bonus to a roll is a +3; the lowest is -2. This includes bonuses from other moves or effects. However, after a roll, a player may spend Bonds to give +1 to the roll’s result (see also the Comfort & Support move).

A total result of 7 or more is called a hit. A result of 6 or less is called a miss. A result between 7 and 9 on a move will usually have partial or reduced effect, or add a cost or complication. A result of 10 or greater gets the maximum success for the move. A roll result of 6 or less usually means the player should expect the worst to happen, plus the GM may make a GM move—however, the GM, at their discretion, may still allow the action to succeed, but then hit the player with a really hard reaction or GM move.

󰀳󰀳

 

󰀳󰀴

MOVE TERMINOLOGY MOVE T ERMINOLOGY

+X Forward: Add X to the next roll that character makes after this roll. The GM can say if this carries over between scenes. It goes away at the end of a session. +X Ongoing:  Add Xthis to all forclear the scene or aitparticular situation. A the move which grants willrolls make how long lasts. It goes away at end of a session. Hold: Some moves generate Hold. Hold is a currency the character who received the Hold can spend on the results of the move. Hold sticks around, but if the situation or location changes drastically, the GM may say the Hold goes away. Mark Element (Choice): The player can choose to mark whichever Element they want to mark. Note: This result is different than the GM directing a player to mark an element as the consequence of a GM move. When the GM has a player mark an element as the consequence of a GM move, by default

that player must mark the Element just used to modify the roll. ORDER AND INIT IATIVE INITIA TIVE ORDER A ND INITIA TIVE TIVE

The table—GM and players—decides who goes when. A good GM technique is to establish an order for the session (for example, clockwise around the table) and generally stick to that throughout play. If a player wants to change that up and go earlier because of the situation, the GM should allow it.

 

Basic Moves Basic Moves All moves in HEARTS OF WULIN are written to the perspective of the player character who may trigger the move. When reading the moves, think of what the character is doing or has just done to see if it satisfies the trigger text.

 CO󰁍FOR  CO󰁍F OR 󰀦 SU󰁐󰁐 SU󰁐󰁐OR OR When you assist a fellow PC , roll. ON A HIT, you lift them up: they may choose to give you a Bond with them or clear a marked Element. ON A 10+, you may also clear an Element yourself, ask them a question they must answer, or give them a Bond with you. In a scene, you may use this move to aid someone before or after a roll. Spend a Bond you just created with them to give them a +1 to their roll. Comfort & Support acts as both the assist and healing move. It’s also the way players restore Bonds once they have spent them. See the Harm and Bonds sections following.

I󰁍󰁐RESS When you act to impress others or succeed at a competition, describe  your performa performance nce and roll. ON A HIT you impress and convince; pick two options (you may pick one option twice): Create a Bond with someone watching. Clear a marked Element. Gain a favor from an observer. ON A 7-9 the GM will offer you a complication or hard choice. Use this move for public gatherings or explicit or implicit competition, (artistic performance, form demonstration, or tournaments). If you’re engaging someone specific, use Hearts & Minds.

󰀳󰀵

 

󰀳󰀶

HEARS 󰀦 󰁍INDS When you pressur pressuree someone susceptible to your words, say what you’re trying to get them to do and roll. FOR NPCS:

  bow to your words and do what you want.  they ON A 7-9 they may do what you wish or instead choose to: Alienate:  You create animosity between them and someone of your choosing. Hesitate: You gain +1 ongoing against them. This lasts until there is a major change with them in the fiction. Overreact: You write in or increase your Bond with them. Reveal: You may ask two questions of them. FOR PCS:  ON A HIT they may mark XP if they do as you ask. If they don’t, they ON A 10+

mark an Element (choice). They may spend any Bond to avoid this. ON A 7-9 you also mark an Element if they decline. For this move to trigger, the GM must decide the target is potentially susceptible to the triggering character’s words. Characters in an official capacity, or previously betrayed, or with wit h the upper hand, or with higher social standing, or the big bad and their lieutenants, ordinarily will not be susceptible to some forms of persuasion. The Outsider: Trickster’s role move works around this limitation. For PCs, this move represents gentle cajoling, persuasion, and light trickery. If a player character is more forcibly trying to convince or intimidate a fellow PC, trigger the PC vs. PC Duel Move.

 

INNER CONFLIC When you come face to face with emotional turmoil and an d pressure from an Entanglement or personal issue, mark XP  and  and roll anything except your Style Element. ON A 10+ you manage to keep yourself together. ON A 7-9 you must either flee the scene or mark an Element (choice) to keep yourself steady. ON A MISS, the GM makes things much worse. Inner Conflict most often comes into play when a player character’s Entanglements are at the forefront of the fiction, but if players agree, this move can also reflect new situations that pop up in the story. Players should not roll Inner Conflict every time they see or interact with someone from an Entanglement, but rather when they’re brought face to face with the pain related to an Entanglement. For example, when the person a PC loves talks to them about how much they’re attracted to the PC’s sibling. The player should always have a choice about whether a particular moment rises to the level of an Inner Conflict roll. If a player has been repeatedly faced with an Entanglement in a session, the player should not have to choose to roll every time. However, if a player consistently avoids rolling for a specific Entanglement, the GM may ask that player to revise that Entanglement. The GM should be loose about what “flee the scene” means. PCs just have to remove themselves, not necessarily run off in tears. On the other hand, GMs should also make hard moves in reaction to an Inner Conflict miss such as a serious misunderstanding, alienation, grave offense, revealing betrayals, etc.

󰀳󰀷

 

󰀳󰀸

 SUDY  SU DY When you study something in order to learn about the world or establish new facts , roll. ON A HIT you gain basic information. ON A 10+ you also get two Hold; ON A 7-9 gain one Hold. Spend Hold 1 for 1 for the following, Ask a question about a situation or place (escape routes, hidden details, threats, dangers, etc.). Ask a question about a person  (motivation, desires, intentions, means of manipulation, etc.). Ask any other question. Learn a person’s Scale (below, on your level, above). Reveal a detail —declare  —declare something which changes or adds to the

established fiction significantly. Players should give the GM a sense of the character’s intent and what they are seeking before the Study roll occurs. Study represents deeper and more intense examination of a situation, not simply looking around. If the player is stuck for questions, each playbook has some examples to help. Players should feel free to ask any questions and not be hamstrung or limited by the example questions. Hold from Study can be kept from scene to scene if the GM permits. If the situation or person changes dramatically, the GM may say that the Hold is lost. When a player selects the option to “reveal a detail,” this should expose or change something already present in the scene. It might show that there is an avenue of escape, but not that the characters find and use an avenue of escape. The GM may ask the player to  justify how their character learned something. The player may reframe their question if they get stuck. “Reveal a detail” cannot be used by one PC to reveal something about another PC without consent. If what the PC is declaring would significantly impact another PC’s plot, Entanglement, family, etc., check in with them first.

 

 OVERCO  OVE RCO󰁍E 󰁍E When you do something under pressure, roll. ON A 10+ you do it. ON A 7–9 there’s a complication. The GM may present you a worse outcome or a hard choice. ON A MISS, your attempt fails in a terrible way. On the 7-9 result, a player can choose not to accept the outcome or cost and instead simply fail the attempt. In the heat of a scene, GMs should commonly offer marking an Element (choice) as a cost.

