HITOKAGE

| Part One | Part Two | Part Three | Part Four |

By The Hitokage Production Committee

Chapter Six: The World of Darkness

Attitude Towards Others

"Knowledge is power."
-- Bacon

During the past 1200 years, the Shogun of the Hitokage Samurai has accumulated a vast quantity of knowledge concerning the other clans, organisations and individuals of both the World of Darkness and the World of Light. Information is a key weapon in the arsenal of the Hitokage Samurai. Wars are frequently lost through ignorance and under estimation of the enemy. The information is largely un-biased and generally regarded as the most comprehensive in the world.

When an individual is initiated, she is taught what each of the other Kindred groups stand for along with their beliefs and philosophies. The various groups are, where possible, broken down into each of their component members and separately with thediscussed initiate. By the time they are ready to undertake their first mission, they are well versed about what to expect from the other individuals they may come across.

"The Jyhad is a fool's game. The Clans, as they call themselves, struggle amongst themselves, scrape and dig for power that they will never have. And while they are doing this, they ignore the true enemy. The Kagemusha are amongst them, they are using them, and still the Kindred don't notice this. Are they so blind that they don't see, or are they so blind that they don't care?"

The Hitokage Samurai have little patience with most of the Clans of the Camarilla. The constant power struggle between these Clans and their complete lack of respect for the Ningenti-ki and their destiny causes a great deal of concern to both the Jin'ei and the Hitokage Samurai alike. While they will not go to the extent that the Assamites have, they will not tolerate the wanton destruction of the Ningenti-ki if it is seen. The Hitokage Samurai firmly believe that the Camarilla will eventually destroy itself.

Brujah: These anarchists are truly dangerous. Their efforts to overthrow their own establishment is only serving to make the task of the Kagemusha easier. Their only saving grace is perhaps their skill and philosophies of combat. Many of these individuals have been destroyed fighting for what they believe in; they never yield and they must be respected for this as it is honour, even if they do not view it as such.

Caitiff: These individuals must be pitied for they have no purpose or direction. For someone to create such pathetic creatures must take immense malice and evil. Their general ignorance forces them to serve others, often as nothing more than expendable pawns. We cannot interfere with their destiny, although it causes us great pains to see them exploited and subsequently destroyed.

Gangrel: These creatures are largely honourable and their trust of the Jugenti-ki can only be a good thing. They seem to have little to do with the rest of the Camarilla, living solitary existences. But they still feel the need to create others of their kind, frequently leaving them to fend for themselves. Although this is infrequent, we cannot condone these actions. Aside from this, they are probably the most honourable of all the Camarilla.

Malkavian: To persecute these creatures for their insanity would bring grave dishonour, but their attitudes and actions frequently contradict one another. We have witnessed actions performed by these individuals that could not possibly have come from the minds of the insane. From this, we have drawn the conclusion that they are not as insane as they pretend to be. If they are indeed telling untruths, these lies must be so complete that they believe them themselves. Their foolish pranks have gained the distrust of many in the Camarilla; fortunately we are not so dead as to have lost our sense of humour, provided that the jest has not resulted in the deaths of others.

Nosferatu: The knowledge that these beings possess could result in the destruction of the Camarilla, but they choose to impart this knowledge carefully and for this they must be respected. We do not trust them entirely, our information vastly exceeds theirs and to place even some of it with them would jeopardise our own destiny.

Toreador: These are truly worthless wretches, obsessed with luxury and material possessions. When all is said and done, these creatures are too wrapped up in their own hedonistic values to be of any use or threat to us. Their destiny lies in flames, but they are too foolish to realise this.

Tremere: It is said that true hatred is timeless; if this is true then none deserve it more than these twisters of reality. They boast that they are the true saviours of the Kindred but they are nothing more than scum. They have denied their true destiny in their endless quest for power. If they do not destroy themselves, then we must accomplish that task. We know more about them than they know of us and we must be careful to maintain this, for if these evil manipulators knew how much power we hold they would surely try to gain it for themselves. Some of the Clan Elders have limited knowledge of us and this causes us continual concern. Although this knowledge is very limited, we have no idea how they came by it. They are second only to the Kagemusha in gaining our contempt and hatred.

Ventrue: It is relatively common in Kindred society for the quest from power to become all consuming and it is because of this that they are so dangerous. They are continually manipulated into doing the bidding of others on a promise of greater power, yet still they remain oblivious to this fact. The Kagemusha constantly use this Clan when they cannot find anyone else foolish enough to act for them. They will be their own undoing and we will not interfere with this destiny for it is what they deserve.

There are many other clans who claim to be independant and frequently in direct opposition to the Camarilla. The Hitokage Samurai have, again, come into contact with most of them.

Assamites: We have fought many battles with these creatures. They were among the first of the Western Clans to reach our shores. Their original goal was one of great honour; to protect the Ningenti-ki, they prey on the predators.

Thankfully, they have gained greater understanding of our organisation and its purposes and although this understanding is limited, their attacks on us have ceased. They are powerful warriors and we respect them for this and the fact that they fight with honour. In centuries passed we have depleted each others numbers significantly in meaningless battles. Meaningless as we both have the same purpose; we both now understand this. We will not interfere with their destiny, provided that they do not interfere with ours. It seems strange that we have found many allies amongst this group, our only fear is that we may, someday, have to repay the favour -- if indeed they view it this way.

Followers of Set: They worship a Great Old One and enslave anyone who challenges their beliefs. If our information is correct, they appear to be awaiting the time when their Great Old One returns to this realm of existence. Who do they think he will feed upon when he arrives? For the most part these individuals can be viewed as fairly harmless fools, but we will continue to observe them for the time being, for there is always the possibility that they are correct.

Giovanni: These despicable beings have no respect for the souls of the dead, yet they give the impression that they are harmless, respectable beings. Do not be fooled by the facade; evil runs deep within their hearts and minds. It is hoped that they will destroy themselves before they can cause much damage, but this is becoming increasingly unlikely. Some say that they are close to learning the Truth but the real truth is that they have lost their way, and the path they now follow will lead to their destruction.

