The Good

Otoyo Izumo

Occupation: Noble Woman
Skills: Politics, Etiquette, Koto (stringed musical instrument)
Motivation: To ensure the continuation of the house of Izumo
Weaknesses: Unable to exert power directly Lady Otoyo is the wife of Lord Izumo, the Daimyo (feudal lord) of Kishu Han. The province of Kishu contain many prosperous towns and peasant communities who support Izumo. He in turn must pay taxes to the Shogunate.

Only a few people know that recently Lord Izumo was struck by an assassin's arrow and has become critically ill with a brain fever. Otoyo and some of the Lord's closest advisers realize that Izumo may never recover; they suspect the arrow was coated with poison. She wishes to keep this a secret, since her only son is still an infant and she fears what may happen if the Shogunate discovered that Lord Izumo is no longer capable of leading the house.

Otoyo and the Izumo's advisers have acted secretly to make it appear as if Izumo was not seriously ill. But he now never leaves his gardens except in the confines of a palanquin (an enclosed litter which is carried by retainers). Otoyo does not know how long she can keep this deception up, but her organizational skills and strong will have since made her the power behind the Izumo household.

Kosuke Haga
Occupation: Samurai
Skills: Swordsmanship (Katana and Wakizashi)
Motivation: To learn about the world
Weaknesses: Trusting, Compassionate

Kosuke is the youngest son of Lord Haga, a prominent Daimyo. He is intelligent and contemplative and as a result is not very talkative, preferring to think situations through before jumping to conclusions. Although born a privileged nobleman, Kosuke wished to see more of the country and was granted permission by his father to study at the Shogunate's school in the far-off city of Edo (the capital of old Japan, now the site of Tokyo). Kosuke deliberately allowed himself to become sidetracked on his journey to the school, visiting ? townships and local temples, and learning something of the martial arts from various teachers. This gave him an appreciation of the peasants' life and he has respect for their simple, hard existence (an unusual attitude for a noble).

After studying at the Shogunate's school for two years, he decided to return to his family. While travelling home, he met a young woman called Okan and fell in love with her. He is currently staying in her home town and is trying to convince her to come home with him so they can be married. She seems unwilling to travel with him; Kosuke cannot understand her stubbornness and is going to insist that she accompany him soon.

Miyoshi Nomura
Occupation: Zen Buddhist priest
Skills: Meditation, Zen Wisdom
Motivation. To reach enlightenment and help others
Weaknesses: Overly persistent

Miyoshi is a Buddhist who wears the saffron orange robes of a beggar monk. He wanders from town to town, begging alms from others, visiting temples, and living a life of peaceful contemplation. He is about forty, although his shaved head and boyish grin make him appear younger. He likes trying to help people, often by pointing out their inability to change and the troubles it causes them. He can't reiist meddling in other people's affairs and this has occasionally caused problems with those who don't appreciate interference from a lowly beggar monk. Miyoshi's sense of humor, quick wit, and simple wisdom have made him many friends, however.

Certain important officials favor him, and he has been a guest of the Izumo family on more than one occasion: he can seek aid from these unexpected quarters if he needs to. People have a tendency to overlook him, since lowly monks are not expected to have any influence in the echelons of power. This makes him a good source of information, since he is often able to eavesdrop on conversations among disreputable types.

In so doing, he has been able to discover and warn people about impending bandit attacks and once uncovered a spy acting against the Izumo family

The Bad

Hiraga Tamao
Occupation: Kabuki Actor
Skills: Acting, Disguise
Motivation: Fame and his career
Weaknesses: Single-minded, overambitious

Hiraga was trained as a Kabuki actor from a very young age and has traveled extensively with different troupes performing the popular Kabuki plays. He is an exceptional young actor, but he lacks the discipline and control that experience provides. He is not, however, content to simply wait until his contributions are recognized; he wants to rise in prestige by insinuating himself among high ranking Lords and officials.

He is very manipulative and has flattered and cajoled his way into a highly regarded troupe under the instruction of Sakata Tojuro, a recognized master of Kabuki.

Hiraga's ambition has been noticed by the Anesaki Ninja, who realize that an ally in the theatre could be useful. They have arranged to advance Hiraga's career through the influence of their master Lord Haga, who has the troupe perform before important audiences.

In return, they gain access to officials' homes disguised as part of the troupe's retainers. Hiraga does not realize that by cooperating with the Anesaki he will never be free of their influence. They will continue to ask for greater and more dangerous favors which he will be unable to refuse, lest they expose him as a spy against the Shogunate.

Kikuma Hanji
Occupation: Ronin/Assassin
Skills: Swordsmanship, Brawling, Stealth
Motivation: Money
Weaknesses: Carousing, Secret criminal

Kikuma is a swordsman who wanders the land looking for work as a temporary retainer - he is a Watarikachi or mercenary. The Watarikachi are low- ranking samurai hired by less-powerful Daimyo who can't afford to permanently keep hundreds of retainers. They hire Watarikachi only when they need extra soldiers to guard their Han (province and lands), or to bolster their numbers in military processions. Kikuma's alliances change according to his employment and he feels no particular duty to any one lord.

Nor does he follow the strict code of conduct (known as bushido or "the way of the warrior") that other samurai do. His skill with a sword is formidable, but he kills with a mixture of brute strength and speed rather than any developed style of swordsmanship.