󰀳󰀹

 

CONFLICT AND  ADVA  ADV ANCEMEN NCEMENT T

 Scal  Sc alee Understanding what Scale means in HEARTS OF WULIN is imperative in order to appropriately resolve conflicts, battles, and duels. When characters are in conflict, first look at everyone’s Scale. The character with Scale greater than another has an advantage. To understand Scale, remember these three keys: Scale is not a number. Scale is unique between relationships. Scale can change through actions and circumstances. By default all player characters are on the same Scale as one another. However, this does not mean that one player’s Scale relative to an NPC is the same as another player’s scale to that same NPC. For instance, suppose Crystal Flower has a higher scale than Tian Yu. It doesn’t mean that ManyTempered Xiaohu has greater Scale than Tian Yu as well. Many-Tempered Xiaohu’s relative Scale to Tian Yu is unknown. Scale is unique between two characters or groups and should not be assumed. When players are in conflict, use the PC vs. PC Duel Move. This move is the only way players can gain greater Scale advantage over one another. In the Duel section below, notice how Scale sets which move a player resolves.

󰀴󰀱

 

󰀴󰀲

DEER󰁍INING SCALE Unless a player’s move supersedes, the GM always determines the Scale of NPCs. Narrative and drama drive Scale. Foes fall roughly into three basic categories: troops, named adversaries, and major villains. Usually troops are below, named adversaries are equal to, and major villains are above the PPC’s C’s default Scale. Scale, however, is not set in stone. Events and actions may change it. An NPC may go away and train to become better than a particular PC or the whole group. Actions and effects may change an adversary’s Scale, allowing the PCs to face them on an equal basis. Certain foes working together may be of a higher Scale, owing to coordination. Some expert troops might be on a PCs scale through training or sheer force of numbers. Some foes may be several degrees of Scale higher than the PCs. Each degree must be dealt with or changed before facing the foes on an equal basis.

 CHANGI NGING NG SCALE SCALE  CHA So how can players change Scale to face superior foes? The dramatic narrative allows characters to increase their Scale relative to foes they focus on. In a one-shot, the “in conflict” actions may be enough to even the Scale. Players can team up, act to change the environment, or use Study to find a weakness. A player could reduce an adversary’s Scale for themselves, another PC, or the whole group. It depends on the intent. In a short multi-session campaign, players can take actions outside the conflict to change Scale. A good GM rule of thumb is that players can gain Scale on a foe once each player has contributed to the solution. For this and all other longer games, players may also use the New Technique move. The character takes time to study (a scene or longer, GM’s discretion) and rolls to see if they gain Scale on a particular foe. They roll based on the number of times they’ve observed or fought their foe. The GM may declare a foe is of Superior Scale. This means at least one of the PCs must uncover a way to defeat them. Otherwise the villain will always be above the group’s scale.

 

FOR EXA󰁍󰁐LE In a one-shot game, during the climactic fight, Many-Tempered Xiaohu goes to take on Tian Yu. She is below his scale. Other players could take actions to change c hange the environment (collapsing walls, filling the room with smoke), Study to learn the weakness of the Villain’s stance, burn several bonds with Xiaohu’s character, etc. If they can do so, then they can bring themselves up to the same scale as the Villain, but no higher. In a game with several sessions, players may undertake those tricks mentioned above, but won’t gain Scale until the next conflict. They need to prepare and learn. The New Technique move represents this learning process. Worthy foes are usually lieutenants and named henchpersons of villains. They’re generally equal scale with the PCs. Villains are above the PCs in Scale and require action to successfully face. Major foes, superior adversaries, and Big Bads behind the scene may be several degrees of Scale above the PCs. In this case it will require several tricks or new techniques to fight on those foes’ Scale. This is not set in stone: one of the GM moves is to change the Scale of a foe—revealing tricks or having them go away to prepare themselves to fight.

 EA󰁍WORK SCALEE CHANG CHANGING ING  EA󰁍WORK AND SCAL As demonstrated below, the Duel move only allows one person to roll a result. For more about setting up fights, see the GM section on “Scale” on page 95. 95. How does the GM handle multiple PCs against a single foe? If Scale isn’t a question, then one PC will be using Comfort & Support to aid the other. If neither PC is willing to play second fiddle, then they will need to resolve a PC vs PC Duel to decide (see below). In that case, whoever stated their intention to attack first is the defender in the duel.

󰀴󰀳

 

󰀴󰀴

If the situation is more about multiple characters working to even the Scale and take down a superior foe, then one PC is still rolling the Duel, and the others take actions first to level the field. The GM and players can negotiate this in a several ways:   If appropriate, the characters may simply narrate how they’re helping—describing how they draw off the t he villain’s defenses.  Someone may use Study to spot a weakness or opportunity.   A character could use Overcome to change the environment (setting things on fire, trapping the foe in a restricted position, lifting the PC into an advantageous position, etc.).   A character could use Hearts & Minds or Impress to distract the adversary.   One PC could first Duel the foe with them even though the villain has a higher Scale, narrating the loss to show how their sacrifice gives their friends an opening. 

Several playbook moves could easily fit for f or these situations.

 

 Thee Co  Th Confl nflic ictt Mo Moves ves DUEL When you ght against a worthy foe, roll +Style Element. IF YOUR SCALE SC LE IS HIGHER THAN TH N YOUR YOUR YOUR FOE’S FOE’S   ON A HIT you win the conflict. Describe your awesomeness. ON A 10+ mark XP if you show mercy or let them escape. ON A 7-9 you may either let them go or finish them with a cost (now or in the future). ON A MISS you win, but mark an Element. They escape and may return at a higher Scale. IF YOUR SCALE SC LE IS THE SAME S ME AS S YOUR FOE’S

 you win the conflict and may mark XP if you show mercy or let them escape. You may declare a shift in the fiction (a change of heart,

ON A 10+

impress someone, shift an Entanglement, etc.).  choose one: Win at a Cost: Mark an Element (choice), they escape, you lose reputation, or other cost. Narrate Your Loss: Mark XP. Take +1 Forward when you next face them. Deadlock. You may reveal a detail or ask a question about them. IF YOUR SCALE SC LE IS BELOW YOUR FOE’S FOE’S , you lose the conflict. ON A HIT you may declare how you lose. ON A 7-9 mark an Element (choice). ON A 7-9

Once you have faced or studied a foe above your Scale, you may use New Technique to even your Scale: study a secret stance, acquire a weapon, conduct a stratagem, weaken them, cheat, fight alongside an adversary, a team up with mutual bonds, etc. Potent named foes may require several steps to become equal in Scale.

󰀴󰀵

 

󰀴󰀶

DEAL WIH ROO󰁐S When you ght a group of foes who are collectively below your scale, roll +Style Element. ON A HIT you defeat them. Describe how you do so. ON A 10+ you do so easily. ON A MISS choose: their numbers overwhelm and you must retreat (mark XP) or you win at a cost. If multiple characters fight troops and one PC retreats, the others must as well (and mark XP). While player characters will usually defeat massed, nameless foes, players have the option to fail for dramatic purposes. Players may, on rare occasions, fight massed troops on or above the character’s Scale. In this case, use the standard Duel move, with the group treated as a single foe.

󰁐C VS. 󰁐C DUEL When you challenge another PC , say what you’ll give them if they accept your victory. You may offer unspent XP, character actions, burning Bonds, changes to Entanglements, letting them narrate the moment, or anything in-game which the GM approves. You put a single offer on the table. If the other player accepts, they lose the duel and mark XP. You must follow through on your offer. If the other player rejects the offer, you both mark an Element. The offered player chooses to win or draw. PC duels aren’t necessarily fights. They occur when the strong desires of two PCs clash and the situation has moved past light persuasion into a battle for control. Winning in a duel means having the upper hand, getting your way, and looking like the best. It doesn’t include death unless that’s accepted by both players as part of the bargain. The GM should be loose about what players may offer. A best practice to keep the moment from slowing down into a prolonged negotiation is the single offer rule. Sometimes the GM has to adjudicate who is the challenger.

