Shinobigami

Make sure to choose names

1 - Characters
Players should prepare them-
selves a copy of the character
sheet found at the end of the
rulebook. Each player should
then create their character.
Make sure to create your
character out of the sight of the
other players. Once your char-
acter is finished, make sure to
have it approved by your Game
Master before gameplay begins.
1.01 Character Name
Let’s begin by choosing the
character’s name. The world of
Shinobigami is contemporary
society. However, the charac-
ters are also ninja.
that reflect this. Be sure to look
for an appendix containing a
random name chart in a later
release.
1.02 Gender and Age
You may choose any gender
and age for your character.
1.03 Character Clan
There are several distinct
ninja clans in the world of
Shinobigami. Each character
belongs to one of these clans.
The following 6 clans are repre-
sentative of the major powers in
this world. Please choose one.

Translator’s Clan Correlation Chart

Note:
Hirasaka Otogi Private
Though I chose Agency Academy
to go with ‘clan’ Protect Japan’ s Find out others’
in this translation, national interests secrets
you can see that
very few of these Hostility
groups are clans Bloodline Lost Ones
per say. ‘School,’ of Oni
as in a school of
Collect information about Unbound; fight for
resurrection of Shinobigami their own reasons
martial arts, may
be a better transla-
tion, but in this
Kurama Shin Hasuba
case I decided that Clan Ninja Army
Hostility
clan felt more... Prevent the resurrection Accumulate the
ninja-like. of the Shinobigami Ougi of other clans
1
 Hasuba Ninja Army
Secret of Ninja Scroll 1 - Characters

Clan Aim: Accumulate the Ougi of other clans.

Specialty: Tool
Hasuba Ninja Army
Enmiy: Kurama Shin Clan

An ancient ninja army

that is constantly develop-
ing new ninja gear. They
also continually study the
Ninpo of all clans with
the aim of making Hasuba
the master of all clans.
The various sects within
this clan have names such
as Gearteeth Group and
Inkpot School, using the
words and names of tools.
The leader is the CEO of
Yata Heavy Industries,
2 Kuroshio Hitori.
Kurama Shin Clan
Shinobigami

Clan Aim: Prevent the resurrection of the Shinobigami.

Specialty: Body
Kurama Shin Clan
Enmiy: Bloodline of Oni

Rumored to be the
successors of the legendary
Kyouhachi Sword School,
these warriors are said to
be the patriarchs of several
overwhelming sword-
fighting techniques.
This clan protects the
6 Divine Treasures that
have the power to revive
the Shinobigami and are
constantly searching for
ways to seal them away
for good. Their leader is
Mitsuyoshi Yagyu.
3
 Lost Ones
Secret of Ninja Scroll 1 - Characters

Clan Aim: Unsworn; fight for their own reasons.

Specialty: Stealth
Lost Ones

The Lost Ones consist of

ninja without ties to the
other major factions. Free
ninjas with no loyalties,
Enmiy: Hasuba Ninja Army

members of tiny ninja

villages and run-aways
from the larger clans make
up the bulk of this force.
As most of these ninja
operate on their own, there
is no recognized leader.

4
Hirasaka Agency
Shinobigami

Clan Aim: Protect Japan’s national interest.

Specialty: Scheme
Hirasaka Agency

An intelligence agency
whose background lies in
the conservative Hirasaka
Shinto sect. With their
intricate ties to the
government of Japan, they
keep a watchful eyes on
Enmiy: Otogi Private Academy

the defense of the

nation and its interests.
The leader of the agency is
also the leader of the
Hirasaka Shinto Sect:
Ubume Hirasaka the
Wildmaiden.

5
 Otogi Private Academy
Secret of Ninja Scroll 1 - Characters

Clan Aim: Discover others’ secrets.

Specialty: Strategy
Otogi Private Academy

Though it seems like

an ordinary elementary
through high school, the
academy is actually a spy
agency that administers
ninja training to its
Enmiy: Lost Ones

students. It has ties to

many foreign nations. It
is said that other schools
have ties to its
administration. The leader,
Rokaku Arthur Masashige,
serves as the school
Principal.

6
Bloodline of Oni
Shinobigami

Clan Aim: Collect information about Shinobigami.

Specialty: Sorcery
Bloodline of Oni

These are the descendants

of the oni and tsuchigumo
that have inhabited the
land since the days of
ancient Japan. Many
Enmiy: Hirasaka Agency

various creatures such as

vampires or werewolves,
known as Night Ghosts,
also populate this clan.
They are the most zealous
power driving the
resurrection of the
Shinobigami.
Their leader is Torihiko
Yatonokami.
7
 Secret of Ninja Scroll 1 - Characters

1.03.1 Character Rank 1.04 False Identity

Once your character’s clan
has been decided, you must
determine your character’s clan
rank. All characters begin as
Chunin, or the middle rank.
This means that all characters
begin with 3 skills, 4 Ninpo and
1 Ougi. You can move up in
rank to become more powerful
as you gain more experience.
You must keep your identity
as a ninja a secret. In order to
do so, all characters must have
a cover that is used in everyday
society. If you cannot decide a
suitable false identity, you can
choose one at random on the
Clan Cover Chart found in the
appendix.

Rank Chart
Rank Ninpo Ougi Req. XP
Kusa 1
Genin 2
Geninkashira 3
Chunin 4 1
Chuninkashira 5 1 10
Jounin 6 2 20
Jouninkashira 7 2 50
Touryou 8 3 100

Translator’s Note:
Ninpo: “Ninja Arts”; these are the special techniques that your
ninja has mastered. I think that many fans of ninja culture are
already familiar with the word, so I kept it as is.
Ougi: “Secret/Esoterica”; these are the final/special techniques of
each ninja, similar to a ‘super move’ in a fighting game or a Rider
Kick. There isn’t really a word that works well in English,
especially since many Ougi aren’t attacks, per se.
8

1.05 Conviction
All characters have a single
defining conviction. If you are
having problems role playing,
you can fall back on this char-
acteristic to decide what course
of action your character is most
likely to undertake. Please
choose from the Six Paths
Chart, or roll 1d6 to decide at
random.
Six Paths Chart
1 Wickedness - “Destroy!”
2 Law - Correct society’s ills
3 Self - Money, fame, power!
4 Emotion - A loved one
5 Loyalty - Your clan or ideal
6 Peace - Happpiness for all!
Shinobigami
1.06 Skills
Next, please choose your
character’s skills. These are the
techniques and skills that your
character is adept at.
The skills are divided into 6
categories, each of which is a
specialization of each clan. The
skills are introduced in the next
few pages.
First, choose 3 skills from
your clan’s specializated
category. Then completely fill
in the white squares to either
side of the category’s column
(called the gap) with your pen
or pencil.
Next, choose 2 additional
skills from any category of your
choosing.
Make sure to circle all 5 of
your chosen skills on the
character sheet.
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 Secret of Ninja Scroll 1 - Characters
Tool
Hasuba Ninja Army
A ninja using skills from this category
is able to put tools to use in any
situation.
Engineering: The proficient
use of machines or electronic
devices.
Pyromancy: The proficient use
of fire, flames, and flame-
producing effects or items.
Hydromancy: The proficient
use of water, walking on wa-
ter, anything related to water.
Acupuncture: The proficient
use of long, thin items such as
needles. Can also be used to
tell direction.
Weapon Concealment: Train-
ing in the use of clothing or
everyday items to hide weap-
ons.
Clothing: Using clothing to
conceal your background or
store things.
Rope Use: Proficient use of
ropes; throwing, tying, etc.
Climbing: Climbing up or
down steep inclines.
Torture: The proficiency use of
of devices designed to inflict
pain.
Demolition: The proficient use
of tools of large scale destruc-
tion.
Digging: The use of tools to dig
10 underground.
Body
Kurama Shin Clan
A ninja using skills from this category
is capable of incredible movement and
combat abilities.
Riding: Mastery at riding ve-
hicles or animals.
Ballistics: Mastery over guns or
cannons. Ballistics.
Shuriken: Mastery over the use
of the various shuriken.
Sleight of Hand: Precise
movements of the hands and
detailed writing.
Contortionism: The ability to
move and stretch your body,
being able to dislocate bones,
etc.
Walking: Walking silently or
for long distances.
Running: Running at high
speed.
Jumping: Jumping incredibly
high or far.
Brawling: Hand-to-hand fight-
ing. Karate.
Sword: Mastery of swordsman-
ship.
Weightlifting: Carrying and
lifting heavy things.

Stealth
Lost Ones
A ninja using skills from this category
is a master of the 5 senses and
concealing their presence.
Survival: The ability to survive
in harsh weather, underwater,
etc.
Infiltration: Infiltrating a hos-
tile area.
Escape: Running away from a
hostile area.
Interception: Listening through
walls, hacking, etc.
Ventriloquism: Making your
voice sound as though it were
coming from somewhere else.
Invisibility: Making one’s body
invisible.
Disguise: Becoming someone
else through disguise.
Olfaction: Eliminating your
scent; picking up other’s
smells.
Multiplicity: Making multiple
actions as though your body
split into multiple copies.
Concealment: Concealing
people, items or informatin.
ESP: A sixth sense; percieving
things strictly out of experi-
ence, etc.
Shinobigami
Scheme
Hirasaka Agency
A ninja using skills from this category
is a master of deception and trickery
as well as conversation and guile..
First Aid: Skills related to the
medical treatment of illness
or injury.
Poison: The skilled use and
administration of poison.
Sleep: Putting people to sleep.
Investigation: Investigation of
things or people.
Bluff: Hiding your true feel-
ings; tricking people.
Inception: Leaving particular
impressions on strangers.
Performance: Performing arts;
dancing, singing, etc.
Seduction: Seducing people us-
ing charm.
Manipulation: Making people
act the way you want.
Rumourmongering: The art of
spreading and creating lies
and fabrications.
Finance: Financial skills and
money-making ability.
11
 Secret of Ninja Scroll 1 - Characters
Strategy
Otogi Private Academy
A ninja using skills from this category
has incredible fighting capacity and is
skilled at plotting strategems.
Cooking: The creation of bal-
anced and healthy meals.
Creature Mastery: The control
of insects and wildlife.
Nature: Being able to live in
the mountainside.
Guerrilla: Being able to make
proficient use of any battle-
field; whether water, man-
made buildings or the wilds.
Willpower: Power to succeed
when it seems you might
panic or lose control.
Strategy: Tactics and strategy;
used to improve chances of
military success.
Memory: Being able to remem-
ber as much as possible.
Analysis: Studying the enemy
and seeing how their attacks
work.
Encryption: Writing and read-
ing in ciphers; decoding
ciphers and secret codes.
Writing: Proficiency in ex-
pressing yourself through any
sort of written word.
Contacts: Having personal
connections in normal society
and/or the underworld.
12
Sorcery
Bloodline of Oni
A ninja using skills from this category
can call upon ghosts and use magic.
Transformation: Transform-
ing the whole or part of your
body.
Summoning: Summoning a
creature from another world.
Necromancy: Controlling the
spirit or body of a dead per-
son.
Abjuration: Creating a pro-
tective barrier that can keep
certain things or beings out.
Binding: The ability to seal
supernatural abilities.
Word Magic: Utilizing the in-
herent power in words them-
selves; word magic.
Illusion: Creation of illusions
that deceive people.
Visual Control: Control over
the things your eyes are see-
ing or have seen.
Clairvoyance; seeing past,
future and the present from
far away.
Possession: The possession of
another body using your own
spirit.
Curse: The ability to curse oth-
ers..
 Shinobigami

1.07 Ninpo of the same name twice, unless

Ninpo are the mysterious marked with a * symbol.
abilities that ninja are able to
use at will. When used in- All characters start with the
game, they have special effects Close Combat ninpo; itdoes not
that can alter the natural course count towards a character’s 4
of the game. There are 3 types starting ninpo.
of Ninpo: attack, support and
equip. 1.07.1 Ninpo Cost
Attack Ninpo are used dur- You can use a ninpo of the
ing battle; they deal damage same name only once per cycle
directly to the opponent. or round of combat.
Support Ninpo has a vari-
ety of uses including making In addition, all ninpo have a
combat easier or dealing status cost written in their information.
ailments to the opponent. If The lower the cost, the easier
you mix and match these ninpo, they are to use; accordingly, the
you can come up with interest- higher the cost, the riskier they
ing results. However, in order are to use and it becomes more
to use multiple ninpo at once, a difficult to use multiple ninpo at
high Plot value is requried. once.
Equip Ninpo, once chosen,
takes effect at all times. Please see section 6.02.10 for
more information on ninpo cost.
When making your charac-
ter, choose 4 ninpo from the
following pages to acqurie.
Of the 4 ninpo, at least 1 must
come from the character’s clan-
specific ninpo list. You may not
acquire ninpo from any other
clan-specific lists.
If a ninpo’s assigned skill is
marked as Any or has multiples,
you must choose 1 skill when
the skill is acquired.
You may not acquire a ninpo
13
 Secret of Ninja Scroll 1 - Characters

Attack Ninpo
Close Combat Attack * Type Attack Range 1 Cost --
Assigned Skill: Any
Effect: Close Combat Attack. If the attack is successful, you may deal 1 close combat damage to
the target.