Salubri: Our records show that these individuals are possibly the most unusual of all the Western Clans. The are mercilessly hunted and persecuted for their beliefs, but it is these very beliefs that will save them from the terrible destiny that will claim the rest. They are very small in number and we fear that they teeter on the brink of oblivion. We honour them for the choices that they make; they feed only when required. They care little for power and view their own existences as torture. Though we do not hold with their belief that Golconda will provide true enlightenment, they end their existences shortly after achieving this. Out of all the Western Clans, it is the Salubri who we feel that we will share the secrets of The Ningen-noso with when the Saachaa finally return from their quest.

Daughters of Cacophony: A strange groups of creatures indeed. As far as we are concerned, they share far too many similarities with the dreadful Toreador, Both Clans will undoubtedly share the same fate, and this is nothing more than they deserve.

Samedi: We know this Clan to be young, but their lack of experience has not prevented them from becoming truly powerful and fearsome opponents. On the occasions when we have come into contact with them, their mere presence has caused our warriors considerable damage. The energy trapped within us provides us with some degree of protection against these creatures; we have heard tales of them reducing other vampires to rotting piles of flesh with the minimum of effort. We know that they have some knowledge of us but we believe this to be minimal verging on nothing more than rumours. We must keep it this way, at least until we have a better idea of how to fight them.

Other Groups

Sabbat: This is a truly dangerous group, and are possibly the most evil of all the Western Clans. Although we have had little contact with these individuals, we know them to be diabolic fiends. The Kagemusha will often run secretly with Sabbat Packs; they enjoy their murderous rituals and behavior. They show almost as little respect for the Ningenti-ki as the Kagemusha. They are a tightly organised group who are very powerful. Doubtless we will have to deal with them once again, but for the time being we must only do what we can to preserve the destiny of the Ningenti-ki. Inconnu: Few of our number have come into contact with these beings. They are reserved and secretive, and take little to do with the affairs of the lesser Western vampires. They are old and powerful and must be treated with extreme caution. Our old order was known to a few of the oldest of their kind and we fear that they still believe that we are those terrible Shadows of ancient history. We have had no contact with them for over 1000 years now and we can only hope that the passing years have dulled their minds to the deeds of the past.

Jugenti-ki (Werewolves): There is a legend within our society that tells of a time when the world of the Jugenti-ki and the world of the Ningenti-ki were one. It was at this time some of these spirits from that world found love with the mortals of this world. When the gods discovered this, they severed the link between the two worlds and the mortals and the beast-men were parted, never to meet again. The resultant offspring of the mortal females had the powers of both these worlds. Again, the gods were displeased at this and sent the spirits of the void to hunt them down and destroy them. The spirits decided that these individuals would be more use to them alive so they could use them as pawns in their battle against the gods.

When the gods heard of this they immediately banished the spirit assassins back to the void. Realising that they could do little against the offspring without intervening directly, they removed most of the powers from them, bringing pain and suffering to each. It was hoped that the suffering that the offspring suffered would prevent them from spreading, but it only succeeded in bringing them closer together. They formed communities and left mortal society. As we believe they have close links to the spirit world of the Jugenti-ki, we hold their kind in the highest esteem. To us, they are still known by the name Jugenti-ki.

Ningenti-ki (Mortals): The vast majority of the Ningenti-ki have no knowledge of us at all, for they would fear us. We represent no threat to them at all; our destiny is to protect them from the Kagemusha and guide them to their ultimate destiny. The Jin'ei consists of some Ningenti-ki who have gained our trust and have fought side by side with us through the ages. Although our mortality is the one thing that we mourn the loss of the most, we do not envy them. They are honoured for the choices that they have made and we will continue to lay down our lives for them as they have done for us on countless occasions.

Children of Wu: These beings are a mystery to all. They have no known name to us but legend exists about some in the world of the Ningenti-ki angering the Gods. In response to this, the Gods created beings that would pass for mortals but could not be killed as such. These beings failed in their task, so the Gods created more like them in order to destroy the originals. Since then, they beings have battled though time, some protecting the Ningenti-ki and others hunting them.

These beings keep appearing from time to time in the world of the Ningenti-ki, keeping the numbers fairly constant and, although some still protect and other hunt the Ningenti-ki, their main battle seems to be with themselves.

Some of these beings exist within the Jin'ei and are respected for the knowledge and power that they possess, these individuals also believe that the Ningenti-ki have a great destiny and aid us whenever possible.

Mahou-tsukai: To twist reality for ones own ends is a truly despicable thing. Mortals who study this art are generally not to be trusted. However, in our experience we have found Mahou-tsukai that study the art in order to benefit others in the fight in the coming darkness. Many of these individuals have come to us in order to aid us in our fight against the Kagemusha. Unfortunately, the numbers in the Jin'ei do not match the quantity of evil Mahou-tsukai who work for the Kagemusha. The Mahou-tsukai within the Jin'ei have earned our respect as their gifts and powers have aid us in the continuing battle.

The World of the Hitokage

As detailed in Chapter One, the original Hitokage vampires reined terror on the world of the mortals for millennia. Then came The Change, the deciding moment in the history of the Hitokage. The two factions split and have been battling each other through time to the present day.

When the Portuguese arrived in Japan in the Mid 1500's, they brought with them foreign ideals, materials and philosophies. They also brought with them information about the outside world. Lands of wealth, opulence, and most importantly a world that had never seen the likes of the Hitokage before. It was not long before the Kagemusha had changed their objective of rule over Japan to world domination. They knew that the further they spread themselves across the globe, the less chance they had of running up against the Hitokage Samurai. So they went, and for the next 100 years they spread insidiously westward, murdering the mortals, destroying those vampires who would not serve them, and expanding their own diabolical bloodline. When the Hitokage Samurai learned of this they mobilised all of their available forces.

Destiny was at hand; the great war that the Hitokage Samurai Priestesses had foretold was now upon them. Hopelessly out-numbered, they battled across the continents, their numbers diminishing with each battle. And so we come to the present day. The battle still rages and the Hitokage Samurai are still out-numbered, but they believe that they must not fail in their war, they will not surrender and will continue until the Kagemusha have been destroyed or the last warrior falls.

The great war has gained the attention of other beings although they have no real idea of who is behind it. The large quantity of vampires destroyed is generally put down to the actions of the Sabbat or lone groups of Caitiff by the Camarilla, the Sabbat themselves merely view the destruction as part of their own war. The Inconnu, however, are largely unaware as they take little interest in the doings of the lower vampires.