 

For example, if a PC is leaving to do something and another player interposes, it can be ambiguous as to who is pushing the challenge. Is it the PC who tries to push past? Or is it the PC who moved to block their passage? The GM should make sure both parties are clear. If neither is willing to accept being the challenger, then consider it a draw with both sides marking XP. Note that the PC vs. PC Duel should serve as a moment of high dramatic tension. If a player uses it as a club in the narrative, the GM should stop and discuss expectations with the table.

NEW ECHNI󰁑UE When you go o to develop a new technique to face an NPC foe of higher Scale, describe your montage and roll +(the number of times you’ve seen your foe’s fighting form). ON A HIT you gain Scale against your foe.

 there’s a significant cost to learning the move. You must have observed the foe at least once or have a source of knowledge about the foe. Some foes may require additional actions or preparations to fully match or exceed their Scale.

ON A 7-9

󰀴󰀷

 

󰀴󰀸

PC Wounds and Marking Elements Generally, when a player character gets hurt, exhausts themselves, or suffers heartbreak, they’ll often have to mark an Element. This can happen as part of a move’s results or as a GM move from a miss. When PCs mark an Element, they can no longer roll with that Element’s stat modifier. When a GM move asks a PC to mark an Element, the PC must mark the Element the PC just used to modify the roll resulting in the GM move. Marking an Element is not automatic from a miss, but the GM may include this as part of their GM move. If a move result says to “Mark an Element (choice),” the PC may mark any unmarked Element. When a PC’s Style Element is marked, that PC cannot fight at all and must instead select another approach to the situation or withdraw. When all of a PC’s Elements are marked, they are Taken Out, even if the Wounded box is left unmarked. Taken Out removes that character from the scene and puts that character in the power of their adversary. Alternatively or subsequently, the player may decide that their character dies, in which case the GM should give that player the chance to narrate how the character dies.

 CLEARI RING NG 󰁍ARK 󰁍ARKED ED EL ELE󰁍E E󰁍ENS NS  CLEA There are two ways to clear marks off of Elements: either by using the Comfort & Support move, or by a natural healing process in a montage between scenes. The first method, Comfort & Support, can be done within the action of an ongoing scene but requires a roll. The second method, the natural healing process, requires a break in the action so the player can describe a montage showing how their character recovers (meditation, medicine, study, imbibing, etc.) but requires no roll to t o clear a single Element.

 WOUNDED ED  WOUND Rather than mark an Element, a player may instead mark Wounded on their playbook. Players may not mark Wounded if it’s already marked. While Wounded, the PC suffers -2 Ongoing. If the effect of a Move or other event says “you may clear a marked Element,” the player may choose to unmark Wounded instead.

 

ELE󰁍EN DESCRI󰁐ORS Use Elements to color the fiction. The Elements in the playbooks have positive and negative descriptors. These help players decide when to roll with a particular Element. When a player is thinking about their character’s attitude or actions, they should take a look at which Element(s) they have marked. They should consider how the negative aspect of a marked Element colors their character’s thinking. Players can even use these descriptors to color their montage scenes when clearing an Element through the natural healing process.

Use Bonds Bonds represent friendship, rivalry, and influence. Each Bond is written writt en with a name and a value. If a player has a Bond, they can spend it (reduce its number by one) to gain +1 to a roll. If the player character has a Bond with someone else, the player character can spend that Bond to give the other person a +1 to the other person’s roll. Bonds may be spent after the result of the roll has occurred to influence the outcome. Players may use multiple Bonds on a roll. Players can generate new Bonds and invigorate old ones via the Comfort & Support move as well as several playbook-specific moves. All PCs start the game with two Bonds, one from each of their Entanglements, each at value 1. Bonds may have a max value of 3. If the Bond would go to a higher value than 3, the player with the Bond must reset the Bond to a value of 0, mark XP, and reveal something about the person they have a Bond with (subject to the controlling player’s approval).

󰀴󰀹

 

󰀵󰀰

 Star  St artt of Se Sess ssio ion n At the beginning of a session, each player reviews their Entanglements and may choose to revise as many Entanglements as seems appropriate. These should match changes in the story. Players can freely revise so long as the character is left with one Romantic and one General Entanglement after revisions. As always, players should check in to make sure their fellow players are open to the changes. After this process, each player highlights one of their Entanglements. This tells the table which they’d most like to see played out this session and offers extra XP. Players may collaborate on the highlighting process.

 Adv ance ceme men nt  Advan Player characters gain experience points (XP) which allows them to grow in power and ability. Players mark XP when their character: ...T ...TAKES KES A LOSS LOSS  in a conflict ...TAKES ...T ... ...AGREES GREES TO ANOTHER NOTHER PC’S SUGGE SUGGESTION STION  when they use Hearts &

Minds.

...ROLLS ...ROLLS INN INNER ER CONFLICT. CON FLICT. FLICT. ...H ... ...HAS H S SIGNIFICANTLY SIGNIFIC NTLY INTER INTERACTED CTED WITH THEIR ENT ENTANGLEMENTS. NGLEM ENTS.  All players

check this at the end of each session and consult with the GM. If the GM believes the player’s character has interacted with their highlighted Entanglement, the player may mark 2 XP. If the player’s character interacted with their other non-highlighted Entanglement, the player may mark 1 XP. Both the highlighted and non-highlighted Entanglement must be examined,  which allows a maximum of 3 XP to be gained each session for each player. When a player character has 8 XP, the player may immediately advance their character in any of the following ways:

  DD+1 ADD +1TO TOANNELEMENT’S ELEMENT’SSTAT ST TMODIFIER. MODIFIER. A player may take this advance-

ment up to five times, but only once for each Element.   DDA NEW ADD NEWMOVE MOVEFROM FROMTHEIR THEIRCHOSEN CHOSENPLAYBOOK. PL YBOOK. A player may take this advancement up to three times.   DDA NEW ADD NEWMOVE MOVEFROM FROMA DIFFERENT DIFFERENTPLAYBOOK. PL YBOOK. A player may take this advancement twice. If the move comes from another player’s playbook, check in with them first. ADD DD A CUSTOM MOVE.  A player may take this advancement twice. See Custom Moves page 78. 78. NOTE: Players may never take

additional role moves as advancements.

 

 ENT  EN TAGLEMEN GLEMENT TS

Entanglements Player characters’ Entanglements drive the drama of the game, and even help create the world the characters will inhabit. They provide a direction for the player’s character, a signpost for the GM, and a source of XP, backed by a mechanical effect (Inner Conflict). They can also be a challenge to create at the start. Fortunately, Entanglements are dynamic—players can and should change them in play, and so should not worry if the Entanglements aren’t perfect at the start.

 WHA IS AN AN EN ENANGL ANGLE󰁍E E󰁍EN? N?  WHA IS An Entanglement is an important relationship a PC has with a person which is complicated by another person. For example: I’m in love with Ai but they’re in love with Bao. Chin is a good friend, but my master Da says I must not trust them. I love Fang, but my elder sister Guanting has told me of her love for them as well.