A normal close combat attack.

Cross Cut Type Attack Range 0 Cost 1

Assigned Skill: Sword
Effect: Close Combat Attack. If the attack is successful, you may deal 2 close combat damage to
the target.

A powerful attack with a short range.

Poison Fist Type Attack Range 0 Cost 1

Assigned Skill: Poison
Effect: Close Combat Attack. If the attack is successful, you may deal 1 close combat damage and
the “Paralyzed” status ailment to the target.

An attack with poison coated claws.

Ranged Combat Attack * Type Attack Range 2 Cost --

Assigned Skill: Any
Effect: Ranged Combat Attack. If the attack is successful, you may deal 1 ranged combat damage
to the target.

A normal ranged combat attack.

Blast Type Attack Range 1 Cost 1

Assigned Skill: Pyromancy
Effect: Ranged Combat Attack. If the attack is successful, you may deal 2 close combat damage to
the target.

A powerful ranged combat attack.

Surefire Type Attack Range 2 Cost 3

Assigned Skill: Ballistics
Effect: Ranged Combat Attack. When the target attempts the Dodge Resolution, they must meet or
exceed this attack’s Achievement Value. If the attack is successful, you may deal 1 ranged combat
to the target.
An attack that can’t miss.
14
 Shinobigami

Group Combat Attack * Type Attack Range 4 Cost --

Assigned Skill: Any
Effect: Group Combat Attack. If the attack is successful, you may deal 1 group combat damage to
the target.

A normal group combat attack.

Domination Type Attack Range 3 Cost 4

Assigned Skill: Creature Mastery
Effect: Group Combat Attack. If the attack is successful, you may deal 1 ranged combat damage
and 1 group combat damage to the target.

A normal group combat attack with additional ranged damage.

Phantom Soldier Type Attack Range 2 Cost 4

Assigned Skill: Illusion
Effect: Group Combat Attack. If the attack is successful, you may deal 1 close combat damage
and 1 group combat damage to the target.

A group attack by a phantom army.

Carnage Type Attack Range 2 Cost --

Assigned Skill: Any
Effect: Close Combat Attack. Choose any characters in range of this attack; they become the tar-
gets for this attack. If the attack is successful, you may deal 1 close combat damage to the target.
This ninpo is only available to jounin-ranked ninja.
A jounin ninja’s wide area attack.

Kaleidoscope Type Attack Range 3 Cost --

Assigned Skill: Any
Effect: Ranged Combat Attack. If the attack is successful, you may deal 2 ranged combat damage
to the target.
This ninpo is only available to jounin-ranked ninja.
A jounin ninja’s high firepower attack.

Encirclement Type Attack Range 5 Cost --

Assigned Skill: Any
Effect: Group Combat Attack. Choose any characters in range of this attack; they become the tar-
gets for this attack. If the attack is successful, you may deal 1 group combat damage to the target.
This ninpo is only available to jounin-ranked ninja.
A jounin ninja’s wide area group attack.
15
 Secret of Ninja Scroll 1 - Characters

Support Ninpo
Take the Hit Type Support Range -- Cost 1
Assigned Skill: --
Effect: You may use this when someone takes damage or loses a Life Point. You may take the
damage the character would have taken. You must take the same amount of damage as them (and
the damage to the Life Points go to the same Categories if possible).
A ninpo allowing you to take the damage for someone else.

Continuous Attack Type Support Range -- Cost 2

Assigned Skill: --
Effect: You may use this when someone dodges your attack. You may use the same attack ninpo
again.

A ninpo allowing you to attack again when your attack failed.

Wind Dancer Type Support Range -- Cost 4

Assigned Skill: Brawl
Effect: You may use this when you deal damage to someone. On a successful Action Resolution
of this ninpo’s skill, you may use the same attack ninpo again.

A ninpo allowing you to attack again after dealing damage.

Resupply Type Support Range -- Cost --

Assigned Skill: Finance
Effect: You may use this ninpo when you are the Scene Player of a Drama Scene. On a successful
Action Resolution of this ninpo’s skill, you may regain one lost ninja gear. You may not have
more ninja gear than you started with.
A ninpo allowing you to regain a ninja tool.

Arrow Catching Type Support Range -- Cost 1

Assigned Skill: Clothing/Sleight of Hand
Effect: You may use this ninpo when someone makes a successful ranged attack at someone. On
a successful Action Resolution of this ninpo’s skill, that attack fails.

A ninpo allowing you to negate a ranged attack with a long coat, tatami, etc.

Guidance Type Support Range -- Cost 2

Assigned Skill: Running/Performance/Abjuration
Effect: You may use this ninpo at the end of the round. On a successful Action Resolution of this
ninpo’s skill, you may change the battlefield to any of your choice. If two people use Guidance in
one round, the player who rolled highest chooses.
A ninpo allowing you to lead your opponent to a battlefield of your choosing.
16
 Shinobigami

Out of Sync Type Support Range -- Cost 1

Assigned Skill: Interception
Effect: You may use this ninpo when you reveal your Plot Value. On a successful Action Resolu-
tion of this ninpo’s skill, you may subtract one from your Plot Value.

A ninpo allowing you to change your footing after hearing your opponent’s hearing.

Resolution Type Support Range -- Cost 3

Assigned Skill: Transformation
Effect: You may use this ninpo when you reveal your Plot Value. On a successful Action Resolu-
tion of this ninpo’s skill, you may add one to your Plot Value.

A ninpo allowing you to change your footing with speed alien even to most ninjas.

Insight Type Support Range -- Cost 1

Assigned Skill: Riding
Effect: You may use this ninpo when you enter a battle after the Plot Values have been revealed.
On a successful Action Resolution of this ninpo’s skill, you may enter the battle on any Plot Value
of your choice.
A ninpo giving you advantageous movement after entering battle.

Savage Song Type Support Range -- Cost 2

Assigned Skill: Word Magic
Effect: You may use this instead of an attack when there are no other characters on the same Plot
Value as you. On a successful Action Resolution of this ninpo’s skill, you may inflict the “Break-
down” status ailment on any character in the battle.
A cursed word disabling your opponent’s ninja gear.

Destruction * Support Range -- Cost

Type 2
Assigned Skill: Demolition/Jump/Invisibility/Investigation/Writing/Binding
Effect: You may use this ninpo when someone uses a Support ninpo that uses a skill of the same
Category as this ninpo. On a successful Action Resolution of this ninpo’s skill, you may negate
the effect of the opponent’s ninpo. If you take this ninpo again, the assigned skill must differ.
A ninpo allowing you to cancel your opponent’s ninpo.

Counter Type Support Range 2 Cost 2

Assigned Skill: Acupuncture/Contortionism/Concealment/Sleep/Guerilla/Visual Control
Effect: You may use this when you successfully dodge an attack. On a successful Action Resolu-
tion of this ninpo’s skill and the opponent is within the ninpo’s range, you may deal 1 ranged
damage to the character that attacked you.
A ninpo that allows you to strike your opponent when their attack takes them off guard.
17
 Secret of Ninja Scroll 1 - Characters

Crushing Blow Type Support Range -- Cost 1

Assigned Skill: Any Tool
Effect: You may use this before attempting an Attack Resolution. On a successful Action Resolu-
tion of this ninpo’s skill, your attack may deal 1 extra damage.

A ninpo allowing you to enhance your attack’s damage.

Assassin Type Support Range -- Cost 1

Assigned Skill: Any Body
Effect: You may use this before attempting an Attack check. On a successful Action Resolution of
this ninpo’s skill, your next Attack Resolution will be a Special on a roll of 10 or higher.

A ninpo raising the chances of achieving a Special attack.

Body Switch Type Support Range -- Cost 1

Assigned Skill: Any Stealth
Effect: You may use this ninpo when attempting a Dodge Resolution. Expend a ninja gear. On a
successful Action Resolution of this ninpo’s skill, you successfully dodge the attack. You may use
this ninpo even if you have Fumbled this round.
A ninpo allowing you to escape any attack by using ninja gear.

Emotion Manipulation Type Support Range -- Cost 1

Assigned Skill: Any Scheme
Effect: You may use this ninpo when your Attack Resolution has succeeded and your opponent
has failed their Dodge Resolution. On a successful Action Resolution of this ninpo’s skill, choose
1 character targeted by your attack and change their Emotional Bond.
A ninpo allowing you to control your opponent’s feelings.

Strategic Command Type Support Range -- Cost 3

Assigned Skill: Any Strategy
Effect: You may use this ninpo when anyone other than yourself attempts an Action Resolution.
On a successful Action Resolution of this ninpo’s skill, you may modify that character’s Achieve-
ment Value by +/-1.
A ninpo allowing you to support someone’s action.

Plot Restriction Type Support Range -- Cost 3

Assigned Skill: Any Sorcery
Effect: You may use this ninpo when your Attack Resolution has succeeded. On a successful Action Resolution
of this ninpo’s skill, your opponent, beginning the next round, cannot choose a Plot Value of 3 or higher. At the
end of each round, your opponent may attempt an Action Resolution using Will to negate.

By trapping your opponent’s body, you can prevent high-speed movement.

18
 Shinobigami

Equip Ninpo
Able-bodied * Type Equip Range -- Cost --
Assigned Skill: --
Effect: You have 2 extra Life Point slots. When taking damage, deduct Life Points from these
slots first.

You have incredible vitality.

Talented * Type Equip Range -- Cost --

Assigned Skill: --
Effect: When choosing this ninpo, choose a corresponding skill. Even if that skill’s Category is
disabled, you can still use that skill.

You have burned a particular skill into your body’s memory.

Haze Type Equip Range -- Cost --

Assigned Skill: --
Effect: When choosing this ninpo, choose a status ailment. This status ailment will never affect
you.

Protection against a status ailment.

Vibrato Type Equip Range -- Cost --

Assigned Skill: --
Effect: When this character uses an Ougi, other characters suffer a -1 to their Insight Resolution.

Your Ougi becomes harder to defend against.

Unmovable Type Equip Range -- Cost --

Assigned Skill: --
Effect: When attempting an Action Resolution during battle, only a result of your (Plot Value - 1)
will result in a Fumble.
This ninpo is only available to jounin-ranked ninjas.
Jounin-ranked magic. It becomes harder for jounin ninja to fumble.

Akasagarbha, The Recepticle of Void Type Equip Range -- Cost --

Assigned Skill: --
Effect: When choosing this ninpo, choose the space between 2 Categories. Completely fill in each
square in the gap.
This ninpo is only available to jounin-ranked ninjas.
Jounin-ranked magic. Jounin ninja have a broader scope to their versatility.
19
 Secret of Ninja Scroll 1 - Characters

Clan Ninpo: Hasuba Ninja Army

Surprise Attack Type Support Range -- Cost --
Assigned Skill: Weapon Concealment
Effect: You may use this when you are the Scene Player of a Drama Scene. On a successful Ac-
tion Resolution of this ninpo’s skill, you may deal 1 close combat damage to another character in
the scene. This ninpo cannot be used twice in the same scene against the same opponent.
Cut and tear at your opponent in normal society.

Spider of Darkness Type Support Range 2 Cost 6

Assigned Skill: Rope Use
Effect: You may use this in battle instead of an attack. Choose a single character within this
ninpo’s range. On a successful Action Resolution of this ninpo’s skill, you may deal 1 ranged
combat damage. However, Category damaged by this attack is not disabled.
Cut and tear at your opponent using invisible threads, chain and sickle, etc.

Brutal Attack Type Support Range -- Cost 1

Assigned Skill: Torture
Effect: You may use this ninpo when you succeed on an Attack Resolution and your opponent
fails their Dodge Resolution. On a successful Action Resolution of this ninpo’s skill, expend a
ninja tool. You may deal 1 extra damage on the attack.
Hit them with a bone-breaking attack, using a ninja tool.

Sunder Type Support Range -- Cost 2

Assigned Skill: Demolition
Effect: You may use this ninpo when you have succeeded on an attack and have dealt damage. On
a successful Action Resolution of this ninpo’s skill, the target suffers a -2 to all Attack Resolutions
for the rest of the battle.
Destroy your opponent’s weapon.

MechaNinja Type Equip Range -- Cost --

Assigned Skill: --
Effect: You may now select any ninpo from any clan, even those outside of the Hasuba Ninja
Army and its sects (but not hiden ninpo or Enemy ninpo). However, the Assigned Skills for those
ninpo become Engineering and the Cost is raised by 1. If the Cost was --, it becomes 1.
Mechanize a part of your body.

Hadesology Type Equip Range -- Cost --

Assigned Skill: --
Effect: Whenever you attempt an Action Resolution, you may substitute skills as though the Tool
and Sorcery Categories were adjacent.

You understand the science behind the supernatural.

20
 Shinobigami

Clan Ninpo: Kurama Shin Clan

Drizzle Type Attack Range 2 Cost 1
Assigned Skill: Ballistics
Effect: Ranged combat attack. Choose up to two targets within this ninpo’s range. If the attack is
successful, you may deal 1 ranged combat damage to the targets.

A gun or shuriken attack that rains confusion on your foes.