The Hitokage Samurai are undaunted by the scale of the battle ahead -- they must succeed, at all costs.

The mortal world has limited knowledge. Various organisations have, over the past 100 years or so, have become aware of the existence of vampires and other supernatural creatures, but they are usually dismissed as fools. There are, however, certain groups of individuals whos actions against vampires cause concern. They are known only as The Hunters, of which there are two distinct orders. The Western order have been around for a few centuries and seem to treat all vampires as the enemy which, for the most part, is true. The Eastern order are very different, the knowledge that they possess is truly incredible for mortals. They have been around for many centuries and they know each vampire clan for what it is. Most of these men and women are descended from the warrior monks and holy men of ancient Japan, and they are a small but powerful group. Both the Hitokage Samurai and the Kagemusha are known to them, but the order is closed and the secrets they hold will remain unknown to the Western order. They know the Hitokage Samurai for what they are -- Warriors against the Kagemusha (and most other vampire clans) and to this end have agreed to leave them to fulfil their destiny, but they will continue to observe as they do not entirely trust them.

Neither the Hitokage Samurai nor the Kagemusha can lay claim to control any particular area. The battle has taken the protagonists so far across the globe that even the beloved cities of the homeland have fallen to other clans. The Kagemusha do not really care about this fact; after all, what is Japan compared to the rest of the world. The Hitokage Samurai, although distraught about the loss, believe that their destiny lies elsewhere and perhaps when the battle is over, they will return and reclaim their homeland.

The Kagemusha, as mentioned before, prefer to spread their forces keeping as few together as possible. This serves to make them difficult targets, and if a group is destroyed another can be moved in to take its place. The Hitokage Samurai have a strict structure; they believe that order will defeat the chaos that is the Kagemusha. Every major city across the world has an underground temple where the Hitokage Samurai can meet and new initiates are trained. These temples are protected by the powerful magic of the Mahou-tsukai, so much so that even if anyone stumbled upon one they would not see it. Secrecy is one of the few weapons that the Hitokage Samurai have left in this war.

Other Creatures in the World of Darkness

There are many other types of creature in the World of Darkness; most of these are found only in Japan but just as the Hitokage Samurai and Kagemusha have spread westward, so have many of these creatures. Most of these creatures have to be summoned from their home worlds buy Mahou-tsukai, the ones that live here are the results of failed summonings or bindings where the creature has killed the summoner. Rules for summoning can be found in Mage: The Ascension. These are all creatures of Japanese myth and legend, but this is subjective as every time a legend is told, it is slightly different.

It should be noted however, that these creatures are incredibly rare and the Storyteller should use them with extreme caution.

An Oni is roughly the Japanese equivalent of what the West knows as an Ogre. They are huge, muscular individuals with large, gaping fanged mouths. Their heads have large horns like those of bulls. Their skin color can be either red, blue or black leathery skin.

These creatures are very tough and any wound will heal at a fantastic rate. If a limb is amputated it will reconnect immediately to the body. Oni are largely unskilled, slow and cumbersome creatures; they usually carry a Kanabo (a large, spiked iron bar), with which they can do tremendous damage. Although largely unskilled, Oni are highly intelligent. Oni have the ability to transform themselves into beautiful woman so that they may conceal their true appearance. They have a predilection for human flesh and have been known to go to extreme lengths in order to get it. Legend says that the first female Oni (Hannya) was a woman whose extreme anger or jealousy transformed her forever. Although their homeworld is Jigoku (the Hell), some of them have found homes in the cities across the world where they exist in their human form.

Nature: Fanatic.
Demeanour: Deviant.

Attributes: Strength 7, Dexterity 3, Stamina 8, Charisma 0, Manipulation 2, Appearance 0, Perception 4, Intelligence 6, Wits 4.

Abilities: Brawl 6, Dodge 3, Intimidation 2, Melee 7.

Traits: Fortitude 4, Transformation (Oni to Human female).

Backgrounds: 3 at Storytellers discretion.

Willpower: 8.
Courage: 5.
Self-Control: 3 (They are a bad tempered lot).

Health Levels:

Scratched
Lightly Bruised
Bruised
Hurt	-1
Lightly Injured	-2
Injured	-2
Lightly Wounded	-3
Wounded	-3
Mauled	-4
Crippled	-5
Incapacitated
Dead

Weapon: Kanabo (Difficulty 6, Damage Strength + 8).

Notes: Damage is healed at 5 levels per round. Decapitation results in immediate death. Aggravated damage is not possible but they fear fire.

The tengu are a race of creatures far more powerful than human kind. They are considered to be the spirits of the mountainous areas in Japan. They are not found anywhere else in the world. There are several types of Tengu and these are:
• Daitengu "major tengu".
• Kurama Tengu "tengu of Mt. Kurama".
• Karasu Tengu "Kotengu (minor tengu)".

Daitengu, are the most typical type of Tengu encountered. They have the appearance of very tall men with long noses and red faces (the nose is considered to be the symbol of the Tengu). They usually wear a pair or Geta (Japanese wooden sandals) and carry a magical fan capable of creating tornado force winds. Some legends describe the Tengu wearing the robes of the Yamabuse (the costumes worn by Japanese mountain monks), these legends also say that fallen Yamabuse become Daitengu.

Karasu Tengu are also commonly encountered. They have the appearance of short humanoids with the head and wings of black crows. They serve the Daitengu.

It is said that the Tengu do not wish human society to become stable and hence more powerful that it currently is, so they constantly interfere and provoke civil disorder and wars. It is also said that many of the wars that Japan has been involved in over the years have been caused by the interference of these creatures.

They do not form alliances with others but have been known to work with individuals who wish to destablise order within the various cultures.

Nature: Malign
Demeanour: Aloof

Attributes: Strength 3, Dexterity 4, Stamina 3, Charisma 3, Manipulation 4, Appearance 3, Perception 4, Intelligence 6, Wits 5

Abilities: Brawl 3, Dodge 4, Intimidation 4, Melee 3, Subterfuge 4, Athletics 2, Linguistics 5

Backgrounds: 4 at Storytellers discretion

Willpower: 9
Courage: 8
Self-Control: 7

Health Levels:

Bruised
Hurt	-1
Injured	-2
Wounded	-3
Mauled	-4
Crippled	-5
Incapacitated
Dead

Weapon: Any traditional weapon, Magical fan.