When he cannot find work with a Daimyo's troops, he carries out assassinations to make money and spends his idle hours in the red light districts. If his involvement in such activities were ever discovered, he would be executed. Families who have lost sons to Kikuma's sword would pay handsomely for information about the assassin's identity and location.

Yoshi Anesaki
Occupation: Kunoichi (Female Ninja)
Skills: Spy, Tanto (knife), Stealth, Poisons
Motivation: To serve her clan/Lord Haga
Weaknesses: Quick temper

Yoshi is a Ninja, one of the silent killers and spies of the noble families. The Anesaki clan belongs to part of the spy network that serves the Daimyo Lord Haga, and has a long history of training their sons and daughters in the skills of ninjutsu. Yoshi is an expert in killing by stealth and deception, especially with poisons ingested in food or drink.

Yoshi has been ordered to secure a position within the household of Lord Seizan, spy on the family, and determine if they have any weaknesses that could be exploited. The lands of Lord Seizan lie next to those of Lord Haga, and if Seizan could be revealed as a traitor against the Shogunate (the military dictatorship of Japan), they will order his house to be disbanded. Seizan would then have to commit seppuku (ritual suicide), and his lands could be claimed by

Haga as part of a reward for revealing such treachery. Yoshi has been sent to evaluate whether planting evidence against the house of Seizan will be effective.

The Ugly

Okan
Type: Fox Woman (Kitsune)
Skills: Shapeshifter, Charm, Cause Trance
Motivation: To entrance a human husband
Weaknesses: Bound to her home

In Japan, foxes are believed to be spirits capable of bewitching people. Their powers can cloud the human mind and a person may find himself wandering aimlessly through the fields after being led astray by a fox's spell. More malicious fox spirits may even lead a person into a dangerous situation. Foxes are also capable of assuming human form and then entrancing a helpless human to fall in love with them.

Okan is a fox maiden who noticed Kosuke Haga as he was traveling through the countryside. She immediately took a liking to him and when she saw bandits waiting to attack him on a lonely road, she confused their minds and helped him fight them off. She followed him, transformed herself into a beautiful woman, and told him she lived in the village of Miya. Okan regularly meets with Kosuke, who is staying in Miya.

Although her magic has prevented him from asking awkward questions about her family and home life, she knows she must soon tell him the truth (since he must eventually leave to visit his family). Okan truly does love Kosuke and will not use her magic to force him to stay. She fears she will lose him if she tells him the truth, but if she doesn't and travels with him she fears she may weaken and die, since her spirit is bonded to the countryside around Miya.

If Kosuke has faith in her and loves her for what she truly is, it may be enough to let her leave her home for a while, but she knows she must eventually return.

"Danjo"
Type: Vampiric Cat
Skills: Cause sleep, move silently, attack with claws
Motivation: To feed on blood
Weaknesses: Needs to feed to survive, can only appear at night

"Danjo" has the appearance of a young peasant boy of about eight years old, but its true form is of a monstrous cat. The cat is a night spirit that must feed on human blood: if it kills its victim and buries the body, it can then assume the likeness of that person. The cat has recently killed the real Danjo, a farmer's son whom the peasants believe has run away.

The cat has appeared to Danjo's mother at night, making the other family members fall into a deep sleep so it can feed from her. She thinks it is Danjo appearing to her in a dream, but she has grown listless and weak from loss of blood and will die unless the cat is stopped.

The cat also uses its Danjo form to waylay travellers (who take pity on the small boy crying on the roadside at dusk). If they let him into their camp, they will soon fall into a deep dreamless sleep. The cat will then feed on them, and they will awaken tired and dizzy in the morning. If attacked, the cat will resume its true form and attempt to escape: hissing, spitting and attacking people with its sharp claws.

If a body of one of the cat's victims is found and blessed, the cat cannot assume that person's form any more. If all its victims are so blessed, it will have to revert to its cat form and will be banished ftom the area.

Jabo
Type: Oni
Skills: Wakizashi (Sword), Shapeshifter, Invisibility
Motivation: Wealth, Human comforts
Weaknesses: Sake

There are two types of Oni - the horseheaded Oni of the spirit plane who search out sinners and carry them back to bell, and the Oni of earth who are hairy and deformed supernatural beings.

The Oni of earth can change their shape, appearing as human beings or even inanimate objects in order to trick people. They can also vanish from sight, visible only to the very virtuous, such as holy men or the pure of heart. An Oni's body must be exorcised after it is slain; otherwise, the Oni will not be truly killed and will return in a few weeks.

Jabo is an Oni of earth, typically ugly in appearance, with three eyes, horns, and clawed hands. He is not particularly evil, just rather self. centered and not too bright. He is fascinated by the world of humans and wishes to live in comfort and luxury as they do.

His preoccupation leads him to travel extensively, ambushing other travelers in order to obtain human finery and money. He doesn't usually kill to get what he wants; rather, he appears in one of his numerous human disguises and then uses threats or trickery to get his victims to give him their possessions.

However, if a fight ensues, he goes into a blind rage and can be very dangerous. His great weakeness is sake, which he has developed quite a taste for. If he gets too drunk, he cannot maintain his human disguise and will revert to his true appearance.