Evening Calm Type Attack Range 0 Cost 2

Assigned Skill: Shuriken
Effect: Close combat attack. When attacking an opponent on the same Plot Value as you, the
attacks do not occur simultaneously (unless both characters use Evening Calm). If the attack is
successful, you may deal 1 close combat damage to the target.
An attack that is faster than your opponent by a fraction of a second.

Silhouette Type Support Range -- Cost 2

Assigned Skill: Walking
Effect: You may use this ninpo during the Plot phase before you have revealed your Plot. On a
successful Action Resolution of this ninpo’s skill, choose a character. You start the round ont he
same Plot Value as that character.
You follow your opponent as though you were their silhouette.

Heat Haze Type Support Range -- Cost 1

Assigned Skill: Sword
Effect: You may use this before your Attack Resolution. On a successful Action Resolution of this
ninpo’s skill, your opponent suffers a -2 to their Dodge Resolution.

A shimmering attack that is hard to see coming.

Bloody Determination Type Equip Range -- Cost --

Assigned Skill: --
Effect: You may use this when you succeed on an Attack Resolution and your opponent fails their
Dodge Resolution. Expend a single Life Point. You may deal 1 extra damage for the attack.

Attack your opponent, overcoming the limits of your own body.

End of the Beginning Type Equip Range -- Cost --

Assigned Skill: --
Effect: When you attack a character of a Plot Value higher than you, you deal 1 ranged damage in
addition to the attack’s normal effect.

Wait for your opponent’s attitude to display a weakness--then strike!

21
 Secret of Ninja Scroll 1 - Characters

Clan Ninpo: Lost Ones

Spiral Formation Type Attack Range 0 Cost 1
Assigned Skill: Invisibility
Effect: Close combat attack. Choose any characters within this ninpo’s range; chosen characters
become the targets for this attack. If the attack is successful, you may deal 1 close combat damage
to the targets.
An attack like drawing a spiral that hits all nearby targets.

Scent of Spring Type Attack Range 3 Cost 4

Assigned Skill: Olifaction
Effect: Ranged combat attack. All characters within this ninpo’s distance on a lower Plot Value
than you become the targets for this attack. If the attack is successful, you may deal 1 ranged com-
bat damage OR move the target to the Fumble area. You may choose separately for each target.
Control all those downwind by producing an intoxicating scent from your body.

Wandering Type Support Range -- Cost --

Assigned Skill: Infiltration
Effect: You may use this ninpo during a scene that you are not participating in. On a successful
Action Resolution of this ninpo’s skill, you may participate in the scene.

A skill that allows you to be at unexpected places at unexpected times.

Body Double Type Support Range -- Cost 4

Assigned Skill: Ventriloquism
Effect: You may use this ninpo when you have been chosen as the target of an attack and there
is another character on the same Plot Value as you. On a successful Action Resolution of this
ninpo’s skill, you may change the target of the attack to someone else on your same Plot Value.
By confusing the opponent, you can switch their target.

Ninpo Copy Type Support Range 2 Cost 4

Assigned Skill: Disguise
Effect: You may use this ninpo during a Combat Scene when someone within this ninpo’s range
uses a support ninpo. On a successful Action Resolution of this ninpo’s skill, you may use that
support ninpo up to 2 times. The second time you use this will make you forget the copied ninpo.
Memorize your opponent’s ninpo and use it.

Shadow Duplicate Type Equip Range -- Cost --

Assigned Skill: Multiplicity
Effect: You may use this during the Plot phase before you have revealed your Plot Value. On a
successful Action Resolution of this ninpo’s skill, you may use 2 dice for Plot. After the revealing
of Plot, choose 1 to use as your Plot Value.
Use Plot twice, but choose the one you like.
22
 Shinobigami

Clan Ninpo: Hirasaka Agency

Poison Cleansing Type Support Range 1 Cost 3
Assigned Skill: First Aid
Effect: You may use this during a Combat Scene instead of an attack. On a successful Action
Resolution of this ninpo’s skill, you may choose 1 character within this skill’s distance and cure 1
of that character’s status ailments.
Cure an ally’s status ailment.

Reticence Type Support Range -- Cost --

Assigned Skill: Investigation
Effect: You may use this when you have received information from any source. On a successful
Action Resolution of this ninpo’s skill, you may choose not to share information with anyone who
shares an Emotional Bond with you. Also, all Insight Resolutions targeting you receive -1.
Keeping closely guarded secrets.

Fascination Type Support Range 3 Cost 2

Assigned Skill: Seduction
Effect: You may use this during a Combat Scene instead of an attack. Choose all characters
within this ninpo’s range that have a positive Emotional Bond towards you. Each target character,
until hit by you or you drop out of the battle, suffer -1 to all rolls. This cannot be negated.
Use a perfume to make opponents inattentive.

Marionette Type Support Range -- Cost 5

Assigned Skill: Manipulation
Effect: You may use this during a Combat Scene when a character with an Emotional Bond towards you
begins their turn. On a successful Action Resolution of this ninpo’s skill, you may control that charac-
ter’s actions, though you may not use their Ougi or ninja gear. If they take damage this turn, you do, too.
Freely control someone by invading their mind.

Social Battle Type Support Range -- Cost --

Assigned Skill: Rumourmongering
Effect: You may use this during a Drama Scene when you are the Scene Player. On a successful
Action Resolution of this ninpo’s skill, you may choose 1 character whose Location is known to
you. You may deal 1 group damage to that character.
Take someone out socially.

Shaken Type Equip Range -- Cost --

Assigned Skill: --
Effect: When you attack a character that knows your Secret, you deal 1 ranged combat damage in
addition to the attack’s normal effect.

Put a crack in your opponent’s weakness.

23
 Secret of Ninja Scroll 1 - Characters

Clan Ninpo: Otogi Private Academy

Ambush Type Attack Range 1 Cost 1
Assigned Skill: Strategy
Effect: Group combat attack. The Dodge Resolution for this attack is modified by -2. If the attack
is successful, you may deal 1 group combat damage to the target.

Ambush your foes with an attack they’ll never suspect.

Rations Type Support Range -- Cost --

Assigned Skill: Cooking
Effect: You may use this ninpo during a Drama Scene in which you are the Scene Player. On a
successful Action Resolution of this ninpo’s skill, you may choose any characters participating in
the scene. Those characters recover 1 Life Point.
The creation of a mysterious food that restores wounds.

Pursuit of Knowledge Type Support Range -- Cost --

Assigned Skill: Memory
Effect: You may use this ninpo during a Drama Scene in which you are the Scene Player. On
a successful Action Resolution of this ninpo’s skill, you may choose 1 of your chosen skills.
Change that skill to another, permanently.
Changing skills in the middle of the game.

Diversion Type Support Range -- Cost 2

Assigned Skill: Encryption
Effect: You may use this ninpo when someone attempts a Dodge Resolution. On a successful
Action Resolution of this ninpo’s skill, randomly choose another skill of the same Category as the
Dodge Resolution roll. The Dodge Resolution now uses that skill.
Randomly switch the Dodge Resolution skill.

Tactical Shock Type Support Range -- Cost --

Assigned Skill: Writing
Effect: You may use this during a Drama Scene in which you are the Scene Player and you have
just received a character’s Location. On a successful Action Resolution of this ninpo’s skill, you
may enter a Combat Scene with that character.
Go for the kill the instant you find your target.

The Essentials of the Battlefield Type Equip Range -- Cost --

Assigned Skill: Multiplicity
Effect: When selecting this ninpo, select a battlefield. When in that battlefield, all rolls receive a
+1 modification. Also, all effects of that battlefield do not affect you.

Choose the battlefield you excel on.

24
 Shinobigami

Clan Ninpo: Bloodline of Oni

Bloody Vortex Type Attack Range 3 Cost 1
Assigned Skill: Transformation
Effect: Close combat attack. If the attack is successful, you may deal 1 close combat damage to
the target.

Changing your blood or a part of your body to attack your foe.

Meteor Shower Type Attack Range 3 Cost 3

Assigned Skill: Summoning
Effect: Ranged combat attack. All characters within this ninpo’s range become targets. If the
attack is successful, you may deal 1 ranged combat damage to the targets.

Summoning hail or meteors.

Vampirism Type Support Range -- Cost 1

Assigned Skill: Necromancy
Effect: You may use this ninpo when your attack has successfully dealt damage to an opponent.
On a successful Action Resolution of this ninpo’s skill, you regain 1 Life Point.

You steal your opponent’s vitality.

Enlightenment Type Support Range -- Cost 2

Assigned Skill: Clairvoyance
Effect: You may use this ninpo when everyone has decided their Plot. On a successful Action Resolu-
tion of this ninpo’s skill, choose 1 participating character and choose a number from 1-6. If you
correctly guess their Plot Value, they are inflicted with the “Curse” status ailment.
Read your opponent’s mind and seal their magic.

Demonic Rebirth Type Support Range -- Cost 5

Assigned Skill: Possession
Effect: You may use this during a battle instead of an attack. Expend a Life Point. On a successful Action
Resolution of this ninpo’s skill, you may immediately begin a Drama Scene where you are the Scene
Player. However, this scene is a flashback in the past. When this scene ends, the battle continues.

You can recall important moments from the past in an instant.

Imperial Wrath Type Equip Range -- Cost --

Assigned Skill: --
Effect: When selecting this ninpo, choose a Category. When you have lost a Life Point from that
Category, you recieve a +1 modifier to all rolls.

You’ve got a place that musn’t be touched, and when it’s violated, you become ferocious.
25
 Secret of Ninja Scroll 1 - Characters
1.08 Ougi
All ninjas have a powerful
and secret Ougi ability that must
be kept under wraps at all costs.
When making a character, you
may choose an Ougi technique
from the 7 different types.
An Ougi can be used once
per Drama Scene or once per
round of combat.
-Critical hit: This Ougi can
be used instead of an attack.
Choose 1 character that is 1
Plot Number away or less.
That character chooses 4
Skill Categories at random;
those Life Points are lost.
-Radial Attack: This Ougi can
be used instead of an attack.
Choose any characters 3 Plot
Numbers away or less. All
characters hit by this attack
suffer 2 points of damage.
Those hit can choose which
Art Type/Skill Categories
suffer the damage.
-Perfect Success: This Ougi
can be used before you roll a
Resolution. You succeed on
the Resolution. This is not
a Special and if an Achieve-
ment Value is required, it is
treated as 10.
26
-Immortal Body: This Ougi
can be used any time you
take damage. You recover
Life Points equal to the roll
of 1d6 minus the # of times
this Ougi has been used dur-
ing this game (to a minimum
of 0). In addition, any status
effects are also healed.
-Impenetrable Defense: This
Ougi can be used when any
character loses a Life Point.
The effect that causes the
Life Point loss is nullified.
-Resolution Meddling: This
Ougi may be used when
another character makes a
Skill Resolution. Turn one
die into a 1.
-Additional Ninpo: When this
Ougi is acquired, choose 2
Attack or Support Ninpo that
is available to your character.
These Ninpo are treated as
being acquired by your char-
acter. The Assigned Skills
for the Ninpo acquired by
this Ougi are the same as this
Ougi’s Hidden Skill. When
you use the Ninpo acquired
by this Ougi, any other char-
acters in the same Scene as
you can attempt an Insight
Check. On a success, those
 Shinobigami

characters receive this Ougi’s 1.09 Ninja Gear

Information. From that Your character can take 2
point on, those characters items with you during each
can attempt an Ougi Break Scenario. When you first create
against the Ninpo acquired a character, the gear available to
by this Ougi. When such an you are:
Ougi Break is successful, the
effects of these Ninpo are -Hyourougan: When this is
nullified. ingested, recover 1 Life Point
or 1 status ailment.
Once you have chosen your
Ougi from the 7 types above, -Jintsuugan: Use this when you
make a note on your character have rolled the dice in an Ac-
sheet. Then, think about which tion Resolution. Reroll.
skill most closely fits your im-
age of your technique and write -Tonkoufuu: Use this when
it into the Hidden Skill line. someone else has rolled an
This Hidden Skill is now avail- Action Resolution. They
able to your character (so it’s reroll.
probably a good idea to choose
a skill you don’t already have). Once you use an item, it is
You should keep this skill and gone for good.
your Ougi a secret until you
absolutely need to use them. It
is essential to keep them secret.
Once you decide your Ougi’s
type and Hidden Skill, it’s time
to decide on its name. If you
cannot think of a suitably dra-
matic name, you can roll ran-
domly on the Ougi Name Chart
that will be released at a later
date.

27
 Secret of Ninja Scroll 1 - Characters
1.10 Emotions
This space will be used
during the game. During the
course of the game, your char-
acter will develop feelings to-
wards other characters that will
affect the outcome of the story.
You can do certain actions for
characters for whom you hold
feelings for. Please check 6.1
Drama Scenes for more infor-
mation.
28
1.11 Experience
This space will be used once
the game is completed. It re-
cords the achievements of your
character and how they have
advanced through their clan.
Please check 1.3.1 Rank and
9 Session End and Growth for
more information.