The Kappa are vicious water spirits that dwell living in rivers and pools. They have the appearance of very large, upright turtles, with green scaled skin and a flat head.

Their favourite method of killing an opponent is to disembowl them. They are powerful warriors who love the Japanese art of Sumo (wrestling) and can rarely resist such a challenge. Sumo is also their preferred method of combat.

Their main weakness is that they cannot tolerate dehydration; if this occurs then they will die. It is because of this that they are rarely encountered far from water.

Nature: Bully
Demeanour: Bravo

Attributes: Strength 7, Dexterity 4, Stamina 7, Charisma 1, Appearance 2, Perception 4, Intelligence 2, Wits 3

Abilities: Brawl 6, Dodge 5, Intimidation 4, Melee 5, Athletics 2, Melee 5

Traits: Fortitude 3

Backgrounds: 2 at Storytellers discretion.

Willpower: 6
Courage: 8
Self-Control: 7

Health Levels:

Bruised
Hurt	-1
Injured	-2
Wounded	-3
Mauled	-4
Crippled	-5
Incapacitated
Dead

Weapon: None.

Notes: They fear fire and dehydration. Every scene that they are removed from water they will lose 1 health level.

These are creatures whos natural forms are that of wild animals, but frequently change themselves into human form in order to play tricks and pranks on people.

There are two main species of Henge; these are the Kitsune who have the natural appearance of foxes and Tanuki whos appearance is that of a raccoon dog. They are masters of transformation and hence can assume a human of any appearance.

The Kitsune usually transform into the form of a beautiful woman in order to seduce a human male, while the Tanuki prefer to assume the appearance of a human male (frequently a priest) or an artifact. One such hoax was played on a group of Saachaa who, needless to say, did not see the funny side. Often, the transformation of these creatures is incomplete and a sharp eyed individual may spot a cunningly hidden tail.

Besides being masters of transformation, they are also accomplished illusionists and frequently use this skill to play pranks. They have been known to dupe hungry travellers into thinking that the excrement from their horse is a tasty meal, or appealing to individuals greed by turning fallen leaves into money.

Whilst being regarded as pests by those who have fallen prey to their jokes, they have found certain other creatures who find the sense of humour funny, namely Malkavian wanderers who often seek them out for entertainment purposes.

Nature: Prankster
Demeanour: Innocent

Attributes: These stats should be generated at the Storytellers discretion for both forms.

Abilities: These stats should be generated at the Storytellers discretion for both forms.

Traits: Transformation, Illusion

Backgrounds: 3 at Storytellers discretion.

Willpower: 9
Courage: 5
Self-Control: 7

Health Levels: Standard small size animals, and standard human.

Weapon: None.

Notes: Terrible pranksters; they just can't help themselves!

The Gaki are a race of creatures that appear in Buddhist teachings. It is thought that when somebody dies they are reborn as another creature, in another world. There are six courses for rebirth below.
• Reborn as another human in this world.
• Reborn as an animal in this world.
• Rise up into the paradise, or Gokuraku.
• Fall to the hell, called Jigoku, and endure endless suffering.
• Reborn as a Shura, suffering endless battles.
• Reborn as a Gaki.
How the individual is reborn will depend on how they conducted themselves in their previous existences. If she lived an unvirtuous life, she will be cast into Jigoku for all eternity.

If she wasted precious food and water, she will be reborn as a Gaki in the world of Gakido. In this world, food and water are very scarce and though the Gaki will suffer endless hunger they are cursed never to die from it. They will consume everything in sight without regard as to what it is; they will even eat their own offspring.

It is often said in legend, that a Gaki will occasionally wander from their own world into this one. Once here they find lands of plenty and their tastes become more specific. They prefer to consume human flesh and especially blood.

When lone Gaki are encountered, they are frequently confused as being Ghouls and, albeit less frequently, as vampires as their appearance could be that of either.

Treat as per the the normal instructions for Ghouls with the following exceptions:

• They do not require the blood of a Vampire.
• They cannot die through lack of sustenance.
• They cannot use any of the Vampiric disciplines.

Commercial Interests

Respectable fronts are not uncommon to the World of Darkness. Take the Giovanni for example; their respectable front is almost impenetrable. The Jin'ei also require a front, not to maintain respectability as with the western Clans, but they are required to perform duties, supply equipment and arrange transport.

Both the Jin'ei and the Kagemusha own or have interests in commercial organisations. The organisations that the Kagemusha own will perform similar tasks, destabilising governments, supplying arms and munitions to terrorist groups, etc. The Jin'ei own and operate organisations that will aid in the battle against the Kagemusha, such as air transport and freight, data storage, etc.

There are many of these organisation that have either agreed to, or been coerced into aiding the Jin'ei or the Kagemusha respectively. The player character will not necessarily have any knowledge of this, but at the discretion of the Storyteller they may list some of them as Contacts.

Storytelling

Playing a Hitokage Samurai in a Chronicle should be viewed as a challenge. They have been created to be very powerful individuals, more than a match for their western counterparts. But there are a great many disadvantages that must be taken into account. They very rarely come into contact with other Clans as battles with them would result in their numbers being depleted even more. They keep their powers and teachings to themselves believing that if they were to fall into the hands of others they would tip the precarious balance of power.

They are not indestructible and should never be viewed as such; they can be destroyed in the same ways as their western brothers, but remember that they do not fear it.

The Rules and the Code of Honour are designed to equalise the characters strengths; if they were not in place Munchkins would have a field-day. These rules make the characters more difficult to play. The player is not allowed the freedom that most of the other Clans offer. In saying this, it should be noted that the Samurai of ancient Japan always adhered to the rules, their code of ethics and conduct were embodied in the Way of the Samurai and this strict regime was how they lived and died. To attempt to create a character such as this without the rules and codes would not be true to the original concept of the Samurai. Both the Storyteller and Player should keep this in mind.

The Storyteller must keep in mind the goals of the whole group at all times, remembering that it is unlikely that the objective of the Hitokage Samurai is the same as the other players (although it is not impossible). As previously mentioned, the Hitokage Samurai rarely associate themselves with others, but on occasions may find that it would be an advantage to do so. The reasons that the Hitokage Samurai have for being in a group with others should be carefully considered at the character generation phase. If this character is used in a mixed group, be prepared for absolute paranoia amongst the others.