󰀵󰀱

 

󰀵󰀲

In character creation, each player writes two Entanglements: one Romantic Entanglement and one General Entanglement. A PC’s Romantic Entanglement should tell us who the character loves, pines for, or has an infatuation with. A PC’s General Entanglement doesn’t have to have that level of charged passion, although it can. Aromantic and asexual characters may take two General Entanglements or shift a Romantic Entanglement to feelings of friendship and admiration. For guidance on the cultural contexts for these Entanglements, see Safety & Content on page 15 and 15 and History & Cultural Notes on page 183 183 for  for discussions of Confucian values and the xia code. Entanglements represent tensions within the characters which you want to play out. Not all have to be tragic and long-suffering; avoid misery porn. To aid players, each playbook has some example Entanglements. Players can also find a longer list of example Entanglements in the Appendix. During character creation, players go around the table defining one Entanglement each, one at a time. The GM will ask questions to help flesh out these relationships. Once everyone has created one Entanglement, the process is repeated a second time so each player defines their second Entanglement. Each Entanglement should contain a fellow PC and an NPC. Entanglement creation should be collaborative. Players must always confirm consent to the details of the Entanglement with the player of the PC or NPC named in the Entanglement. That player should feel free to decline an Entanglement or suggest an alternative which better fits. Players also get to create new NPCs during the Entanglements creation process. Players should think about what kind of characters they want to interact with and write those character’s into their own Entanglements. The PCs should feel free to define some things about the new NPC: name, faction, values, appearance, etc. The player is encouraged to take advantage of the GM’s questions to help develop the new NPC. As the table creates NPCs in the Entanglement phase, players may want to use NPCs from different, already-established Entanglements. This cross pollination can create a rich world, but players should always check in with the player who originally created the NPC as well as the GM to make sure this fits with how they picture the NPC.

 

RELAIONSHI󰁐 EXA󰁍󰁐LES Following are some examples of relationships players should think about as they create Entanglements between other PCs and NPCs: Parent-child, sibling, step sibling, estranged sibling, student-mentor, sworn allies, friends, rival, childhood friend,cousin, child ofbodyguard, mentor, child offormer enemy, fiancé,implacable fellow students, hidden sibling, servant, former lover, secret child of parent, leader-follower, commander, exiled from your faction, romantic rival, engaged to relative, uncle/aunt, once peer now superior, once peer now junior, relative of dead friend, secret enemy, the one your master hates, enemy of your family, unrequited love, reason for your loss, one who made you what you are, one who rejected you, one you rejected.

 SUGGESIO SIONS NS FOR 󰁐LAY 󰁐LAYERS ERS WRI WRIIN ING G HEI HEIR R OWN OWN EN ENANG ANGLE󰁍 LE󰁍EN ENS S  SUGGE The following is advice gleaned from the extensive playtests of HEARTS OF WULIN on advice and best practices for players who want to create their own Entanglements from scratch.   You may have two PCs in an Entanglement, but check in with both because this will often define their relationship as well. PCs shouldn’t fill all the slots in your entanglements; make sure you create at least one NPC and place them in a slot.  Likewise you can have two NPCs in an Entanglement if the table is cool with that. It may be that you have a great idea, but none of the PCs fit into the roles.  Always give your NPCs a name, even if they represent a group. The named PC may be the faction’s leader, your temple’s master, the head of your household, etc.  Any NPCs you make up should be able to make an appearance. It’s harder to get dead, long-lost, or long-distance NPCs to the table. Plan accordingly.  Listen carefully to what others establish for their Entanglements. This can be tough, especially as you’ll be trying to figure out yours at the same time. Don’t be afraid to stop and ask for a clarification.   An Entanglement doesn’t necessarily have to be true. It represents what your character believes about the situation and relationship. You may believe that Yu loves Liang, but it is possible Yu does not actually love Liang in reality. We’ll find out in play.

󰀵󰀳

 

󰀵󰀴

 



If two Entanglements seem to contradict one another, stop and check in on that. Do either of the players want to rewrite those to fix the contradiction, or do they want to let it stand and figure out what it actually means in play? Some characters may have multiple identities (the Thief and the Hidden for example). For Entanglements involving them, make sure you define which identity connects to the Entanglement.

REWRIING EN ENANGLE󰁍ENS ANGLE󰁍ENS At the start of each session, the GM will check in to see if any players want to make any changes to their Entanglements. The players should feel free to rewrite an Entanglement for any reason: if a player character’s feelings for someone have changed, an involved NPC has died, or even if the Entanglement  just isn’t isn’t getting getting into into play play like like the player player hoped, hoped, feel free free to ch change ange the the Entanglement. Players may rewrite Entanglements freely provided the player checks in with any involved players and make sure they’ve communicated their expectations to the GM. Players may also rewrite Entanglements mid-session, especially if there’s been a shocking revelation or death. Players can simply tell the GM and table what change they want to make. When playing a short series or one shot, players may want to be more active about changing Entanglements mid-session to make sure the Entanglements are in play at the table.

HIGHLIGHING ENANGLE󰁍ENS AND X󰁐 After a player confirms or revises all Entanglements, the player must choose one of them to “highlight” for the GM. Ideally, both Entanglements will come into play during a session, but highlighting like this tells the GM which Entanglement to prioritize. At the end of a session, players mark 2 XP if they encountered or dealt with their highlighted Entanglement and 1 XP if they encountered or dealt with the non-highlighted Entanglement. For more on XP, see Advancement, “Advancement” on page 50. 50.

󰁍ECHANICAL I󰁍󰁐LICAIONS OF ENANGLE ENANGLE󰁍ENS 󰁍ENS Beyond defining drives and connections, Entanglements have two mechanical implications. First, during character creation, players choose one character from each Entanglement and create a Bond between their character and the named character (see Bonds below).

 

More importantly, Entanglements are the key trigger for the Inner Conflict move. Players roll for Inner Conflict when their character is confronted with the tensions and pain coming from their Entanglement. The good news for players is whenever they roll for Inner Conflict, they get to mark XP. Players won’t roll for this every time they see someone named in their character’s Entanglement, but will roll the move when the Entanglement’s dramatic situation is brought to the forefront in the game. Players might not roll when their character is talking with their unrequited love—that is, until their love starts talking about the person they’re infatuated with.

Bonds Bonds represent a character’s emotional connection—positive or negative—to other characters. Bonds have a name and a value. Mechanically, a player can reduce the value of a Bond they have with someone else to give themselves a +1 to a result after a roll. When a player does this, they should say how that bonded connection pushes their character forward to do better. Players may also reduce the value of a Bond they have with a player character to give that other character a +1 to a roll. When a Bond is reduced to a value of zero, don’t erase the name or the Bond. Players can still increase the Bond’s value using the Comfort & Support move. Reducing the value of a Bond doesn’t actually change the relationship between the characters—it allows the energy drawn from that connection to improve the situation. Players begin the game with two Bonds each with a value of 1. The starting Bonds are derived from the two starting Entanglements. A player character may gain any number of Bonds, but the maximum value of a Bond is 3. If a Bond would ever grow to 4, the player should instead change the value to 0 and mark XP. See Advancement “Advancement” on page 50 50 for  for further explanation. Bonds are one way players can help someone else in a scene. The Comfort & Support move allows a player to create a Bond with the person they are trying to help. Players can immediately spend this Bond to give the other person a +1 to the result of a roll. Players do not have to write down Bonds created and used immediately in this way. Depending on the situation, the GM may also allow a player to create a Bond with an organization or faction. Bonds are not necessarily positive; a Bond may be one of hatred, jealousy, or enmity. They may arise from friendship, but they can also represent debts, obligations, and promises. Bonds aren’t necessarily reciprocal—a character may feel strongly about another character, but that character may care nothing for the first.

󰀵󰀵

 

PLAYBOOKS

 Th  T he Play aybo boooks While each playbook represents a different archetype, there’s a great deal of room for players to make it their own. Mechanically, the differences between the playbooks lies in the three roles and the choice of playbook moves. Once a player has chosen a playbook, the player must next choose a Role  from the playbook. Roles give players a unique move (a Role Move) which no one else can take. Roles also inform the player a great deal about their character’s place in the world. Each playbook below has a little guidance to help the player that may want or need it: an example from a film, novel, or TV show; a reason for playing this character; and the play agenda for this archetype. Players have room to make characters their own—what it means to be a thief, a devoted child, a magistrate, and so forth, within their story. These representations should should consider the cultural context (Confucian values, the xia code). Avoid harmful stereotypes (honor obsessions, “Dragon Ladies,” and the like)

󰀵󰀷

 

󰀵󰀸

Each playbook provides players some suggestions for Entanglements, but players should feel free to create their own Entanglements or consult the larger list of Entanglements for f or inspiration. Each playbook also includes example Study move questions players may consider when their character might want to learn about the world.