2 - Action Resolution
In Shinobigami, whenever a
character performs an action for
which the outcome is uncertain,
an Action Resolution is used to
determine if the action is a suc-
cess or failure. Action Resolu-
tions can also be described as
skill checks or challenges.
During the game, ninjas
should be attempting to perform
a myriad of extraordinary feats.
They may be trying to figure out
someone’s secret or break into a
compound riddled with security
systems. They may be trying
to convince others to join their
cause or unwittingly fall into
someone’s trap. This is when
an Action Resolution is used.
2.01 Resolution Flow
When an Action Resolution
is performed, follow the steps
outlined, from 1 to 4.
1) Skill Determination
The Master determines
the skill most suitable to the
challenge at hand. There are
often situations where the
skill will be determined by
the rules.
2) Skill Confirmation
Each player involved in
the Action Resolution con-
firms whether or not they
Shinobigami
have the determined skill
circled on their character
sheet.
If a character has the skill
circled on their character
sheet, they will have a high
chance of success. If the
character does not have the
skill circled, they must use a
different skill instead. The
player then finds the closest
skill on the character sheet to
the determined skill: this is
the skill they will use. Using
the originial skill as a start-
ing point, count the number
of squares it takes to reach
the replacement skill. Each
white square inbetween
the Categories counts as 1
square, but a square that has
been filled in with black does
not count.
3) Target Number
Confirmation
The target number is the
number that a character is
trying to meet or exceed
when rolling dice; the higher
the number, the lower the
chances of success will be.
If, in 2) Skill Confirma-
tion, the character was deter-
mined to have the determined
skill circled, their target
number is 5. If, in 2) Skill
29
 Secret of Ninja Scroll 2 - Action Resolution
Confirmation, the character
was determined not to have
the skill circled, the target
number becomes 5 + the
number of squares counted to
the replacement skill.
4) Roll the Dice
Roll 2d6. If you meet or
exceed the number deter-
mined in step 3, you succeed
in the Action Resolution. If
the number rolls below the
target number, you have
failed.
Action Resolutions are always
handled in this manner.
There are 3 circumstances
that may alter the way that Ac-
tion Resolutions work, detailed
below.
2.02 Modifications
There are certain times when
the Action Resolution roll will
be modified. When attempt-
ing an action that has a higher
chance of success, the roll will
receive a positive modification.
When attempting something
with a lower chance of success,
the roll will receive a negative
modification.
When the roll has been modi-
fied, the roll, along with any
modifications, must meet or
exceed the target number. On a
30 success, the sum of the roll plus
or minus any modifications is
called the Achievement Value.
2.03 Special Results
There are two special results
that can occur when rolling
dice: Fumbles and Specials.
Fumble: A Fumble represents
a time when a character has
failed in an unthinkable manner.
During a Resolution, a result on
a roll of 2d6 that is the same or
lower of a set value is consid-
ered a Fumble. This set value
is called the Fumble Value.
Even if the Achievement Value
of a roll meets or exceeds your
target number, but is the same
or lower than the Fumble Value,
that character has Fumbled.
During Drama Scenes and
during the Plot phase of a Battle
Scene, the Fumble Value is
2. At any other portion of a
Battle Scene, A character’s Plot
Number becomes their Fumble
Value.
If the Fumble has occured
during a Drama Scene, roll 1d6
to randomly determine a status
effect from the Fumble Chart.
If the Fumble has occurred dur-
ing a Fight Scene, your char-
acter will automatically fail on
all rolls for the remainder of the
combat round.
 Shinobigami

Special: A Special represents If the Master feels that the

a character succeeding spec-
tacularly in their endeavor. A
Special occurs during a Resolu-
tion when, on a roll of 2d6, both
dice show a 6 (a natural 12).
If your character rolls a
Special, you may recover either
1 Life Point or recover from 1
status ailment.
2.03 Master’s Decision
When a character must
choose a replacement skill for
an Action Resolution, it is pos-
sible for a Master to call the
validity of the replacement skill
into question.
replacement skill seems unnatu-
ral or ill-fitting for any reason,
the Master may ask the player
to explain how they intend on
using the skill in the situation at
hand. The player must then ex-
plain how they intend on using
the skill for the Resolution.
If the player explains satis-
factorily, the Master should al-
low the skill to be used without
further question. If the player is
unable to think of a way to use
the skill, they must use another
skill: if the subsequent skill is
further away from the chosen
skill, the resulting target number
will also be higher.

Fumble Chart
1 You feel a bit strange. For the rest of the cycle, all of your
Action Resolutions have a -1 modifier.
2 Oh no! You lost 1 ninja tool.
3 You’ve spilt the information! The secret assigned to you for
this session is revealed to all characters.
4 You’ve let your guard down! The action fails and you lost 1
Life Point at random.
5 It was a trap! You’ve been caught up in your opponent’s plot
and suffer 1 random status effect.
6 Phew! That was close. Nothing really happens.

31
 Secret of Ninja Scroll 3 - Session

3 - Session Day Of: The players gather

around a table headed by the
A single game of Shinobiga- Master. The players should
mi is called a session. have their character sheets
A session typically starts checked by the Master. Players
with the Master describing the should take care to handle their
situation. The players listen to character sheets in such a way
the description and think about that they kept out of sight of the
how their characters would other players.
react. A session moves along in
this fashion, bouncing between
the Master and each player.
A single session is broken
up into 3 parts: the Introduction
Phase, the Main Phase, and the
Climax Phase. For more infor-
mation on each phase, please
read each respective section.
3.01 Session Preparation
There are two kinds of prepa-
ration necessary for a game of
Shinobigami: the day before
and the day of the game.
Day Before: By the day
before the session, the Master
must create the scenario. For
more information on scenarios,
please see section 10. The Mas-
ter must also decide what rank
the characters should be.
The players must create their
characters for the game. It
doesn’t matter if the players
use characters from a previous
session, as long as they meet the
rank decided by the Master.
32

4 - Cycle
Cycles are used in Shino-
bigami in order to ensure that
each player gets an equal part
in each session. Basically, each
character gets 1 scene per cycle
in which they are the main char-
acter. The actions available to a
character may change depend-
ing on the phase of the game.
Actions such as consulting with
friends or looking around and
other easily performed actions
can occur without restriction.
What constitutes a character’s
main action is explained fully
in the Main Phase and Climax
Phase sections.
To begin a cycle, play usu-
ally starts from the player on
the Master’s left, with each
player their turn in order. Each
player’s turn is called a Scene,
and the player who is starring
in the Scene is called the Scene
Player. Once the Scene Player’s
turn is finished, play then moves
to the next player on their left.
If the Master or players so wish,
they may change the order in
which players take their turns.
Once all players have had a
Scene, that cycle is over and a
new cycle begins.
Shinobigami
4.01 Master Scenes
The Master may interrupt the
player’s scenes with a Mas-
ter Scene. During the Master
Scene it is the Master’s turn;
the Master becomes the Scene
Player.
During a Master Scene, NPCs
important to the scenario may
make actions. Other situations
for which there are no specific
rules may occur with the Mas-
ter’s discretion.
4.02 Completed Actions
When a player completes
their Scene, place a die on the
illustrated portion of the char-
acter sheet. This shows that
the player has completed their
action for the cycle. A charac-
ter sheet without a die on the
illustrated portion of the char-
acter sheet, on the other hand,
shows that the character has yet
to complete their Scene. This
way it is easy to see which play-
ers have yet to complete their
actions. Once a cycle begins
anew, please remove all dice
from the illustrated portions of
the character sheets.
33
 Secret of Ninja Scroll 5 - Introduction Phase
5 - Introduction Phase
The Introduction Phase is the
phase where the players explain
how and why they are wrapped
up in the event occuring in the
scenario. The Introduction
Phase is finished after the first
cycle.
The Master explains the
background of the event to
each player and hands out each
player’s Secret and Mission.
The Mission is the directive
that each player must strive to
complete by the end of the ses-
sion. If the player is successful
in completeing their Mission,
they receive extra experience
points at the end of the session.
If they fail, they forfeit those
points.
The Secret must be kept hid-
den by each player at all costs
throughout the session. You
must not and cannot voluntarily
show the Secret to any other
character until forced to do so.
The Secret is usually tied to the
Mission in some way. Showing
your Secret willingly to some-
one else is against the Ninja
Code and is expressly forbid-
den.
The Master is to write the
Secret and Mission on the hand-
out in each respective portion.
34
The Secret portion of the hand-
out is to be folded over and
placed face-down on the table
as to remain unseen by the other
players.
Each player’s Scene in the
Introduction Phase should ex-
plain how or why their character
is involved in the scenario. A
short introduction to the charac-
ter and their Mission is usually
enough to make an interesting
Introduction Scene. Once every
player has had their Introduc-
tion Phase Scene, the cycle ends
and the Main Phase begins.
5.01 People Chart
As players debut in their
Introduction Scenes, the other
players should write the Scene
Player’s name into the People
Chart on the character sheet.
The players should also write
the names of NPCs that appear
if the Master designates them as
having a Secret.

6 - Main Phase
The Main Phase is the core
phase of the game. The Main
Phase typically ends when
conditions set by the scenario
are met. It is typical to end a
Main Phase after a set number
of cycles, often 3, or after all
Secrets have been revealed.
During the Main Phase, it’s
the players’ turn to take charge
of moving the game forward.
The rules allow the Scene Play-
ers to decide what sort of Scene
occurs and what happens in
them.
The Scenes of the Main
Phase are split into 2 types:
Drama Scenes and Combat
Scenes. The Scene Player de-
cides which type of Scene they 8 A terrible crowd. A raucous
desire for their character.
6.01 Drama Scene
Drama Scenes are scenes
depicting a character’s everyday
life, investigation, or other non-
combat activity.
The Scene Player decides
the scene’s mood and creates
a rough outline for the scene’s
atmosphere by rolling 2d6 and
consulting the Scene Table. If a 11 A drunken roar. The sounds of
certain result comes up multiple
times, or if the Master allows
it, the Scene Player may simply 12 The sun smiles down on you.
describe an atmosphere of their
Shinobigami
Scene Chart
2 The scent of blood floods the
area. Signs of battle litter the
area. Wait--the battle isn’t over
yet..!
3 Is this a dream? This all hap-
pened in the past. I can’t ever
forget what happened...
4 A row of houses stretches out
below. You could see the entire
city from here, but...
5 It’s so dark, you’d think the
world had ended. In the dark-
ness, you whisper...
6 You are spending time peace-
fully. You almost feel as
though you could forget all
about the world of shadows...
7 An air of purity drifts through
this forest. You can hear the
songbirds and feel a cool
wind...
noise. Chatter both inane and
productive fill the air.
9 A strong rain begins to fall.
People are pulling out their
umbrellas, hurriedly trying to
get out of the rain.
10 A heavy wind blows wildly.
Hair and clothing whip about
madly. It feels as something is
about to happen...
vendors calling to passersby.
The street is lively.
It’s way too bright out here for
35
someone who belongs in the
world of shadows...
 Secret of Ninja Scroll 6 - Main Phase
choosing.
Once the atmosphere has
been sketched out, the Scene
Player then decides which
characters will populate the
Scene. Extras can be pulled
into any Scene with no limita-
tion, but player and non-player
characters must have the con-
sent of their respective players
or Master before participating.
choosing.
Once the atmosphere has
been sketched out, the Scene
Player then decides which
characters will populate the
Scene. Extras can be pulled
into any Scene with no limita-
tion, but player and non-player
characters must have the con-
sent of their respective players
or Master before participating.
Next, the Scene Player chooses
a suitable time and location for
the scene.
Once the time, location and
cast has been decided, the Scene
Player directs the scene. At this
time, the participating players
may trade Information (other
than Secrets) or ninja gear
freely.
At the end of the Scene, The
Scene Player chooses between
Life Point recovery, receiv-
ing Information, or forming an
Emotional Bond. The player
36
then selects the skill that most
closely applies to the current
scene.
Once the Scene Player has
chosen their goal and their skill,
a Resolution using the skill is
performed. The type of Reso-
lution that occurs depends on
the Scene Player’s choice; Life
Point recovery becomes a Re-
covery Resolution, information
becomes an Information Reso-
lution, and the emotional bond
becomes an Emotion Resolu-
tion. On a successful Resolu-
tion, the effect of the chosen
Resolution occurs. These ef-
fects are detailed here.
6.01.1 Recovery Resolution
On a successful Recovery
Resolution, the Scene Player
may recover a single Life Point
they lost previously in the Ses-
sion.
6.01.2 Information Resolution
There are 2 kinds of Infor-
mation obtainable in a Drama
Scene: Secrets and Locations.
On a successful Information
Resolution, the Scene Player
chooses a single player, then de-
cides between the player’s Se-
cret or Location. If the charac-
ter chosen is an NPC, the Scene
Player then receives the infor-
mation from the Master; if not,
the Scene Player receives the

information from the character’s
player. The player receiving the
Information then checks off the
appropriate box in the People
Chart on the character sheet
next to the character’s name.
Some characters may have
more than 1 Secret. In that
case, after a character’s Secret
is revealed to another character,
the character must declare that
they have Secrets remaining.
6.01.3 Emotion Resolution
On a successful Emotion
Resolution, the Scene Player
another character participating
in the same Scene.
Both the Scene Player and
the player chosen roll 1d6 and
consult the Emotion Chart,
deciding their characters’ Emo-
Emotion Chart
1 Sympathy (+)
2 Friendship (+)
3 Affection (+)
4 Loyalty (+)
5 Admiration (+)
6 Fanatacism (+)
Shinobigami
tional Bond to each other. On
each die result, there is both a
positive and a negative possibil-
ity. Each player may choose
between these as they see fit.
Once the Emotional Bond has
been determined, it is written in
the People Chart on the charac-
ter sheet.
Characters that share an
Emotional Bond are able to
make use of Information Shar-
ing, Battle Bursts, and Emo-
tional Modifiers.
6.01.3.1 Information Sharing
If a character towards whom
your character has an Emotional
Bond receives Information,
your character may automati-
cally access that information.
Doubt (-)
Anger (-)
Jealousy (-)
Contempt (-)
Inferiority Complex (-)
Murderous Intent (-)
37
 Secret of Ninja Scroll 6 - Main Phase
However, you cannot receive
information that was given to
that character through an Emo-
tional Bond: you must have the
Emotional Bond towards a char-
acter who received the Informa-
tion directly.
You may never share your
own Secret.
6.01.3.2 Battle Burst
When a character towards
whom you hold an Emotional
Bond enters combat, you may
choose to have your character
burst into that combat uninvit-
ed. Please see 6.02.11 for more
information on Battle Bursts.
38
6.01.3.3 EmoMod
When a character towards
whom you hold an Emotional
Bond attempts an Action Reso-
lution, you may use your Emo-
tional Bond to affect a modifica-
tion to the roll. This is known
as Emotional Modification, or
EmoMod.
If your character has a posi-
tive Emotional Bond towards
the character, you may give a
+1 bonus to the roll; if negative,
you may give a -1 penalty to the
roll. Your character must be in
the same scene in order to use
an EmoMod.
EmoMods may be used once
per cycle for Drama Scenes
and once per round for Combat
Scenes.
6.01.4 Other Players
Players other than the Scene
Player, whose characters are
participating in the Scene, may
trade ninja gear and Information
between each other. You may
never reveal your Secret.
 Shinobigami