Appendices

"There is a greater darkness than the one we fight; it is the darkness of the soul that has lost its way. The war we fight is not against powers and principalities; it is against chaos and despair. Greater than the death of the flesh is the death of hope, the death of dreams. Against this foe we can never surrender. The future is all around us, waiting in moments of transition and born in moments of revelation. No one knows the shape of that future or where it will take us. We only know that it is born in pain."
- Citizen G'kar

This section will detail some of the Hitokage Samurai and Kagemusha warriors that players may meet. They are presented in much the same way as the the character sheets you can download (see bottom of page) or the standard ones supplied in the White Wolf publications.

Notable Hitokage

Akemi Munashi

The history of the Shogun can be found in Chapter One: Introduction.

Name: The Shogun
Player: Storyteller
Nature: Judge
Demeanour: Director
Sex: Female
Sire: Noriyoshi Koeda
Generation: 4th
Age: 1200 (25)

Physical Attributes: Strength ******** Dexterity ******* Stamina *********

Social Attributes: Charisma ******** Manipulation ******* Appearance *********

Mental Attributes: Perception ******* Intelligence ********* Wits ********

Talents: Alertness ****** Brawl ******* Leadership ********* Empathy ****** Dodge ******** Intimidation *******

Skills: Firearms ****** Melee (Ken-jutsu) ********* Etiquette ******** Music ******** Stealth ******

Knowledges: Linguistics ****** Politics ****** Investigation ******** Occult ********* Medicine ****** Survival *********

Disciplines: Kokuei ********* Celerity ******* Fortitude ******** Auspex ******

Backgrounds: Contacts ****** Allies ****** Resources ******** Herd *********

Virtues: Conscience ******* Self Control ******** Courage *******

Measure of Ki: **********

Ki Disciplines: All known disciplines of Ki at maximum measure (5)

Humanity: **********

Willpower: **********

Blood Pool/Max per turn: 50/10

Weapons Carried: No-Dachi

Storytellers Notes: The Shogun should never feature directly in any chronicle. Her stats are only included here for reference.

Yoshikawa Yoshio

Born 1966 in Tokyo to a senior financial adviser and a Japanese actress. He was the youngest son of three children and as such always felt that he had to go one better than his brother and sister. This led him into trouble with the local law enforcement. Despairing, his father sent him to a Kendo school in the hope that it would teach him discipline and self-control.

The Daimyo of the school noticed the promise that Yoshio was displaying and decided to personally instruct him in the direction of the Ki energy flow. Unknown to the outside world, this Kendo school was a training ground for future Hitokage Samurai and when the Daimyo deemed that Yoshio had gained enough skill, he instructed one of the Priestesses to test him. The Priestess found that Yoshio would make and ideal warrior in the battle against the Kagemusha -- even if he was a little proud.

During the training, Yoshio realised that what his life was lacking was direction. Although he had no knowledge of the true purpose of the school, he felt that individuals within had some purpose. It was then that he met Kerry Fraser, another prospective initiate. She was much further along with her training and had been told of the purpose of the school. The priestess had told Kerry to inform Yoshio of the schools purpose and to ask him if he wished to join the fight. He agreed, partly out of curiosity and partly out of bravado - he wanted to further impress Kerry.

As the training progressed, Yoshio and Kerry grew closer and became lovers. Yoshio had trained quickly and was initiated before Kerry and had embarked on his first mission. Days before her initiation, Kerry found that she was pregnant. The priestesses ordered that she must remain human and be returned to the world of light. Kerry protested to the High Priestess, fearful that she would lose all memory of Yoshio. She insisted that after the child was born she could take her place in the Jin'ei. The High Priestess relented, but declared that she must remain mortal. Since then she has served as the Mortal Retainer to her former lover.

Name: Yoshikawa Yoshio
Nature: Confident
Demeanour: Judge
Sex: Male
Sire: Priestess
Generation: 13th
Age: 30 (25)

Physical Attributes: Strength **** Dexterity *** Stamina ***

Social Attributes: Charisma *** Manipulation *** Appearance **

Mental Attributes: Perception ** Intelligence ** Wits ***

Talents: Intimidation ** Alertness *** Athletics ** Brawl ** Leadership * Empathy * Dodge ***

Skills: Music * Etiquette * Melee (Ken-jutsu) **** FireArms ** Stealth **

Knowledges: Linguistics * Medicine * Occult ** Investigation *

Disciplines: Kokuei * Celerity * Fortitude *

Backgrounds: Contacts * Mentor * Resources **

Virtues: Conscience **** Self Control *** Courage ***

Measure of Ki ***

Ki Discipline: Iyasu (Heal) (Measure: 3, Cost: 2 WP/HL)

Humanity: ********

Willpower: ******

Blood Pool: **********

Merits and Flaws: Mortal Retainer (Kerry Fraser), Acute Vision, Lightning Calculator

Weapons Carried: Hitokage Samurai Katana, HK-MP5C + Surpressor, 5 x 9mm MP5 Clips (30 Rnds)

Kerry Fraser

Born in 1968 in Tokyo to parents that were too busy to raise her, she was looked after by a Japanese nanny who interested her in the culture around her. When she was 8, she joined a martial arts school and quickly rose through the ranks. She was recruited when she was 16 and during her training met, and fell in love with, Yoshikawa Yoshio. The rest of her details can be found with Yoshio's.