󰁐LAYBOOK YBOOK 󰁍OV 󰁍OVES ES  ON 󰁐LA Playbook Moves take a variety of forms: they can be rolled (in a similar or identical way that the Basic Moves are rolled) or they might instead give a bonus in a situation, or give the player access to a resource, or let the player do something special. Players begin with two Playbook Moves in addition to their Role Move. With the GM’s permission, a player may choose their moves during play rather than during character creation. This style of play allows players the perfect opportunity to select and use a move in the moment rather than commit in advance, and it is best in short form games like one-shots.

 A NO ON 󰁍OVE 󰁍OVE NA󰁍 NA󰁍ES ES NOEE ON The Playbook Move names come from films, TV shows, and novels. Many are wuxia, but we’ve also drawn broadly from “kung fu” and historical drama media. While we’ve tried to link the title to the theme, many are more evocative than accurate, meaning the move itself may not be a feature of the referenced media. Check out the shows, movies, and novels for yourself to discover which best echo the move itself.

 

󰀶󰀰

 Thee Aw  Th Awar aree Pl Play aybo boook THINK OF: Li Mu Bai from Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon PL Y THIS CHARACTER PLAY CH R CTER IF... IF... you want to be thoughtful and wise or if you want

others to recognize your skill and learning. PLAYER PLA YER AGENDA: A GENDA

Embrace sincerity   Speak obliquely about the heart   Play with everyone’s Entanglements   Act in the service of something greater    Show how wisdom provides solutions  

 AWARE RO  AWARE ROLES LES Pick One: MASTER:  You’re a paragon of calm and thoughtfulness. When you attempt to stop a conflict with an NPC, roll. On 10+ you cool tempers. On a 7-9 you have a moment to negotiate. You must offer the aggressors something they want or they will press their assault. On a miss you draw their ire ttoo you. SCHOLAR:  You’re a gifted scholar. When you successfully Study based on history, research, or informants, you always gain an additional 1 Hold. You gain +1 Forward to act on this information. TRAVELING TRAVELI TRAVELING NG TEACHER: People constantly challenge you, seek out your advice, or beg for you to take them on as a student. Once per session, if you’re in a reasonably accessible area, you may declare that someone shows up to interrupt events. You may use this before rolling Inner Conflict to avoid any roll. If you do, mark XP as if you’d rolled Inner Conflict.

 

 AWARE  AWA RE 󰁍OV 󰁍OVES ES Pick Two: 14 BLADES: BL DES:  You can create strange devices and substances (hidden weapons,

smoke bombs, dissolving liquid, etc.). Say what you wish to make and the GM will tell you you whathave youthat, needroll. (nothing, time, materials, assistance, etc.). Once On a 10+ you build it. On a 7-9 itssecret effect lore, is brief or unstable. On a miss, the creation has the opposite effect you intend.   SHESOF ASHES OFTIME: TIME: When you mark an Element as a result of Inner Conflict, you may immediately create a Bond with someone as you reflect on a lesson they deliberately or inadvertently taught you. CL NS OF INTRIGUE: Choose a faction with which you have +1 Forward on CLANS social interactions. They regard you as an honored guest until proven otherwise. FIN L MASTER: FINAL M STER: When you declare a plan, roll. On a 10+ hold 2. On a 7-9 hold 1. While carrying out the plan, you can spend your hold to: add +1 Forward to a roll, clear an Element, or have a vital item at hand. On a Miss you hold 1, but the tables are turned on you at some point. FIVE DEADLY DE DLY DLY VENOMS:  You can immediately spot and identify any kind of poison or potion before it’s consumed in your presence. If someone has been poisoned, you have +1 Forward to treat and heal them with Overcome. LEGEND OF AWAKENING: W KENING:  While you have your Style Element marked, you may use another Element for combat actions. THE PROMISE: When you attempt to keep someone from dying in your presence, roll. On a 10+ they stay in this world, though they may spend time in a coma or need rest to fully recover. On a 7-9 you may keep them alive, but you must pay a significant cost. On a miss, their death haunts you. Write an Entanglement about how their death haunts you. STORM RIDER: Once per scene you may travel to anywhere within line of STORM sight. You move like a blur. This T his can be accomplished regardless of height or distance as long as nothing completely bars your way.

󰀶󰀱

 

󰀶󰀲

 AWARE  AWA RE SA󰁍󰁐 SA󰁍󰁐LE LE EN ENANGL ANGLE󰁍E E󰁍ENS NS Choose one romantic and one general. If none of these fit, see the full Appendix for more sample Entanglements, or write your own. ROMANTIC ROMANTIC

I love _____, but my family member, _____, has been accused of a crime by  _____. I love _____, who I overlooked for too long; now they love _____. A prophecy has kept _____ and I apart. _____ is determined to ensure that. GENERAL GENERAL

I have discovered my friend, _____, has hidden their true power from me but told _____, another friend. My friend _____, suspects _____ of evil, but I remain steadfastly loyal. I suspect my friend _____’s parent is the villain _____.

EXA󰁍󰁐LE SUDY 󰁑UESIONS What is everyone overlooking? MASTER:  Who benefits from their anger? SCHOLAR:  What ancient legend surrounds this place? TRAVELLING TRAVELLI TRAVELLING NG TEACHER: Why have they come here?

 

 Thee Br  Th Brav avoo Pl Play aybo book ok THINK OF: Little Li, the Flying Dagger Li

from The Sentimental Swordsman PL Y THIS CHARACTER PLAY CH R CTER IF... IF... you want to have a good time despite the duties placed on you or if you want to act as a foil to more morally upright characters. PLAYER PLA YER AGENDA A GENDA :

Embrace sincerity   Speak obliquely about the heart   Play with everyone’s Entanglements   Act in the service of something greater    Enjoy every moment.  

BRAVO ROLES Pick One: FFA FAVORED VORED ELDEST: You’re the blessed one everyone expects to head your

family, but you may not be worthy. One parent may spoil and defend you when the other rails at your behavior. But you always have coin; eeverywhere, verywhere, merchants and innkeeps set the finest table for you and your entourage. You can defer payment; they know your family’s good for it. GALLIVANT: You travel from place to place celebrating, gambling, and leaving a trail of broken hearts. Your bad reputation only adds to your aura. Though not wealthy, you know how to stay ahead of problems. When you would suffer social, legal, or financial consequences, name someone and roll. On a hit, they suffer instead. On a 7-9 they know it was you. On a miss, you cannot evade your debts and your scapegoat learns of your trickery. THIEF: You have a charming smile and live

well, but behind the scenes you indulge in a life of crime. You’re not a common criminal; you simply deserve the finer things in life and only steal from those who can afford it: bloated nobles and corrupt officials. You have a criminal identity with a legendary name. You also have a foil—a f oil—a magistrate or investigating official—who pursues you but passes you information via their bumbling.