6.02 Combat Scene 6.02.1 Battlefield

Combat Scenes are scenes
depicting a fight between char-
acters.
In order to initiate a Combat
Scene, the Scene Player must
choose a character whose Loca-
tion they have checked off in
their Person Chart. This is the
character with which battle shall
be joined.
During this battle, any char-
acters that have an Emotional
Bond toward either character
may enter the scene and join
battle at any time. Please see
6.02.11 for more information on
Battle Bursts.
The Scene Player may choose
a battlefield at the start of battle.
If so, 1d6 is rolled and the
Battlefield Chart is consulted.
The combat must occur at the
battlefield indicated and each
battlefield has its own special
set of rules.
Like the Scene Chart for
Drama Scenes, each result of
the Battlefield Chart is designed
to be a framework around
which interesting scenes can be
constructed.

Battlefield Chart
1 An even field. No effect.
2 In water; a beach, a river, an area flooded with blood. During
this battle, all Dodge Checks suffer a -2 modification.
3 A high place; city skyline, treetops, a sheer cliff. During this
battle, characters that Fumble lose 1 Life Point at random.
4 Bad weather; wind, hail, rain of missiles, etc. During this
battle, the distance on all ninpo are raised by 1.
5 A crowd; a throng of people, a classroom, traffic jam. During
this battle, a Fumble occurs on a character’s Plot Number +1
6 Extreme location; space, deep sea, craggy rocks. At the end of
the round, the Game Master rolls 1d6. Any character on the
Plot Number equal to the number that is rolled loses 1 Life
Point. Any characters that drop out of the scene must roll a
1d6. They then suffer the status ailment from the table that
corresponds to that roll. 39
 Secret of Ninja Scroll 6 - Main Phase

6.02.2 The Flow of Battle battle; please see 6.02.12 for

Instead of cycles, Combat
Scenes are divided into rounds.
Combat Scenes proceed in
the following manner:
1) Plot
2) Attack Resolution
3) End of the Round
During a Combat Scene that
occurs during the Main Phase,
anytime a character is dealt 1
Life Point or more damage by
another character’s attack or
action, the damaged character
is dropped from the Scene. As
characters drop from the Scene,
the last character remaining is
declared the winner. If no char-
acters are left, then combat ends
with no winner. The winner is
entitled to receive the spoils of
ヴェロシティシステム
more information.
6.02.3 Plot
Each player taking part in the
battle must take a 6-sided die
in their hand, secretly choose a
number between 1-6, and place
that number face up under their
palm. This action is called Plot
and the hidden number chosen
by each player is called the Plot
Number. Once all participat-
ing players have chosen a Plot
Number, they simultaneously
reveal their Plot Number.
Attacks and actions are then
carried out proceeding from the
character with the highest Plot
Number down.
The rules for Action Reso-
lution change as soon as the
VELOCITY SYSTEM

零 壱 弐 参 肆 伍 陸 死地
Mundain Ghost Walk Shadow Run Neuro Speed Sonic Speed Bullet Speed Light Speed F.T.L.
静止した時間 幽霊歩き 影走 思考速度 音速 弾速 光速 超光速

0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7
ファンブルエリア ファンブルエリア ファンブルエリア ファンブルエリア ファンブルエリア ファンブルエリア ファンブルエリア ファンブルエリア

0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7
戦闘シーンでは、フ 戦闘シーンでは、フ 戦闘シーンでは、フ 戦闘シーンでは、フ 戦闘シーンでは、フ 戦闘シーンでは、フ 戦闘シーンでは、フ 戦闘シーンでは、フ
ァンブルすると、そ ァンブルすると、そ ァンブルすると、そ ァンブルすると、そ ァンブルすると、そ ァンブルすると、そ ァンブルすると、そ ァンブルすると、そ
のラウンドは判定が のラウンドは判定が のラウンドは判定が のラウンドは判定が のラウンドは判定が のラウンドは判定が のラウンドは判定が のラウンドは判定が
できなくなる。 できなくなる。 できなくなる。 できなくなる。 できなくなる。 できなくなる。 できなくなる。 できなくなる。

Preparing the some minis or counters and the Battle Sheet

found in the back of the book would be handy for combat.
When Plot Numbers are declared, simply place your mini or
40 counter on the column in which your Plot Number is written.

character with the highest Plot
Number takes their turn and
return to normal at the end of
combat. During combat, the
Fumble Value of Action Resolu-
tions is equal to a character’s
current Plot Number. This
means that anytime a character
rolls equal to or less than their
Plot Number during combat
has Fumbled: they automati-
cally fail any subsequent Action
Resolutions for that round.
In other words, the higher the
Plot Number is, the sooner a
character acts, but the easier it
is to Fumble.
6.02.3.2 Simultaneous Actions
If more than one character
share a Plot Number, their at-
tacks occure simultaneously.
For the sake of convenience,
the actions are handled first for
the player closest to the Master,
but in reality these actions are
occuring at the same time.
For example, take for in-
stance characters A and B sitting
on the same Plot Number. To
make things simple, A takes his
actions first, landing an attack
on B, who Fumbles his defense.
Once the action is finished, B
takes his actions as though A’s
attack’s hadn’t yet happened.
Once all characters on a Plot
Number finish their actions, the
Shinobigami
consequences of the attacks take
effect. In this example, if both
characters A and B land their
attacks, both characters would
take damage and fall out of the
battle.
6.02.4 Attacking
A character may make a
single attack every round on
their turn.
To make an attack, the at-
tacking character chooses an
attack Ninpo from their Ninpo
List and selects a suitable op-
ponent. The opponent must be
within the range described by
the Ninpo, which is the differ-
ence between the attacking and
defending characters’ Plot Num-
bers. As long as the distance is
within the Ninpo’s range, the
attack can occur.
The player that initiated the
attack then uses an Action Reso-
lution based on the assigned
skill of the Ninpo chosen. This
is called the Attack Resolution.
If the Attack Resolution is a
success, the attacking charac-
ter has a chance to damage the
opponent. The type of damage
dealt will be described in the
Ninpo text. If the Attack Reso-
lution fails, the attack misses
completely.
Once the attack succeeds, the
opponent must make an Action 41
 Secret of Ninja Scroll 6 - Main Phase
Resolution based on the same
skill as the Attack Resolution;
this is called the Dodge Resolu-
tion. If the Dodge Resolution
is successful, the attack has no
effect, but if it fails, the oppo-
nent takes the damage or effect
detailed in the Ninpo descrip-
tion text.
6.02.5.1 Close Combat
Close Combat damage is
direct damage typically dealt by
skills such as Brawl or Sword.
A character that takes a single
point of Close Clombat damage
randomly chooses a Category
by rolling 1d6 and marks off
the Life Point box at the top of
the column with an X. If the
Category that is randomly cho-
sen already has the Life Point
crossed out, the player may
choose which Category receives
the damage.
If a Close Combat Ninpo suc-
ceeds with a Special roll, you
may do damage equal to a roll
of 1d6. The attacking player
may randomly decide which
Categories take this damage, but
if any rolls result in a Category
that already has damage, the
defending character may choose
which Category takes the dam-
age.
42
6.02.5.2 Ranged Combat
Ranged Combat damage is
typically dealt by shuriken,
blowdarts, guns and other at-
tacks from a distance. A char-
acter that receives a point of
Ranged Combat damage gets
to choose which Category takes
the damage. Cross off the Life
Point box at the top of the Cat-
egory’s column on the character
sheet.
If the attacking character’s
Ranged Combat Ninpo suc-
ceeds on the Attack Resolution
with a Special roll, they may do
1d6 damage to the opponent.
The opponent chooses which
Categories are damaged.
6.02.5.3 Group Combat
Group Combat damage is
typically damage dealt by using
groups of underlings, such as
thugs, familiars, or marionettes
to fight indirectly. A character
that receives a point of of Group
Combat damage rolls 1d6 and
consults the Status Ailment
Chart to determine which status
ailment they are afflicted with.
If the attacking character rolls
a Special on a Group Combat
Ninpo Attack Resolution, they
may choose which status effect
to inflict upon the opponent.
 Shinobigami

6.02.6 Special Dodges 6.02.7 Damage

The target of an attack may,
no matter what the assigned
skill of a Ninpo is, use the Es-
cape skill in the Dodge Resolu-
tion. If this Dodge Resolution
succeeds, the attack has no
effect and the targeted character
drops out of combat.
When a Category takes dam-
age, its Life Point box is crossed
out and it becomes disabled: all
skills within the Category are
unusuable until the Life Point is
recovered.

Status Ailment Chart

1 Disabled: You are unable to use any ninja tools. At the end
of every cycle, you may attempt an Action Resolution using
karakurijutsu. On a successful roll, this status ailment is cured.
2 Paralyzed: Choose one of your character’s skills at random;
that skill may no longer be used. At the end of every cycle,
you may attempt an Action Resolution using shintaisojutsu.
On a successful roll, this status ailment is cured.
3 Serious Injury: On your next turn, choose a random Skill
Category; this Skill Category takes 1 Life Point of damage. At
the end of every cycle, you may attempt an Action Resolution
using seizenjutsu. On a successful roll, this status ailment is
cured.
4 Missing: After this battle conludes, you may no longer par-
ticipate during the Main Phase. At the end of every cycle, you
may attempt an Action Resolution using keizairyoku. On a
successful roll, this status ailment is cured.
5 Amnesia: Choose an Emotion connection at random; this con-
nection may not be used. At the end of every cycle, you may
attempt an Action Resolution using kiokujutsu. On a success-
ful roll, this status ailment is cured.
6 Curse: Choose a ninpo at random; this ninpo cannot be used.
At the end of every cycle, you may attempt an Action Resolu-
tion using jujutsu. On a successful roll, this status ailment is
cured. 43
 Secret of Ninja Scroll 6 - Main Phase
6.02.8 End of the Round
Once all players taking part
in the combat have taken their
turns, the round has ended. If
a player so chooses, they may
elect to forfeit and have their
character from combat. Once
one of the two following con-
ditions has been met, combat
ends:
• There are 1 or less combat-
ants left in the battle
• A number of rounds equal
to the number of combatants
has concluded
If neither of these conditions
are met, combat resumes once
more from the Plot stage of the
Combat Scene.
If all characters drop out of
a Combat Scene, there are no
winners.
6.02.9 Direction Mods
Any player that is not partici-
pating in a Combat Scene may,
once per round per player, con-
trol the conditions of the battle-
field.. This is called a Direction
Modification.
A Direction Modification
can give a positive or nega-
tive modifier of 1 to an Action
Resolution by any character in
the Combat Scene. The player
that wishes to use a Direction
Modification must describe
44 what happens during the combat
that justifies the modification.
6.02.10 Ninpo Use
Characters participating in a
Combat Scene may use support
Ninpo at the time specified in
the description text. However,
a support Ninpo may only be
used once per round.
In addition, attack and sup-
port Ninpo have a Cost listed
in their entry. The total com-
bined Cost of attack and support
Ninpo may not exceed a char-
acter’s Plot Number for the cur-
rent round. A character may use
any number of support Ninpo as
long as the Plot Number is not
exceeded.
6.02.11 Battle Burst
Characters that choose to en-
gage in an ongoing battle must
follow the following rules.
A character that decides to
participate in a battle from the
beginning must declare so by
the time Plot is declared, and
must declare their Plot Number
at the same time as all other
characters, as usual. A player
that chooses to burst into a
scene in progress must do so
before the final character of
the round takes their turn. The
bursting character must enter
combat on a Plot Number of 1
and may not use attack Ninpo
this round.