Name: Kerry Fraser
Player: Storyteller
Nature: Protective
Demeanour: Judge
Sex: Female
Role: Mortal Retainer
Age: 30 (25)

Physical Attributes: Strength *** Dexterity *** Stamina ***

Social Attributes: Charisma ** Manipulation ** Appearance ****

Mental Attributes: Perception ** Intelligence ** Wits ***

Talents: Alertness *** Athletics ** Brawl ** Dodge ****

Skills: Music * Etiquette * Melee *** FireArms * Stealth *

Knowledges: Politics ** Medicine * Occult ** Investigation *

Virtues: Conscience **** Self Control *** Courage ***

Measure of Ki: **

Ki Discipline: Settoku (Persuasion) (Measure: 1)

Humanity ********

Willpower ******

Weapons Carried: Katana, MAC 10A + Surpressor, 5 x 9mm M10 Clips (30 Rnds)

Umi Yashima

"Dark in here, isn't it"

-- Umi

"There was a time when one of those damned Samurai caught up with me. I had been weakened by the chase. I was vulnerable and I thought that my time had come. Anyway, she stepped forward with this damn smug look on her face, drew her sword and challenged me to fight, to a duel, would you believe? What choice did I have? I accepted. And then I pulled out my Magnum and shot her between the eyes! I'll never forget the look of surprise on her face as her brains were sprayed across the sidewalk. In the cold and dark nights, I remember that look and it always brings a smile to my face."

Born in Edo to a poor peasant family in the year 1243 AD, she was sold to a house of entertainment on her ninth birthday but was bought only one year later by a wealth merchant she had gained the favour of. She was subsequently trained as an assassin/bodyguard. Her training was completed by the time she was sixteen and her contract was bought by a wealthy Daimyo to act as an assassin. She endured many years of pain and humiliation at the hands of her new master. When she was twenty two, her master revealed his true nature and she was embraced. The humiliation and pain continued for two centuries until one day, when her master was attempting to re-enforce the blood bond between them, she seized the moment of weakness. Taking his sword, she pierced his armoured chest and left him for dead.

On returning to the house she found he was not dead, just severely weakened. She took great delight in slowly finishing the job she started, over the next seven days she tortured her old master to death. Once she was free, she returned to the place of her birth. The village was now under control of the Hitokage Kagemusha, who quickly realised her value and blood bonded her to the Master.

She exists for the moment when she can destroy the hated Kindred Clan that her old master served, but as she has limited knowledge of the old master and his clan she will seek to destroy anything that is not Hitokage Kagemusha.

She is currently in pursuit of a Hitokage Samurai named Tetsuo Chang, whom she believes has knowledge of her old masters clan. She intends to destroy him and anybody else he is associated with.

Name: Umi Yashima
Player: Storyteller
Nature: Cold
Demeanour: Demure
Sex: Female
Sire: Unknown
Generation: 10th
Age: 747 (23)

Physical: Strength **** Dexterity **** Stamina ***

Social: Charisma *** Manipulation *** Appearance ****

Mental: Perception ** Intelligence *** Wits ***

Talents: Acting ** Alertness **** Athletics *** Brawl *** Empathy *** Dodge ****

Skills: Music *** Etiquette *** Melee (Ken-jutsu) ***** FireArms ****

Knowledge: Linguistics *** Politics ** Occult ****

Disciplines: Kokuei ** Celerity **** Fortitude ***

Backgrounds: Contacts * Allies * Resources ***

Virtues: Conscience * Self Control ***** Courage ****

Measure of Ki: *****

Discipline Measure Pool Difficulty Cost Ten'ichi (Translocation) (Measure: 4, Pool: Ten'ichi + Ki, Difficulty: 4, Cost:1 BP/meter), Kuchuufuyuu (Levitation) (Measure: 2, Cost: 1 WP), Kyoueizou (Bilocation) (Measure: 3, Pool: Ki, Difficulty: 7 - Kyoueizou, Cost: 2 WP + 2 BP), Togameru (Aggravate) (Measure: 4, Cost: 2 BP)

Willpower ********

Blood Pool *************

Weapons Carried: Kagemusha Ninja-to, Garret Light .50, HK-MP5C + Surpressor, Magnum .44, 5 x 9mm MP5 Clips (30 Rnds), 5 x 50 cal GL Clips (6 Rnds), 5 x 6 Quick Reloads (0.44" Mag)

Storytellers Notes: Umi is a lose cannon, the Kagemusha elders tolerate this because she is highly successful at her chosen profession. Although she has never failed in a contract, she can't resist toying with her prey in much the same manner as a cat will allow a mouse to almost escape before pulling it back to the jaws of death. Umi will not usually kill anyone who she isn't contracted to, but she does enjoy having a little fun with them. If they prove to be a little more fragile, as is usually the case, she does not lose any sleep over it.

Sarah Wright-Carter

Born in a small town in Scotland in 1970, to a wealthy family, her father was a diplomatic attache specialising in Oriental Culture. This was a cover, since in fact he was a senior controller of MI6, based in Tokyo. With his help, his daughter became friends with most of the powerful families in Tokyo. Her father used this to gather information on the socio-political structure of the Japanese elite from the unguarded conversations she had with their daughters.

The Kagemusha noticed the influence that she had in elite society. Moving quickly, they arranged the death of her father and her subsequent grief caused her to turn to one of her newer friends. This friend was a Kagemusha who was under instruction to initiate her as soon as possible but to keep her in the elite of society. This particular group of Kagemusha had been attempting to gain access to the social elite for a number of years. Sarah was their way in. There was another reason for the initiation: one of Sarahs cousins, Kerry Fraser, was a Martial Retainer to a Hitokage Samurai called Yoshikawa Yoshio. Killing two birds with one stone was indeed a bonus if the Kagemusha.

To ensure complete cooperation, she was heavily blood bonded to her master and remained so ever since. She quickly converted most of her old friends to Ghouls, out of desperation and loneliness more than anything else. She and her Ghouls now serve her master without hesitation. However, unlike most Kagemusha, her hatred is directed at herself. She knows what she is and does but is powerless to stop it. Every time she kills, she weeps. More than anything else, she wishes that she could break away from the Kagemusha and become human again. But hope of this faded a long time ago.