󰀶󰀳

 

󰀶󰀴

BRAVO 󰁍OVES Pick Two: COME DRINK WITH ME: As long as you interact COME

with someone, you hold their attention. You may lead them into or away from a nearby location. If they wish to extricate themselves,Note: they this mustmove markdoesn’t an Element major embarrassment. work or in cause violentthemselves situations. HE DS FOR SALE: HEADS S LE: When you ask your contacts for something rare or forbidden, roll. On a hit, you get what you want. On a 10+ they have precisely what you require. On a 7-9 there’s a cost or complication. Choose one: it takes time, uses up your on-hand wealth, attracts attention, or requires a service. On a miss, word gets back to the wrong people. IT TAKES T KES A THIEF:  You can slip from bonds and pass through locked doors and windows as if they were open. This extends to attack and defense—your body moves elegantly so as to not wrinkle your outfit or spill your wine. LAUGHING IN THE WIND:  You have mastered an art (song, dance, calligraphy, LAUGHING etc). When you express yourself via that art, roll. On a 10+ gain three Hold. On a 7-9 gain two Hold. Spend Hold one for one on the following list: People understand your message. You draw the interest and attention of one person present, tell the GM who. You clear or mark an Element on a PC present. You begin to change popular opinion. Tell the GM what you hope for (costs two Hold). On a miss you cross paths with an artistic rival or offend someone important. MIDNIGHT ORCHID: You have a lavish wardrobe. Whenever you would look MIDNIGHT bedraggled or dirty, you’re clean and spotless in the next shot, in the same outfit or a new one. or Gain one ofName the following a retainer: Butler, Assistant, Consort, Advisor. them andNPCs giveas them a short description. THIEF OF THIEVES: When you break into a location, roll. On a hit, you and your companions enter quietly. On a 7-9 you must pay a cost if you’re leading in others: mark Element (choice), spend a Bond, raise suspicions, etc. On a miss, you find yourself in over your head. TRACING SHADOW: When you spend time interacting with someone to read their web of connections, roll. On a hit, the GM (for NPCs) or player (for PCs) will reveal an Entanglement and a secret they would prefer remain hidden. Take +1 Forward for Hearts & Minds on them. On a 7-9 your target is aware of your workings. On a miss, they learn one of your Entanglements.

 

VIGILANTES IGIL NTES IN MASKS: M SKS: At a glance you may pick out the wealthiest or most

influential person in a room. When you Study St udy in a formal or official setting you have +1 Hold for choices regardless of roll. You gain +1 Forward acting on tthe he answers.

BRAVO SA󰁍󰁐LE ENANGLE󰁍E ENANGLE󰁍ENS NS If none of these fit, see the full Choose one romantic and one general. Appendix for more sample Entanglements, or write your own. ROMANTIC ROMANTIC

I fled from _____ because of the heartache, but _____, their lover, has called me back to honor a debt. I am engaged to _____, but have fallen in love with their sibling, _____. My friend _____ and I vie for the attention of _____ despite their indifference to both of us. GENERAL GENERAL

Local authority _____ hints they know of my shady dealings against my senior _____ and their family. I discovered my sibling _____ has been learning techniques from _____, master of an enemy clan. My parent, _____, suspects that my friend _____ works against our faction.

EXA󰁍󰁐LE SUDY 󰁑UESIONS What’s the best way out of this place? ELDEST:  Who here knows my parents? GALLIVANT: What’s the most popular entertainment locale? THIEF: Who else here has criminal intent?

󰀶󰀵

 

󰀶󰀶

 Thee Loy  Th oyal al Pl Play aybo boook THINK OF: Yu Shu Lien from Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon PL Y THIS CHARACTER PLAY CH R CTER IF... IF... you want to be the exemplar of righteousness,

duty, and Confucian virtues. PLAYER AGENDA:

Embrace sincerity   Speak obliquely about the heart   Play with everyone’s Entanglements   Act in the service of something greater    Express tension between duty and self   

LOYAL ROLES Pick One: DEVOTED CHILD: You’re loyal to your family and they

support you. Once per

session you may call in a favor: a letter of introduction, entrance to a private ceremony, support for a wild plan, etc. They may ask favors or have other expectations for you. OFFICI L: You are a magistrate, judge, or civil servant, giving you a measure OFFICIAL: of authority. You have connections who slip you leads and offer assistance. Choose a contact type: street beggars, court hangers-on, members of a particular faction, etc. You can always obtain basic information or minor help, so long as it doesn’t cost them or put them in danger. For hard-to-find information or dangerous favors, you must offer them something they want. SWORDSMAN: All in the wulin world have learned combat, but only a few SWORDSMAN: have devoted themselves as deeply as you. You serve your family and clan by striving to be the best hero. You have an additional Wounded box. When you mark your first Wounded box, you’re bloodied and cut, but suffer no penalty. When you mark your second Wounded you take -2 Ongoing.

 

LOYAL 󰁍OVES Pick Two: DIVINE SKY SWORD: When you roll a Hit against a lesser foe or a 7-9 on a Duel

against a foe of equal scale, you may radically change the location of the conflict—forcing opponent into choices. a nearby area, off a cliff with you, through a window, etc.—inyour addition to other FL FLYING FLYING YING D DAGGERS: GGERS : You may spend a Bond with someone to arrive at their location. If you consent, others may spend a Bond with you to have you show up in the nick of time. Say how you arrived so fortuitously. HE VEN SWORD HEAVEN SWORD AND ND DR DRAGON GON SSABRE: BRE: You possess a legendary blade which can be recognized wherever you go. You gain +1 when you Deal with Troops or Impress someone from the martial world.   HERO A HEROBORN: BORN:When you Comfort & Support an ally and immediately spend a Bond you create, give them +2 instead of +1 on their roll. L WLESS KINGDOM: When someone lies or breaks a promise to you and you LAWLESS find out, you gain a Bond with them. In addition to normal options, you can spend this to have one of their plans or activities go awry. Say what happens. If you reduce this Bond to modify a roll that is against them, add +2 to your roll. LEGEND OF THE MOUNTAIN: MOUNT IN: When you defend someone or something, roll. On a Hit you keep them safe and choose one from the list below. On a 7-9 you must also mark an Element (choose) or let the GM complicate the situation. Take control of something Change the location of the conflict Gain a Bond with the protected person On a miss, they or someone else suffers worse for your efforts. STRIFE FOR MASTERY: M STERY: When you give NPCs an order based on authority they respect, roll. On a hit, they choose one: obey, step aside, muster a weak assault, or freeze. On a 10+ pick one option they may not choose and take +1 Forward against them. On a miss, choose: mark an Element or have someone important regard this as overstepping your place. TR IL OF THE EVERLASTING TRAIL EVERL STING STING HERO: When you hunt someone, roll. On a hit, you know exactly where to find them and can track them until you do so. On a 10+ they’re not alerted and you take +1 Forward against them. On a miss, someone unpleasant finds you first.

󰀶󰀷

 

󰀶󰀸

LOYAL SA󰁍󰁐LE ENANGLE󰁍ENS Choose one romantic and one general. If none of these fit, see the full Appendix for more sample Entanglements, or write your own. ROMANTIC ROMANTIC

There is mutual unrequited love between _____ and I because of my duty to _____. I love _____, but they are wed to _____, whom I serve. I love _____, but I have sworn revenge against their family member, _____. GENERAL GENERAL

I swore to _____ that I would protect _____, but they would be offended if they knew. My sibling _____ disparages me, and my parent, _____, won’t condemn them for some reason. I remain loyal to my master, _____, despite how they treat my younger sibling, _____.

EXA󰁍󰁐LE SUDY 󰁑UESIONS Who is in charge here? DEVOTED: How can I bring honor to my family? OFFICI L:  Who here looks the shiftiest? OFFICIAL: SWORDSMAN: Where did they learn their style?