6.02.12 Spoils of Battle
The winner of a battle may
choose a single losing partici-
pant and decide which of the
following spoils to take for
themselves.
6.02.12.1 Information
The winner may choose to
learn either the loser’s Location
or the loser’s Secret.
Shinobigami
6.02.12.2 Emotion
The winner may set or
change the Emotional Bond
they have toward the loser.
They then may set or change the
loser’s Emotional Bond toward
the winner.
6.02.12.3 Prize
If the loser is holding a Prize,
the winner may chose to take
the Prize for themselves.
45
 Secret of Ninja Scroll 7 - Climax Phase

7 - Climax Phase then receive a +3 modifier to

their next Action Resolution.
The Climax Phase is the To receive a bonus to an
final battle that concludes the attack’s damage, the character
scenario. This phase is handled must first succeed on an Attack
similarly to an extended Mas- Resolution and their opponent
ter Scene. The Master decides must fail a Dodge Resolution.
what conditions will bring about The attacking player must then
the Climax Phase when writing direct a short flashback scene
the scenario. relating to the Secret. After
All players participate in the this short revelatory scene, their
Climax Phase. Other than the damage will do 1 extra point of
rules for dropping out, death damage.
and Flashbacks, the rules are the
7.03 Death
same as a Combat Scene.
During the Climax Phase, a
7.01 Dropping out character drops out as soon as
Characters do not drop out their Life Points are completely
of the Climax Phase merely by lost. This is not character death,
taking damage. A character will though a player may choose
not drop out until all remaining to have their character die
Life Points are lost. permanantly. If so, you may
choose 1 of the following ac-
7.02 Flashback tions for the dying character to
Each character may take ad- perform at the moment they die.
vantage of the Flashback once Keep in mind that dead charac-
per game to receive a bonus to ters may never return or be used
either an Action Resolution or in another session.
gain extra damage on an attack. • Attack: You may use a
To receive a bonus to an Ac- single attack Ninpo and as
tion Resolution, the player must many support Ninpo as you
reveal their Secret to everyone like; The cost for support
before the Action Resolution Ninpo becomes 0.
occurs. They must then direct • Information Sharing: You
a short flashback scene relating may share any information
to the Secret. After this short with 1 character.
revelatory scene, the player will
46

8 - Ougi
Players may use an Ougi
at any time according to the
description of their Ougi’s type.
An Ougi may be used once per
cycle during Drama Scenes and
once per round during Combat
Scenes.
When an Ougi for the first
time, the Ougi’s name and ef-
fect is declared and the effect
happens automatically.
Once the Ougi takes effect,
all characters participating in
the same scene may roll an Ac-
tion Resolution based on Analy-
sis. This is called the Insight
Resolution.
If the Insight Resolution is
successful, the player using
the Ougi must share their Ougi
Information with the player that
succeeded on the Insight Reso-
lution. The Ougi Information
is part of a character’s Informa-
tion, meaning that characters
with Emotional Bonds towards
the character receiving this In-
formation are privy to it as well.
A player may not choose to
learn another character’s Ougi
after succeeding on an Infor-
mation Resolution, however.
When the Ougi Information is
received, check off the box in
the People Chart on the charac-
Shinobigami
ter sheet.
If a character chooses to use
their Hidden Skill, the other
characters participating in the
Scene may attempt an Insight
Resolution as though they had
used their Ougi.
If a character uses their
Ougi, and another character
in the same Scene knows that
Ougi’s Information, then once
the Ougi’s name and effect is
declared, an Ougi Break may be
attempted.
An Ougi Break is an Ac-
tion Resolution that completely
negates the effect of an Ougi.
In order to use an Ougi Break,
the opposing character must be
participating in the same Scene.
A character that does not have
an Ougi’s Information cannot
attempt an Ougi Break.
To use an Ougi Break, the
opposing character uses the
Ougi’s Hidden Skill in an Ac-
tion Resolution. If it succeeds,
the Ougi has no effect.
47
 Secret of Ninja Scroll 9 - Ending

9 - Ending will always have the final say.

Once the Climax Phase
has ended, each character has
an epilogue before the game
ends. During the epilogue, the
Master has complete freedom
to describe the outcome of the
session. A Master may simply
describe what happens to each
character, or they may even
decide on one final cycle where
each character has a final scene.
When the epilogue is fin-
ished, experience points are tal-
lied. To determine the number
of experience points received,
each player should consult the
conditions on the Achievement
Chart. If unsure whether or not
their character’s actions met
these conditions, the Master
As experience points rack
up, you may find that your char-
acter rises in rank. When this
happens, make sure to check the
Rank Chart to determine what
your character is eligible for.
9.01 Respec
When the session is com-
plete, each character completely
restores their Life Points and re-
sets all Information. All Prizes
and ninja gear are lost. Players
may then choose 2 ninja gear to
equip their character with be-
fore the start of the next session.
Also, between sessions it is
possible to choose a character’s
skills, Ninpo and Ougi as long
as the limits set by a character’s
rank is met.

Achievement Chart
Clan Aim: During this session, completed your clan’s goals or 1 pt
defeated your clan’s enemy.
Survived: Participated in the session all the way to the end of 1 pt
the Climax Phase without dropping out.
Role-play: Stayed true to a character’s Emotion or conviction. 1 pt
Prize: Had control of the Prize at least once during the session. 1 pt
Having control of the Prize from the start doesn’t apply.
MVP: Each player chooses a single player other than them- 1 pt
selves that they feel added the most to the session.A player
chosen receives this Achievement each time chosen. A player
may decline to choose.
Mission: Completed the Mission (or Secret Mission if any) as- 3 pts
48 signed to the character.

10 - Scenario
In order to play Shinobigami,
the Master must prepare a sce-
nario. A scenario consists of an
entire session’s worth of story,
NPC data and character data.
The following is a step-by-
step guide to writing a scenario.
A Scenario Sheet may be found
in the back of the book; having
a copy in hand will be useful
while reading this section.
There are also sample sce-
narios found in the back of the
book to give novice Masters a
feel for how to run a scenario.
Masters running their first game
are encouraged to use one of
these sample scenarios for their
first game.
10.01 Scenario Type
There are several types of
scenarios possible in Shinobig-
ami. First, choose which type
of scenario to create from the
types described below.
10.01.1 Vs.
The versus scenario type is
where the characters find them-
selves in 2 opposing groups
of ninjas. To create a versus
scenario, the Master must first
create 2 differing factions. For
example, a team that must kill
Shinobigami
a certain NPC (the Prize), and a
team that must protect the same
NPC. It might also be a good
idea to complicate things once
teams are decided by using con-
flicting Missions and Secrets.
It is recommended that Mas-
ters fresh to Shinobigami start
with a versus scenario.
10.01.2 Co-op
The cooperative scenario
type is where the characters find
themselves joining together as a
group of ninjas against a larger
foe. The Master should ready
an incredibly strong enemy for
the team to fight at the Climax
Phase. Also, it might be a good
idea to set the Climax Phase
trigger to similar to finding the
enemy’s Ougi or weak point, as
well as including these in vari-
ous character’s Secrets.
A cooperative scenario is
recommended for Masters and
players who want to play Shino-
bigami like other RPGs.
10.01.3 Battle Royale
The battle royale scenario
type is where each ninja is
locked in a battle to the death
with each other, where the
winner is the one left standing.
Prizes and intertwining Secrets
should be in abundance for
49
 Secret of Ninja Scroll 10 - Scenario
players to fight over.
Battle royale scenarios can be
incredibly fun, but the last battle
usually takes a long time to
complete. Trying a battle royale
would be a good idea if the
group has the time and inclina-
tion for it.
10.01.4 Special
The special scenario type is
where the versus, cooperative,
and battle royale mix to cre-
ate an interesting new type of
scenario. For example, a game
that starts off as a cooperative
game, but as the Secrets are
discovered, the players realize
that they are actually on oppos-
ing factions; or a scenario that
starts off as a versus type but
veers into cooperative when
the big bad evil guy shows up
to destroy them all. Three-
way versus battles, a Prize that
throws a well-meaning coopera-
tive game into an all out battle
royale assault--there are many
ways to create exciting and
unique scenarios.
50
10.02 Background
Next, the Master must create
the outline of an event.
Record the basic outline of
the event, specifying the loca-
tion that will serve as the stage
as the event. Also make sure
to note how the players will
interact with the event, as well.
Masters may find section 11,
detailing the world of Shino-
bigami, of some use.
10.03 Number of Players
The Master must also set the
number of players involved in
the scenario. Through the game
is playable with 2-6 players, 3-5
players is suggested. It is also
highly suggested that versus
scenarios have an even number
of players. If there are an odd
number of players in a versus
scenario, the Master should
include a Secret-bearing NPC
participate in the scenario and
make that NPC join a team.
Once the number of players
has been decided, subtract that
number from 6. The result is
the number of NPCs that the
Master should prepare for the
scenario.

10.04 Handout
The handout is the sheet
detailing each character that
will be handed out to the play-
ers. Copy the handout sheet in
the back of the book and write
in each player’s Mission and
Secret. Make sure that each
handout is seen only by the
intended player.
10.04.1 Mission
The Mission is the aim that voluntarily be given up. Some
each player should strive for
their character to accomplish
during the session. Make sure
that each Mission is capable of
being achieved.
For a versus or battle roy- is fulfilled. If a character with
ale scenario, make sure to use
conflicting Missions between
characters. For a cooperative
scenario, make sure that players play begins.
are given Missions that allow
for them to work together.
Example Missions:
• Grab the Prize before the
scenario ends
• Kill someone
• Find something
• Protect someone
• Protect something
• Defeat someone (traitor/
boss)
• Become involved with
someone specific
Shinobigami
• Achieve a number of points
as determined by the sce-
nario
• Interfere with someone’s
Mission
• Make sure everyone in-
volved lives
10.04.2 Secrets
Secretsarehiddentruthsthat
each character desparately tries
to hide. Secrets may never
Secrets may include True Mis-
sions. In that case, even if a
character’s Mission is fulfilled,
they won’t receive experience
points unless their True Mission
a True Mission is involved in a
session, the Master should ex-
plain this to the players before
Theremayalsobeinstances
where a character’s Mission
changes due to a clause in their
Secret. For example, a Secret
may read: “You are in love
with Player 1. If by the Climax
Phase, you and Player 1 do
not have the Affection and/or
Loyalty Emotional Bond toward
each other, your True Mission
is to defeat Player 1.” You
may also write Secrets so that a
character has a choice of Mis-
sions to fulfill due to clauses in
51
 Secret of Ninja Scroll
a Secret.
Examples of Secrets:
• Whereabouts of a Prize
• You are actually the Prize
• You are actually another
character’s real parent
• You are in love with another
character
• You are actually a traitor
• You are another character’s
alternate identity
• The condition needed to
proceed to the Climax Phase
• An enemy character’s infor-
mation: number of under-
lings, Ougi, Location, etc.
• Background information
• You actually have no secrets
Handout
You may not allow this secret
to fall into anyone s hands
Secret
52
10 - Scenario
10.05 NPCs
NPCs are non-player charac-
ters controlled by the Master.
Heroines, rivals of the player
characters, powerful enemies
and even those pulling the
strings behind large conspira-
cies are appropriate as NPCs.
Masters may choose an NPCs
name, age and sex as appro-
priate for the scenario; NPCs
receive Secrets and Missions.
If NPCs are going to enter
combat as enemies or allies, the
Master should choose skills,
ninja gear, Ninpo and Ougi for
the NPCs as though they were
player characters. The data
from the Enemy section of the
rulebook may also be used as
NPC data.
Handout
Name
Mission

10.05.1 Extras
NPCs that don’t have hand-
outs, Secrets or Missions, and
are not important to the scenario
are called Extras. The Master
is free to have Extras enter and
leave scenes as needed. The
Scene Player also has complete
control over the actions of Ex-
tras during their scene. Extras
act exactly as directed by the
Master or Scene Player.
10.06 Prize
The Prize is a special ob-
ject that exists solely for the
scenario: a secret ninja scroll,
ritual components, holy relics,
damsels in distress, and other
important targets. Though 1
Prize per session is suggested,
there may be scenarios that call
for 2 or more Prizes to exist.
As long as a character comes
into the possession of a Prize
at least once during the ses-
sion, that player will receive
the experience point for fulfill-
ing the Achievement. Coming
into possession several times,
however, does not increase the
amount of experience gained.
Adding a Mission specifying a
requirement to keep the Prize
until the end of the game may
be a good idea.
Shinobigami
10.07 Introduction Scene
The Introduction Scene exists
to explain why and how each
character is related to the event
occuring in the scenario and
how much they know about
what is happening. The Master
should decide these details for
each character.
Creating an Introduction
Scene that reflects a character’s
Secret, Mission, clan, secret
identity, and so forth, it can
greatly add to the feeling of im-
mersion.
10.08 Master Scene
Master Scenes are to be in-
terspersed throughout the Main
Phase. The Master should use
a Master Scene anytime there is
a scene that needs to be shown.
Master Scenes may also be used
to improvise something interest-
ing if the Master feels that the
action is stagnating.
Inasinglesession,1-4Mas-
ter Scenes are suggested.
Example Master Scenes:
• On a successful Action
Resolution based on a skill
determined by the Master,
the enemy’s Location is
found
• An NPC creates an Emo-
tional Bond with a PC
53
 Secret of Ninja Scroll 10 - Scenario

• A scene for the PCs to share 10.11 Conclusion

information In the conclusion the scenario
should end simply. A session
10.09 Climax Scene of Shinobigami should flow
The Master must set the naturally. Instead of trying to
condition for the Climax Scene, make the conclusion deep, plan
deciding the requirement to on reflecting on the spin that
be fulfilled before the Climax each character has put on the
Phase occurs. For example, development of the scenario
in a cooperative scenario, the and everyone’s influence on the
characters must find the final story’s conclusion.
enemy’s Location before they In the case of a versus scenar-
can confront him in the Climax io, it is ok to have single team
Scene, or perhaps the Limit has as the winner, and the Master
been reached. should prepare several possible
endings.
10.10 Limit
The Limit is the maximum
number of cycles that can occur
before the Climax Phase au-
tomatically occurs. No mat-
ter how far the scenario has
developed, once the Limit has
been reached, the Climax Scene
begins. The Master should find
a plausible reason for the reason
to exist; for example, an evil
ritual may take 3 days/cycles to
complete.
The recommended Limit for
most scenarios is 3-4 cycles.