Name: Sarah Wright-Carter
Player: Storyteller
Nature: Survivor
Demeanour: Conformist
Sex: Female
Sire: Unknown
Generation: 13th
Age: 27 (18)

Physical Attributes: Strength ** Dexterity *** Stamina ***

Social Attributes: Charisma **** Manipulation *** Appearance ****

Mental Attributes: Perception *** Intelligence ** Wits ***

Talents: Alertness * Brawl ** Occult **** Empathy *** Dodge * Streetwise *

Skills: Firearms **** Melee ***

Knowledges: Linguistics *** Politics *

Disciplines: Kokuei ** Celerity **** Fortitude ***

Backgrounds: Contacts * Allies * Resources ***

Virtues: Conscience * Self Control *** Courage ****

Measure of Ki: ***

Discipline Measure Pool Difficulty Cost Ki Discipline: Ten'ichi (Translocation) (Measure: 2, Pool: Ten'ichi + Ki, Difficulty: 4, Cost: 1 BP/meter), Kuchuufuyuu (Levitation) (Measure: 2, Cost: 1 WP)

Humanity ***

Willpower ******

Blood Pool **********

Weapons Carried: Mini-Uzi + Surpressor, 6 x 9mm Mini-Uzi Clips (30 Rnds)

Storytellers Notes: Sarah is a truly pityable individual. She hates herself and everything that her new existence forces her to do. If any players are unfortunate enough to meet her, the Storyteller should make the sense of tragedy about this character very clear. Despite this, as with all Kagemusha, she is a proficient killer.

Ito Yakama

Ito was born in 1550, during a period of mass unrest in Japanese society with many of the great families at war with each other. At the age of ten 10, his father sent him to the Shinkage school in order to teach him the way of the sword. He advanced quickly and at the age of twenty one he started to master the Ki energy flow and with this the act of Menke became much easier. His master was destroyed in 1580 and while attempting to avenge this he was seduced and initiated by one of the Kagemusha elders.

Yakama found his new life and powers very enjoyable and quickly embarked on the dark path of Ki and in the years that followed, both Yakama and his master caused a great deal of death and destruction. When the travellers from overseas came to Japan, the two Kagemusha used the opportunity to move into China -- where the destruction continued. The two are currently in Chicago heading the main efforts of the Kagemusha in the City.

Name: Ito Yakama
Player: Storyteller
Nature: Killer
Demeanour: Calm
Sex: Male
Sire: Unknown
Generation: 6th
Age: 447 (23)

Physical Attributes: Strength ***** Dexterity ****** Stamina *******

Social Attributes: Charisma **** Manipulation **** Appearance ***

Mental Attributes: Perception ***** Intelligence ***** Wits ******

Talents: Alertness *** Leadership **** Intimidation ***** Brawl **** Streetwise *** Dodge *****

Skills: Drive * Etiquette * Melee (Ken-jutsu) **** FireArms ****** Stealth ***

Knowledges: Investigation ** Politics ****** Occult *** Law *

Disciplines: Kokuei ****** Celerity **** Fortitude *** Potence ** Dominate *** Presence * Necromancy **

Backgrounds: Contacts **** Allies ** Resources ******* Mentor * Influence *** Retainers ***

Virtues: Callousness **** Self Control * Courage ******

Measure of Ki ***

Ki Disciplines: Ten'ichi (Translocation) (Measure: 3, Pool: Ten'ichi + Ki, Difficulty: 4, Cost: 1 BP/meter), Kuchuufuyuu (Levitation) (Measure: 3, Cost: 1 WP), Ishindenshin (Mind Link) (Measure: 3, Cost: 1 WP)

Path of Enlightenment *****

Willpower **********

Blood Pool/Max per Turn 50/6

Weapons Carried: Kagemusha Ninja-to Mini Uzi + Surpressor 6 x 9mm Uzi Clips (30 Rnds)

A Final Note to Storytellers

This document describes a very powerful vampire clan. For example, an 11th generation Kagemusha could quite easily dispatch most other vampires at her level and probably as far up as 8th. It is for this reason that the Rules have been set in place. Remember that the Kagemusha care little for other vampires and don not usually associate themselves with them or their activities, but they can make a very interesting tool for the Storyteller. It should also be noted that the Kagemusha are Non-Player Characters. As the Kagemusha rarely associate themselves with other Clans, neither do the Hitokage Samurai or the Jin'ei. It is up to the player to devise an interesting and plausible history for the character they are going to play. It is also their responsibility (along with the Storyteller) to create a good reason for them to be in a chronicle with other types of kindred. Finally, as this is a powerful vampire it is important for the Storyteller to remember that it is unlikely that the whole chronicle revolves around the Hitokage Samurai character, unless the whole party consists of Hitokage Samurai. The whole experience of the chronicle could be ruined for the other players if the Storyteller devotes too much time and too many resources to the one character, remember that the motives and agenda of the Hitokage Samurai are likely to be very different and far removed from the other players goals.

When all is said and done, the Hitokage Samurai character can add color and difference to a chronicle and will be an interesting and challenging character to roleplay. Enjoy the experience, remember the rules of the character and most of all - HAVE FUN :)


I feel that running any Chronicle within the World of Darkness is a challenge. However, when you start creating a new clan, some things have to be changed or modified to make it just that little bit different from what has been done before.

The Clan started when Iain decided to do something different for his Character. I started to mix this within the Chronicle that I was running, but the philosophies of this individual (a Vampire Hunter) did not sit easily within the existing frameworks. It was these differences that convinced me to create a new clan. I suggested this to Iain, and that's how this whole thing started. This clan must be amongst the most powerful Vampires around, but they have many (probably more than most) disadvantages. Playing them correctly is quite difficult and are recommended for fairly experienced players who fancy a change. Powergaming was a worry, so the rules were set in place. Munchkins should be strongly discouraged from attempting to play this character by any means necessary.

The Kagemusha are there to provide the ultimate foe for a party containing Samurai; they are just as (if not more) powerful and quite capable of destroying even a correctly played Samurai. Umi, my little sweetness and light, has destroyed more than one player character, without too much effort. The Kagemusha are the ultimate foe, with no morals and all slightly derranged. They make the Sabbat seem like Choir Boys in comparison. The problem I have solved within my Chronicle is not to concentrate on the one player, but the whole party. Thus all my players are now paranoid, and not sure what is going on (Iain is the only Hitokage Samurai in the group), as they have this foe keep appearing, and disappearing. As predicted, the Hitokage Samurai player will have totally different goals from the other players. Very interesting.

It can be interesting if the Hitokage Samurai character has ties to one or more of the other characters, instead of just being a member of the party. She might be a relative of another Kindred, that disappeared many years ago. It is important that all the party are a team, and not just added one onto another.

I hope this supplement will bring an expansion to the World of Darkness, and help to create a more enjoyable game for everyone involved.

Derek Taylor.