 

 Thee Ou  Th Outs tsid ider er Pl Play aybo book ok THINK OF: Mei from House of Flying Daggers  PL Y THIS CHARACTER PLAY CH R CTER IF... IF... you want to be distanced from the wulin world, but

drawn back into it by relationships and promises. PLAYER PLA YER AGENDA: A GENDA

Embrace sincerity   Speak obliquely about the heart   Play with everyone’s Entanglements   Act in the service of something greater    Act against convention  

 OUS  OUSIDE IDER R ROLE ROLESS Pick One: REBEL: You rebel against something: a corrupt official, your original faction, the itself, etc. When you call group on yourtofellow rebels help, roll. one: On a hit,Empire you secretly assemble a small aid you. On afor 7-9 choose it takes time, you cannot do this again until you’ve performed a quest, the group is small in number, or you attract att ract unwanted attention. On a miss, your group is caught before they can gather. TRICKSTER: You’re a trickster, happy-go-lucky and smart. You know how to TRICKSTER: use the rules of the wulin and outside world to your advantage. You may use Hearts & Minds against those who would not otherwise be susceptible to your words. If you Miss, you harden their heart and may not use Hearts & Minds against them in the future. WANDERER: You have restlessly traveled the land and have aided many WANDERER: people. first time you eachfavorably; session you’re a town region, hit, someoneThe remembers gain ainbond withoran NPC. roll. On aOn 10+athey owe you a debt of gratitude. On a miss, you learn of tragedy or betrayal you left in your wake.

󰀶󰀹

 

󰀷󰀰

 OUSIDE  OUS IDER R 󰁍OVES 󰁍OVES Pick Two: A DEAD DEADLY LY SECRE SECRET: T: You

know the martial world well. When you first meet someone from another faction or group you may ask about or declare one detail of their reputation or their clan’s activities.

HAVE SWORD, SWORD, WILL WILL TRAVEL: Once per session, you may declare

you arrive somewhere in the nick of time to aid or intervene. Afterwards you may explain how you came to be there. HEROES SHED NO TEARS:  When you roll a hit, on Inner Conflict, choose up to two witnesses. For each, you may choose the following: gain +1 Forward against them; give them -1 Forward on Inner Conflict (PCs); change their mood (NPCs); or spend a Bond to have them visit you privately this session. HOUSE OF TRAPS: HOUSE TR PS: When you reveal a trap you’ve secretly set, roll. On a hit, your opponent activates it and presents an opening. On a 10+ take +2 forward against them. On a miss, the trap raises the stakes and consequences. THE IMPOSTOR: IMPOSTOR: You can assume a perfect

disguise. If you’re impersonating someone specific, you must have seen them and have their garb. When you might be challenged, roll. On a Hit your disguise fools them. On a 7-9 they have a delayed suspicion. On a Miss your disguise falls apart at the wrong moment. REIGN OF ASSASSINS: SS SSINS:  When you become undetectable using shadows and concealment, roll. On a hit, no one can see or interact with you until you decide they can. You can break this by choice or attacking. On a 7-9 you remain hidden but leave some trace behind or alert a foe. On a Miss your attempt fails and leaves you vulnerable. ROYAL ROY ROYAL AL TRAM TRAMP: P:  You may attempt to escape a situation even when surprised. When you try to bolt, roll. On a Hit you get away and may take another with you. On a 7-9 choose a complication: You must mark an Element You end up in another dangerous situation You leave evidence behind You lose something valuable On a miss, you leave yourself vulnerable. THE WATER MARGIN:  You may appear as any faction to those who do not know the truth of your allegiances. They accept this until proven otherwise.

 

 OUSIDE  OUS IDER R SA󰁍󰁐L SA󰁍󰁐LEE EN ENANGL ANGLE󰁍E E󰁍ENS NS Choose one romantic and one general. If none of these fit, see the full Appendix for more sample Entanglements, or write your own. ROMANTIC ROMANTIC

 _____ and I love one another, but that will change if they learn of my history with _____. I love _____, but their sibling, _____, considers me beneath them. I rejected _____, but _____—who I desire—loves them. GENERAL GENERAL

I’ve learned my friend _____ has been betrayed by their teacher _____ but they will never believe me. I took part in a crime against _____, my friend _____’s sibling. My friend _____, suspects _____ of evil, but I remain steadfastly loyal.

EXA󰁍󰁐LE SUDY 󰁑UESIONS What’s wrong with this place? REBEL: What’s the best way around official attention? TRICKSTER: Who is most nervous about being revealed? TRICKSTER: WANDERER: Who here needs my help? WANDERER:

󰀷󰀱

 

󰀷󰀲

 Thee St  Th Stud uden entt Pl Play aybo boook THINK OF: Yilin from Smiling, Proud Wander Wanderer  er  PL Y THIS CHARACTER PLAY CH R CTER IF… IF…  you want to play the innocent in a complex world

of corruption and falsehoods, revealing truth through your questions. PLAYER PLA YER AGENDA: A GENDA

Embrace sincerity   Speak obliquely about the heart   Play with everyone’s Entanglements   Act in the service of something greater    Revel in naïveté  

 SUDEN ROLE  SUDEN ROLESS Pick One: HOPEFUL APPRENTICE: HOPEFUL PPRENTICE: You have to prove yourself and your natural talent.

When youmark battle your Scale, you do not lose immediately. You may anysomeone Elementabove to keep your clearly-superior foe busy. This gives others breathing room to perform other actions, protect people, or get something they came for. If you do this to cover the group’s escape, then everyone gets away, including yourself. TEMPLE WANDERER: You belong to a temple, but have decided (or have been TEMPLE told to) explore the temporal world. When wearing your temple attire, locals treat you with respect and even bandits may think twice before attacking. You may ask for and be given hospitality while travelling. YOUNGER SIBLING: You understand devotion and dedication even in the face YOUNGER of suffering. When you spend a Bond to gain a bonus on your roll, you gain +2 instead of +1.

 

 SUDEN  SUD EN 󰁍OVES 󰁍OVES Pick Two: BL DE HEART: BLADE HE RT: When you attempt to change the loyalty or purpose of a worthy

agent of the Villain, roll. On a 10+ your words reach them. They will act to aid They maythem comehesitate. with you,Choose go to face theiryour master, or flee. On ayou 7-9right yournow. words make whether words plant doubts in their mind or if they take inadvertent action to assist you. On a miss, they fool you with a seeming change of heart. FFACE CE TO FATE: F TE: At the start of a session, roll 2d6 without any Element. On a 6- mark XP and the GM gains a soft move from fate for later use. On a hit, write down the roll result. At any time during the session, you may swap this roll result for any result belonging to t o you or your allies. You or your ally then adds the Element and resolves the roll as usual. The swapped-out roll goes away and no one marks XP for it. If the roll has not been swapped by the end of the session, it goes away. LISTENING LISTENI NG SNOW LISTENING SNOW TOWER: You’re inexperienced, but somehow you alone value wisdom. When you offer advice to another PC and they ignore it, you take +1 Ongoing to rescue them from their self-inflicted troubles. THE PROUD YOUTH: When you seek the guidance of an elder, either in the present or a flashback, tell them the challenge you face and roll. On a hit, they tell you what to do. On a 10+ they reveal their own secret connection to the problem. If you listen to the elder’s advice, take +1 Ongoing for the problem. If you go your own way, mark XP. On a miss, they don’t have time for you because of shocking events; mark an Element. RAGE & PASSION: Roll after someone has embarrassed themselves or offended someone else. On a hit, if it is simply in the fiction, you may change

something said into softer words. If it is a failed move, you reduce the effect from the GM hard move to a soft move. Depending on the situation, a 10+ may skip over it completely. On a miss, you worsen the offense. S CRIFICE:  When you mark the Wounded box, all of your allies gain +1 SACRIFICE: Forward. SMILING, PROUD WANDERER: This is your chance to see and learn about the world. Once per scene, you may ask one question from Study without rolling. STATE ST ATE TE OF DIVINITY: DIV DIVIN INITY: ITY: When you use Comfort & Support in a conflict situation to clear an ally’s Wounded box, you may clear an Element on someone as well (including yourself).