54

11 - World
At first glance, the world of
Shinobigami is an ordinary one,
calm and uneventful.
A dark shadow, however, is
cast silently across this peaceful
façade.
That shadow wafts on the
blackness of night, surging
stronger as the moon travels its
well-worn path until dispelled
with the breaking of dawn.
They are sometimes called
“Nightwalkers.”
Just underneath the surface
of the world you and I inhabit
lies the domain of shadows,
known only as the “World of
Shinobi.” It is a world of vio-
lence and conspiracy, and it is a
world of sorcery.
In the World of Shinobi, in-
numerable battles unfold daily
across the land: thousand-year
old struggles between conquer-
ors and the conquered; disgrace-
ful political squabbles over
national interests; mad scram-
bles that shake up our everyday
lives; never-ending personal
quests to fulfill one’s innermost
desire.
All of these constant con-
flicts are raging unknown,
cleverly hidden just under our
Shinobigami
noses.
And those who struggle
through this carnage are, of
course, the ninja.
Ninja
Ninja is the generic term that
covers any and all that lives
and fight in the World of Shi-
nobi. They are given a variety
of other names: “Masters of
Ninjutsu,” “Shinobi,” “Masters
of the Art,” “The Masked,”
“Housemonkey,” “Wandering
Maiden,” to mention but a few.
In general, during the Japa-
nese middle ages, a ninja was
someone used by daimyo or
lords in assassinations or intel-
ligence gathering. In reality,
ninja have existed since long
before as wielders of supernatu-
ral abilities. It is said that they
have lived among us as long
ago as the Yayoi period, in the
1st century BC. In some leg-
ends it is stated that no less than
the first emperor of Qin and
Princess Himiko herself were of
ninja blood.
With a basis in Taoist spiri-
tual belief, the ninja developed
their own abilities—Ninpo—by
utilizing advanced weaponry,
science and magic.
With the use of these power-
55
 Secret of Ninja Scroll 11 - World
ful Ninpo, ninja have long held
great influence over politics,
business, and even religion.
During the Sengoku period,
a number of rival warlords
emerged, splitting the ninja into
a number of separate clans, con-
stantly locked in a brutal race
for power. However, as the war
finally ended and the Tokugawa
clan took control of the coun-
try, the clans were once again
reunited and put to work for the
Shogunate as secret enforcers.
As the nation modernized with
the Meiji era, the usefulness of
the ninja seemed to come to an
end. It is said that many ninja
then took up jobs as farmers,
agents of law enforcement,
doctors, pharmacists, firework
makers, and a myriad of other
suitable occupations.
Of course, where there is
light, there must be shadow;
and as the light of modernity
shines ever brighter, the depth
of that darkness yet blackens.
The World of Shinobi contin-
ues, as it has always, just below
the face of normal society. The
curtain called Peace is used
to cleverly disguise the World
of Shinobi. Just the same, the
ninja of today stand as proxies
as they fight the same battles
and hold the same grudges as
56
their ancestors. Theirs are the
battles of a people imbued with
the supernatural abilities of sci-
ence and magic.
Shinobigami
The Shinobigami are legends
even among ninja. They are
said to have been the progeni-
tors of magic and martial arts.
According to both the Hirasaka
Agency and Bloodline of Oni,
the Shinto god Susano-o of the
Kojiki—the oldest historical
record of ancient Japan—was
himself a Shinobigami.
Though many doubt the
veracity of these claims, the
fact remains that 6 sacred relics
were left behind by the Shino-
bigami and were only until re-
cently accounted for; according
to the Bloodline of Oni, these
have been stolen away. The
Bloodline of Oni had attemped
a grand ritual using the relics
in attempt to learn the secret
art Tenjo Tenge, the mysteri-
ous art handed down from the
Shinobigami themselves with
the power to grant any wish. At
that time, the relics disappeared
without a trace. Since that fate-
ful day, a great number of ninja
have searched for the relics to
find the secret of Tenjo Tenge.
 Shinobigami

6 Main Factions corporate identities. Stand-

ing out from the others is Yata
The strength and size of ninja Heavy Industries, a corpora-
clans can fluctuate wildly, but tion involved in anything and
at the moment, the balance of everything, including energy,
power has stabilized. The cur- aerospace, and weapon devel-
rent groups in power are called opment. The true core of the
the 6 Main Factions. They are: Hasuba Ninja Army, however, is
the Hasuba Ninja Army, the its research division. Within the
Kurama Shin Clan, the Hira- research division are a num-
saka Agency, the Otogi Private ber of specialist groups, each
Academy, the Bloodline of Oni, assigned names derived from
and the Lost Ones. tools, such as the Screw People,
Sawtooth Gang, and Inkpot
Hasuba Ninja Army Clan.
The Hasuba Ninja Army
The Hasuba Ninja Army is is fervently trying to replicate
intent on using technology to Ninpo with ninja gear. Its ulti-
acquire every ninpo in exis- mate aim is the consolidation of
tence. all other clans and orders under
It is said that in its early the banner of Hasuba. Due to
inception, the order was a this lofty goal, this clan is con-
simple clan of the same lin- stantly at war with the Kurama
eage as the Saika Ikki, famed Shin Clan, a group which is
developers of ancient firearms constantly trying to destroy or
and naval warcraft. When seal away dangerous Ninpo.
Toyotomi Hideyoshi unleashed The leader of the Hasuba
his wrath upon the Saika Ikki Ninja Army is Hitori Kuroshio,
in an attempt to wipe out their CEO of Yata Heavy Industries.
bloodline, those skilled enough
to escape found refuge and Kurama Shin Clan
prosperity by founding the Iga
and Koga clans. There, they The Kurama Shin Clan
continued their development of focuses on hunting the super-
ninja gear and weaponry. natural and making sure that the
Currently, the Yata Group is powerful secrets and techniques
a conglomerate of 30 separate of the World of Shinobi stay
57
 Secret of Ninja Scroll 11 - World
hidden and never find their way
to our world.
As the Heian period waned,
an onmyouji by the name of
Kichi Hougan founded this clan
with 8 warrior monks in the
Kurama Mountain of Kyoto.
It is said that these 8 monks
became the origin of every
martial arts style in Japan, also
becoming known as the Kyoto 8
Styles. In fact, just about every
well-known master of martial
arts has had some secret affilia-
tion with the clan.
Over the course of time, the
Kurama Shin Clan has taken it
upon itself to make sure that the
World of Shinobi stays hidden
in the shadows. Two of their
most important duties are seal-
ing away dangerous Ninpo be-
fore they can fall into the wrong
hands, as well as the destruction
of supernatural elements that
would otherwise pose a threat
to innocents. Because of this,
they are often called Oni Hunt-
ers. Yet another duty passed
down through the generations of
shadow is the part they play in
halting any other group search-
ing for the legendary Tenjo
Tenge. In order to keep true to
this obligation, they have merci-
lessly destroyed a countless
number of people searching for
58
the missing holy relics.
The leader of the Kurama
Shin Clan is the One-Eyed
Swordsman, Yagyuu Mit-
suyoshi. It is unclear whether
or not there is any relation to
the famed Yagyuu family.
Hirasaka Agency
The Hirasaka Agency is
a secret intelligence agency
that provides the government
with information regarding the
movement of ninja and magical
forces.
Long before the influence of
Buddhism and other esoteric
teachings, the animist Shinto
beliefs of ancient Japan formed
the origins of the Hirasaka
Shinto cult. Of the 6 Main Fac-
tions, this group has the stron-
gest ties and strongest influence
over the world of politics. In
essence, this group acts mostly
in accordance with the nation’s
best interests in mind. There
are rumors that they operate the
nation’s politics in accordance
to divinations and sacred reli-
gious rites dedicated to the kami
that protect the land.
A large number of agency
members are female ninjas,
known as “Miko,” that infiltrate
businesses and organizations.

The agency then analyses the
information gathered by the
Miko, utilizing it to lead each
other faction into directions
and actions that best profit the
agency. Though the agency has
terrifying powers of manipula-
tion, their upfront combat capa-
bilities are somewhat limited;
this is why Kurama Shin Clan
members and Lost Ones are
frequently hired or forced to
work as security forces for the
agency.
The leader of the Hirasaka
Agency is the high priestess
of the Hirasaka Shinto cult,
Ubume Hirasaka.
Otogi Private Academy
The Otogi Private Academy
provides proper guidance for,
and protects, youth that show
supernatural potential.
With the Meiji restoration,
a large number of ninja hid
themselves away in our peace-
ful society, completely forget-
ting about the World of Shi-
nobi. What they didn’t realize,
however, is that their power
never forgot and is passed down
through blood. Many of their
children, as their slumbering
powers awakened, have become
led astray as they find them-
Shinobigami
selves unable to deal with their
newfound strength. The Otogi
Private Academy protects these
children, teaching them to hone
their powers by teaching them
the ways of the ninja.
On the surface, the academy
is a school that encompasses
both primary and secondary
schooling. The school boasts a
large number of accomplished
students and is often admired by
outsiders. However, in real-
ity the school is an intelligence
agency that is training suitable
children as spies. Even within
the school, less than half of the
students actually realize what
the true intentions are for their
education.
The sponsors of the academy
are primarily foreign zaibatsu
conglomerates. Due to their
influence, a number of interna-
tional exchange students and
trainees of foreign intelligence
agencies attend the school.
The Hirasaka Agency has long
disapproved of this practice
and more than a few scuffles
between the two have occurred
over the years.
The leader and headmaster
of the Otogi Private Academy is
Rokaku Arthur Masashige.
59
 Secret of Ninja Scroll 11 - World
Bloodline of Oni
The Bloodline of Oni is a
group of abnormal beings with
plans on toppling the nation.
Descendants of the beings
called oni and tsuchigumo that
once inhabited ancient Japan
populate the Bloodline of Oni
clan. Within the clan are a
number of inhuman beings,
such as vampires, werewolves,
nightmares and shapeshifters,
that are often called “Night
Gaunts” by ninja. Though other
ninja often have some sort of
tie to the surface world, this is
generally untrue of the Blood-
line of Oni. With rare excep-
tion, the members of this clan
aggressively isolate themselves
from normal society, and nearly
all share a world-weary attitude
and keep very exclusive social
circles.
As a race, various factions
have long oppressed the Blood-
line of Oni. It is this continued
history of oppression that has
left the clan with a deep-seated
distrust of government power.
The Hirasaka Agency in partic-
ular, with its ancient ties to the
imperial court, draws the clan’s
ire; any chance meetings be-
tween the two factions seldom
end without a battle.
60
The greatest wish of the
clan as a whole is to create a
world in which they can live
peacefully; to that end, they
pursue the secret Shinobigami
rite “Tenjo Tenge.” In the past,
they suffered a blow when they
failed a magic ritual that lost
them control of several holy
relics, but the clan is steady in
its unwavering commitment to
recovering and finding a way to
try again.
The leader of the Bloodline
of Oni is the leader of a cult
used to mask the existence of
the clan: Yatonokami Torihiko.
The Lost Ones
The Lost Ones are a group of
talented ninja who hold no alle-
giances toward any of the major
orders.
The Lost Ones “clan” simply
refers to any free ninja who,
for a variety of reasons, do not
belong with the other factions.
The majority of these ninja are
those from small villages, ninja
who were personally taught and
handed down ninja techniques,
and ninja that have run away
from their clan.
Due to the fact that some
ninja in this grouping straddle
the line between the world