As Derek stated, this clan was born out of sheer interest. What do you do to a Vampire Hunter that would rather commit suicide than become one of the creatures he hated so much? Or at least that was what I took as my brief. Wading through White Wolf's publications just did not provide the answer. Then I started to come upon references to "the powerful Oriental Clans" and the "immense diversity of Oriental Clans". "Mmm", I thought. "Just what makes these guys so powerful. Are they more powerful than the Western Clans?" The rest, as they say, is history. The concept of power raised a number of questions and this is how Ki was born. Ki started out life as a regular discipline, much like Thaumaturgy, but that didn't fit. Then it became (briefly) a Path, but that didn't work either. Eventually it became something totally new. It seems to work in the way I intended it to.

I hate powergamers and munchkins. It's nothing personal, well, perhaps it is, but I feel that they are missing the whole point of roleplaying -- not to mention the gist of the chronicle. Designing a powerful clan and then imposing so many restrictions on them may seem perverse, but I prefer to think of this as a test of roleplaying skill.

The freedom available for character design and roleplaying within the Storyteller system is a wonderful thing and I'm not trying to say any different. I just thought that it might be interesting to impose a few restrictions. The Japanese have always had a wonderfully ordered society, so why should a vampire clan that exists there be any different?

Ki and the related disciplines (for the most part) been borrowed straight from Oriental cinema (Levitation, Translocation) and myths, stories and legends of the Orient. They are there to make the Hitokage Samurai and Kagemusha different from the western clans. Realistically, with all the restrictions and ethics of the two factions, they are no more powerful than the Tremere's Thaumaturgy.

I love sword combat. I am a big fan of Hank Driskill and John Gavigans rules for playing Immortal characters in the Storyteller system, but swords seemed to be sadly lacking in the vampire area. This was of primary importance to me in designing this clan.

As with everything, if you don't like anything here don't use it. Rules were meant to be bent and broken but if you do, just ensure that the chronicle you are running can take the complete chaos that is bound to ensue!

This is the first edition of this book and, believe it or not. We plan to publish other documents on the net detailing the Mahou-tsuki, Priestesses and Jugenti-ki. The next project on the cards, however, will a book describing Vampire Hunters in Japan. Please feel free to EMail us at the address below with any comments or suggestions regarding this or any future publications. Iain Noblett :) EMail Address hudson_w@hotmail.com

Glossary of Terms

This section details the terms used throughout the book. Where applicable, a English phonetic pronunciation is also listed.

Hitokage: (Hi-to-ka-ge) The subject of this book. The term Hitokage means "Man's Shadow" or "Soul" in English. The Hitokage were a powerful and evil group of creatures -- vampires that killed at will and terrorised the peoples of ancient Japan. The original Clan were all but destroyed by an order of Hunters in the year 204 BC. It was assumed that this would be the end of it. Unfortunately, it wasn't. The Samurai are an off-shoot from this clan as the Kagemusha are believed to be also. The Kagemusha are almost identical to the original Hitokage of legend; the Samurai are not.

Ikkadanran: (Ik-ka-dan-ran) This is the gathering of the Hitokage Samurai that occurs once every four years. It is a grand but sombre occasion with all attending wearing full Samurai armour. All Samurai are required to attend this gathering, although individuals on active field duty are forgiven for their absence. During this day no Samurai is permitted to feed, it is effectively a day of fasting -- even for those who do not attend.

Jin'ei: (Jin-ei) The formal term for the allied group of beings that the Hitokage Samurai belong to. This group contains all manner of creatures from the Children of Wu, Jugenti-ki, Ningenti-ki, Mahou-tsukai and the Hitokage Samurai themselves. See also Nakama.

Jinlui: (Jin-loo-i) The correct term for the humans; this refers to their whole being and not just their souls. Rarely used by the Hitokage Samurai.

Jugenti-ki: (Joo-jen-ti-kie) This is used in reference to the beast-men. Like in the case of the Ningenti-ki, the term Jugenti-ki refers to the spirit within the body of the werewolf.

Kagemusha: (Ka-ge-moo-sha) In the World Of Darkness it is often difficult to distinguish between Good and Evil. There are no such difficulties in describing the Kagemusha; they are pure evil. They have no care for anything else on the face of the planet, Kindred included.

Kahou: (Ka-hoo) This is the correct term for The Code but is only referred to as such in the company of other Hitokage Samurai.

Katoku: (Ka-taw-koo) A sarcastic term used by some of the younger Hitokage Samurai. It refers to what the Western Clans call the Curse.

Ki: This is a slightly different version of the old martial arts term "chi" or "inner strength". It is fundamental to all the Jin'ei and occurs in varying maximums in the different beings.

Kyuubutsu: (Cue-boo-zzoo) The term by which the eldest of the Shadows was referred to until she was destroyed by the Shogun. In English it means "very old thing".

Mahou-tsukai: (Ma-haw-zzoo-kie) Mortals who can wield magic: Wizards and Mages.

Munashii: (Moo-na-she) A disrespectful term that is used to describe Ghouls. Ghouls are often created by a Kindred to serve -- the Hitokage Samurai are not permitted to create such creatures. If a Hitokage Samurai requires an aid, it must be a volunteer: someone whom the Samurai has gained the trust of.

Nakama: (Na-ka-ma) This is the friendly term for the allied group. Only used in the company of other Hitokage Samurai. See also Jin'ei.

Ningenti-ki: (Nin-jen-ti-kie) In English this means the Human soul and is used by the Hitokage to describe the Humans themselves.

Samurai: (Sam-oo-rie) These individuals are fearsome warriors; they are also deeply honourable and very traditional and take little interest in either the Camarilla or the Sabbat. They live only to destroy the Kagemusha. The Samurai within the Jin'ei always use their full title of Hitokage Samurai. Even though the Hitokage were a terrible breed of creature, the Samurai believe that it is important to remember what they were in order to avoid becoming it again.

Credits

Concept: Derek Taylor, Iain Noblett

Prologue: Roy MacRonald,

Writing: Iain Noblett, Derek Taylor, Roy MacRonald

Coding and Layout: Iain Noblett

Proofreading: Anne Smith

Play Testing: Derek Taylor, Anne Smith, Findlay Rose, Gary Smith, John Lyons, Iain Noblett

Special Thanks: Kotaro Akita (translations and advice) and Hunter Pine (Host)