󰀷󰀳

 

󰀷󰀴

 SUDEN  SUD EN SA󰁍󰁐L SA󰁍󰁐LEE EN ENANGL ANGLE󰁍E E󰁍ENS NS Choose one romantic and one general. If none of these fit, see the full Appendix for more sample Entanglements, or write your own. ROMANTIC ROMANTIC

I love _____, but my teacher, _____, killed someone dear to them.  _____ advised me not to pursue _____, but secretly wooed them. I humiliated myself in front of _____, who I desire, and _____ will not let anyone forget it. GENERAL GENERAL

My teacher, _____, has passed me over in favor of _____, my rival. I suspect _____ of evil, but _____, who I respect, believes in them. My senior, _____, disapproves of me, and my friend _____, agrees with them.

EXA󰁍󰁐LE SUDY 󰁑UESIONS How can I impress everyone? APPRENTICE: What isn’t my master telling me? TEMPLE WANDERER: Who here shows respect and devotion? TEMPLE YOUNGER SIBLING:  What has my sibling done? YOUNGER

 

 Thee Un  Th Unoort rtho hodo doxx Pl Play aybo book ok THINK OF: Liu Jinxi from Dragon PL Y THIS CHARACTER PLAY CH R CTER IF… IF… you want to hide something about yourself and

have a weird secret that shapes your world. PLAYER PLA YER AGENDA: A GENDA

Embrace sincerity   Speak obliquely about the heart   Play with everyone’s Entanglements   Act in the service of something greater    Conceal your truth  

UNORHODOX ROLES Pick One: ACCIDENTAL:  You

say you don’t know martial arts and you believe that. But

you tumble through and flummox opponents. You have asomehow Style Element, but no style orconflicts weapons beyond what you mistakenly pick up. It could be luck, a curse, or forgotten teachings. The first time you fight a named opponent, you gain +1 Forward. However, in every fight, you must always show your opponent mercy. HIDDEN:  You hide your martial skills. You flee enemies, e nemies, run from duty, or protect someone secretly. When you fight—against named foes or troops—you may hide your stance. They will not recognize your skill. If you win at a cost, you may offer discovery. On a miss, your opponent realizes you’re unusual. You have +1 Ongoing to Hearts & Minds to convince someone that you’re ordinary. If another PC tries to pierce your disguise, resolve that as a PC vs. PC Duel. At any time you may choose to fully reveal yourself. Choose a role from a different playbook and completely replace this move with that one. PRODIGY:  You have great power, perhaps beyond your ability to control. You may be untrained, cursed, or gifted with these techniques. Once per session, you may roll an additional die after rolling and take the two highest results. If you do, you create a problematic fallout on a 7-9 result..

󰀷󰀵

 

󰀷󰀶

UNORHODOX 󰁍OVES Pick Two: FE RLESS FIGHTERS: When you have your Style Element marked, you may opt FEARLESS

to continue fighting by rolling +# of Elements marked (max. +3). If you do so and have to mark an Element, you must mark Wounded and cannot continue fighting. THE GOLDEN LION: You have a loyal pet. It has been trained and responds to your commands. Describe its attributes. Once per session, your pet may intercept a physical threat; they take the injury and are out of action until the next session. HIS N NAME ME IS NOBODY: When you deliberately head off alone into a dangerous situation, roll and mark XP. On a 10+ you’re ready for the challenge; take +1 Forward. On a 7-9, you’re unready—the enemy can act before you. The GM will say how (even the Scale, seize something, change the locale, reveal a trap, close off escape, frame you, etc.). On a miss, you fall into their trap or ambush. KID WITH THE GOLDEN GOLDEN ARM: RM:  When you try to break something which can be broken, roll. On a hit, you break it. On a 10+ you do so spectacularly or with impressive control. You may create cracks, etch a trace around a character, shatter into powder, break later, or collapse something massive (like an inn). On a 7-9 you simply break it or you may take the 10+ result by marking an Element. On a miss, choose: mark Element or have your breaking go horribly awry. SH DOW BOXING: A secret group or order aids you. You may not be aware of SHADOW their assistance. Once per session, you can flashback to some preparation, interference, or negotiation they’ve done on your behalf. Describe it and roll. On a hit, they succeed. On a 7-9 they do so with attention or reduced effect. On a miss, their interference causes you more trouble than help.   TASTE T STEOF OFCOLD COLDSTEEL: STEEL: A a situation looking for potential trouble, you may freely  When ask oneyou of Study these two questions in addition to your regular Hold: Who here is looking to cause trouble? What trouble is X looking to cause? You gain +1 Forward when you interfere with that trouble. TEN MILES OF PEACH PE CH BLOSSOMS: You have +1 Ongoing when interacting with common, salt-of-the-earth folk. You know how to show them you’re one of their own. W WAY Y OF OF CHOICES:  When you defeat a named foe, you may humiliate them comically if you show them mercy. You don’t mark XP but instead gain a Bond with them. You may also choose a person or group who now views your opponent in a different way. Say who the group is, as well as how the group now sees the named foe.

 

UNORHODOX UNORHOD OX SA󰁍󰁐LE ENANGLE󰁍ENS ENANGLE󰁍ENS Choose one romantic and one general. If none of these fit, see the full Appendix for more sample Entanglements, or write your own. ROMANTIC ROMANTIC

I disguised myself to get close to _____, but _____, their lover, suspects and hates me. I still pursue _____, who rejected me, despite the interference of _____, who holds an unrequited love. I am engaged to _____, but have fallen in love with their sibling, _____. GENERAL GENERAL

My master, _____, has secretly trained me as part of a revenge plot against my friend, _____. My sibling, _____, and I were separated at birth and _____ raised them to destroy my clan.  _____ knows my my secret secret and threaten threatenss to tell tell my friend friend _____ _____ who who will will not understand why I’ve deceived them.

EXA󰁍󰁐LE SUDY 󰁑UESIONS What’s the best place to hide? ACCIDENTAL:  Who seems most upset by my apparent skill? HIDDEN: Who seems most suspicious of me? PRODIGY: What here shouldn’t I break?

󰀷󰀷

 

󰀷󰀸

 Cussto  Cu tom m Mo Moves ves HEARTS OF WULIN allows

players to create new moves as part of advancing. Custom moves can be based on a player character’s fighting style, but may encompass other aspects or approaches. Players can take this advance

twice. Custom moves shouldn’t duplicate or supersede moves from another playbook. Players should check in with the table to make sure their concept for a custom move doesn’t step into someone else’s niche. If the player wants some models for moves outside the standard six playbooks, look through the new moves in the Fantastic (“Supernatural (“Supernatural Wuxia” on page 157 157)) and Courtly (“Playing Courts & Politics” on page 123) 123) variant sections.

HOW O CREAE 󰁍OVES PbtA moves generally fall into three forms, but many variants exist: FORM ONE: Roll. On a hit you succeed. On a 10+ you get full effect and/or a FORM bonus. On a 7-9 you get a partial effect or there’s a cost/complication.

EXA󰁍󰁐LE: BLADE DANCER When you whirl and weave in a brilliant display of your technique in an eort to keep everyone’s attention, roll. ON A HIT  for a time all eyes are upon you. An ally may act without observation due to your distraction (rescuing someone, stealing something, moving past, etc). ON 10+  you may create a Bond with an ally or observer, impressed by your skills. ON A MISS

 your actions draw attention to what you hoped to conceal.

FORM TWO: This move gives you a situational bonus, change to a basic move,

access to a new approach, or another ongoing effect.

EXA󰁍󰁐LE: S󰁐INNING S󰁐EAR SOR󰁍 When you Deal with Troops , you may handle two different groups at the same time. You keep both occupied and apply your effects equally.

 

FORM ORM THREE: Roll. On a 10+ you generate X Hold; on a 7-9 you generate

X