above and the World of Shi-
nobi—either by taking jobs as
mercenaries or belonging to
criminal groups—this clan is
often looked down upon by the
rest of the factions. The term
“Lost Ones” began as a deroga-
tory nickname for masterless
and aimless ninja. Nonetheless,
there are an extraordinary va-
riety of ninja that make up this
faction, making it impossible
for the other groups to ignore.
In a narrow sense, the Lost
Ones are not really a clan and
have no unified will. However,
within the group there seems
to be a large number of ninja
with hatred towards the Hasuba
Ninja Army. A large number of
villages have been plundered
and assimilated due to the
Hasuba’s hunger for rare and
powerful Ninpo; the number of
victims of their schemes and
their family members grow, as
does their resentment and thirst
for revenge.
The Lost Ones do not have a
true leader.
Other Factions
There are entities other than
the 6 major clans that are aware
of the World of Shinobi. Here,
the various factions with ties to
Shinobigami
the ninja are introduced.
Gangland
This group is comprised of
yakuza, mafia and other gang
members. Many mobsters em-
ploy unscrupulous ninja; more
often than not, often these ninja
are Lost Ones. Even so, there
are few in the world of orga-
nized crime who truly know the
extent of the World of Shinobi.
For the most part, the most any
gangster knows is that, “there
are some really scary creeps out
there…”
Law Enforcement
Within the upper echelon
of the police force and certain
legal circles, the existence of
the World of Shinobi has be-
come common knowledge. Due
to the pressure of the Hira-
saka Agency, however, they
take great pains to make sure
that this knowledge does not
become public. The police,
therefore, do their best to cover
up anything that may expose
the ninja clans. Occasionally,
a rogue agent attempts to blow
their cover, ignoring orders
from above. As to their fate—
the fact that the world at large
61
 Secret of Ninja Scroll 11 - World
remains ignorant says enough.
Political Dynasties
The political dynasties use
ninja to fulfill their schemes
and designs. For the sake of
exploiting their interests and
furthering their own causes,
they have set innumerable
battles into motion in the World
of Shinobi. Of these dynasties,
the Mayoinomiya family alone
has taken a particular stance;
they seem to believe that the
6 main ninja factions should
forever keep a steady balance in
relation to each other and make
sure to do what they can to halt
any clan from ambitions to
overpower the others. Though
they may approach each clan in
different ways, they appear to
be trying to ensure the stability
of our world.
Foreign Nations
Other nations have become
aware of the existence of the
ninja clans of Japan. Many
countries, however, have creat-
ed their own intelligence agen-
cies that employ ninja and su-
perhuman beings akin to ninja.
Examples are Great Britain’s
Knights of the Round Table and
62
the United States’ CIA.
Outsiders
The Outsiders are inhabitants
of a supernatural realm. They
come into our world through
“Gates,” special points in space
and time that breach the wall
between our world and theirs.
Most Outsiders are harbingers
of terrible disaster. Even more
terrifyingly, Outsiders seem
to be impervious to nearly all
physical damage. Because of
this, ninja are this world’s only
line of defense—and it is usu-
ally up to the Kurama Shin Clan
and the Bloodline of Oni to
heed the call.
Most Outsiders are skilled in
mystic arts and come into our
world for the sole reason of test-
ing their skills. Indeed, Outsid-
ers seem to have little care or
thought about mankind, includ-
ing ninja. However, if they
come across someone suitable
to their mystical abilities, they
may take them back to their
own world to shape them into
their successor. The reason for
this seems to be that Outsiders
are unable to reproduce on their
own. This sort of abduction by
an Outsider is known as being
“spirited away.”
 Shinobigami

The legendary Shinobigami cally sealed, inaccessible from

and the ancestors of the Blood- the outside world. All records
line of Oni are said to have been of the city having existed have
Outsiders. been erased and any attempts
to locate it have failed. Even
Dejima within the World of Shinobi, the
only people with any informa-
A few years ago, the Blood- tion regarding the city are those
line of Oni, in an attempt to ob- of Jounin rank or higher; within
tain the ultimate ninja art “Tenjo these upper ranks, the most ac-
Tenge,” conducted a magical curate information most have is
ritual to revive the Shinobigami that the city, called “Dejima” to
in a large urban area. The ritual those in the know, is run amok
was designed to sacrifice the with Outsiders. In order to
thousands of city inhabitants, access the lost holy relics and
as well as the 6 holy relics—the the peculiar skills of the Outsid-
swords Mitsurugi and Yatsurugi, ers, many ninja have attempted
the jewels Mitama and Maga- to enter the city. None have
tama, and the mirrors Mikagami returned in one piece. In a freak
and Sakagami. The Oni sorcer- occurrence, a Hasuba clansman
ers managed to open a Gate and managed to return from Dejima,
began to assert the power of the though it is said that his mind
Shinobigami when, at the last was shattered and his body was
minute, a group of ninja from mangled in a way that resem-
every clan, assembled by the bled an unspeakable amalgama-
Kurama Shin Clan, put an end tion of sea creatures. Those
to their ritual. The incomplete who know of Dejima have
ritual cast unspent magical ener- another name for it: Shijima, or
gy in every direction, dispersing Death Island.
mystical energy throughout the
city. Untold numbers of Outsid-
ers found their way into the city
and its former inhabitants were
transformed into horrors beyond
human imagining.
Since then, that city has
become physically and magi-
63
 Secret of Ninja Scroll 11 - World
Foreign Settings
The setting of Shinobigami
assumes that the players are
intimately familiar with the
landscape and layout of mod-
ern Japan and its society. With
very minimal effort, a game
can take place in any part of the
modern world. Players need
not necessarily create a Japa-
nese character. A player may
use an analogue of their chosen
clan suitable to their character’s
nationality and yet keep the
mechanics of play the same.
This way, the relationships
between each clan does not
change and interesting elements
of story may develop through
play. Here are some examples
of alternate names and settings
for each major clan.
Hasuba Ninja Army
Perhaps the Hasuba Ninja
Army has branched out, reach-
ing its mechanical hands
throughout the world in its
search for hidden power. Or
perhaps a rival privatized-
mechanical army exists in the
west; Halliburton-like private
security firms or a Bond-villain
type billionaire’s army may fit
some scenarios.
64
Kurama Shin Clan
Any group of trained fighters
bent on fighting the supernatural
work well for this clan. Perhaps
an old lineage of vampire hunt-
ers named Belmont?
Hirasaka Agency
Any shadow government
organization is appropriate; the
Illuminati, Knights Templar,
or even the Freemasons, for
example.
Otogi Private Academy
Just file the name off the
school and replace as appropri-
ate by nation. Perhaps an Eng-
lish school called Pigwart’s?
Bloodline of Oni
Each nation has a tradition
of the supernatural; simply
changing the name of the clan’s
ancestors will suffice.
Lost Ones
Any change to this faction is
unnecessary.

12 - Enemies
This chapter details the data
for the class of NPCs called
Enemies. Enemies are a type
of character usually controlled
by the Master and are presented
here in a convenient compact
form.
12.01 Adaptation
When an Enemy is first in-
troduced in a game, the Master
may alter their assigned skills or
Ninpo as appropriate.
12.02 Simultaneous Use
When multiple Enemies are
used simultaneously in battle,
the Master should group each
Enemy of the same type and
use one Plot Number for each
group.
Shinobigami
12.03 Enemy Data
Life Points
The number of Life Points an
Enemy starts with. As an Ene-
my loses Life Points, they don’t
lose the use of any Categories.
This does not apply, however, to
Enemies used in a Battle Royale
type game; they will lose the
use of any Categories that suffer
damage.
Skills
The specialized Category of
an Enemy. The skills acquired
by an Enemy are written after
the slash.
Ninpo
The Ninpo acquired by an
Enemy.
Description
A short description of an
Enemy.
65
 Secret of Ninja Scroll 12 - Enemies

Low-ranking Ninja

Enemy
忍

subversive activities.
they are responsible for collecting information and other
of every faction. Until they reach the mid or upper ranks,
These are the lower-ranked ninja that populate the rosters
者

Grass
Life Points
Skills Stealth / Infiltration, Analysis
Ninpo Close Combat A (Infiltration) Range: 1
Wandering S (Infiltration)

Within every clan, a number of rookie ninja exist, nicknamed “Grass.” These ninja are
planted throughout society, collecting information from schools, corporations, and vari-
ous other communities.

Combatant
Life Points
Skills Body / Shuriken, Sword, Invisibility
Ninpo Close Combat A (Sword) Range: 1
Ranged Attack A (Shuriken) Range: 2
Heat Haze S (Sword) Cost: 1

Even in the lower ranks, ninja specializing in battle exist. They are often employed in
assassinations or sudden attacks.
66
 Shinobigami

Agent
Life Points

Skills Tool / Pyromancy, Concealment, Rumourmongering

Ninpo Close Combat A (Pyromancy) Range: 1
Blast A (Pyromancy) Range: 2 Cost: 1
Social Battle S (Rumourmongering)

Even in the lower ranks, ninja specializing in special ops exist. They are often employed
in gathering information or subversive activities.

Kunoichi
Life Points
Skills Scheme / Clothes, Poison, Seduction
Ninpo Close Combat A (Poison) Range: 1
Marionette S (Manipulation) Cost: 5
Fascination S (Seduction) Range: 3 Cost: 2

Alluring female ninjas. They often charm their victims into “honeytraps” to learn valu-
able knowledge.

Genin Leader
Life Points
Skills Strategy / Guerilla, Strategy, Encryption, Weapon Concealment
Ninpo Close Combat A (Guerilla) Range: 1
Group Combat A (Strategy) Range: 4
Crushing Blow S (Weapon Con.) Cost: 1
Strategic Command S (Strategy) Cost: 3
The ninja in control over the lower-ranked clan members. Skilled in a number of strate-
gies, they ably conduct their lessers.

Zombie Ninja
Life Points
Skills Stealth / Contortionism, Invisibility
Ninpo Close Combat A (Contortionism) Range: 1
Continuous Attack S Cost: 2
Take the Hit S Cost: 1
Crushing Blow S (Weapon Con.) Cost: 1
Ninja called back into service even after the release of death. Though their memories
are gone, their shinobi skills are still left, imprinted into their very body through their
rigorous practice. 67
 Secret of Ninja Scroll 12 - Enemies

Ninja Beast

Enemy
忍

might not tread.

cial Ninpo. They are often found in places that human ninja
These are animals trained in ninjutsu and taught to use spe-
 

Ninja Dog
Life Points
Skills Body / Running, Analysis
Ninpo Close Combat A (Running) Range: 1
Continuous Attack S Cost: 2
Take the Hit S Cost: 1

Representative of the ninja beast’s loyalty and bravery, these dogs are said to be able to
sense an enemy 1 million times better than a human and crush a man’s windpipe with its
sharp teeth.

Ninja Swarm
Life Points
Skills Strategy / First Aid, Creature Mastery
Ninpo Close Combat A (First Aid) Range: 1
Domination A (Creature M.) Range: 3 Cost: 4

Beetles, bugs, centipedes and other creepy crawlies used to follow or hunt enemies, fight
battles, etc. They are also used in healing.
68
 Shinobigami

Ninja Raven
Life Points

Skills Body / Sleight of Hand, Jumping, Writing

Ninpo Close Combat A (Sleight of H.) Range: 1
Ranged Attack A (Jumping) Range: 2
Arrow Catching S (Sleight of H.) Cost: 1

The most clever of all birds, trained as a ninja beast. Able to fly into the air to search
and deliver messages over long distances.

King Snake
Life Points
Skills Sorcery / Pyromancy, Walking, Sword, Poison, Transformation
Ninpo Close Combat A (Walking) Range: 1
Cross Cut A (Sword) Range: 0 Cost: 1
Crushing Blow S (Pyromancy) Cost: 1
Assassin S (Walking) Cost: 1
Carnage A (Poison) Range: 2
Poison Fang E Any character damaged by this character must succeed
on an Action Resolution based on Poison or gain the Serious Injury status ailment.
A type of supernatural beast that has lived for over 100 years, with a body longer than 10
meters. Though wild, it enjoys luxury. Its bite is said to drive men mad.

Monster Toad
Life Points
Skills Stealth / Pyromancy, Concealment, Invisibility, Guerilla, Binding
Ninpo Close Combat A (Invisibility) Range: 1
Blast A (Pyromancy) Range: 1 Cost: 1
Counter S (Guerilla ) Range: 2 Cost: 2
Plot Restriction S (Binding) Cost: 3
Kaleidoscope A (Concealment) Range: 3
Poison Gland E Any character damaged by this character must succeed
on an Action Resolution based on Survival or gain the Paralyzed status ailment.
A supernatural toad similar to the King Snake. It is said to inhale any that have touched
its rainbow-colored breath. It’s tears are the main ingredient in hyorogan.

Ninja Shark
Life Points
Skills Body / Weightlifting, Survival, Guerilla
Ninpo Close Combat A (Weightlifting) Range: 1
Jaws S (Weightlifting) Cost: 2 Used before this character attempts an At-
tack Resolution when in the Water battlefield. When an Action Resolution based
on this Ninpo’s skill succeeds, Close Combat deals 2 more damage.
Aquatic E Negate penalty when in Water battlefield.
A savage great white shark that has been altered with brain surgery to follow any and all
commands. The most dangerous combatant underwater.
69
 Secret of Ninja Scroll 12 - Enemies

Rival

Enemy
好

signed 1 Ougi, chosen by the Master.

sample characters for quick play. They each should be as-
same level as the Player Characters. They can be used as
These are experts from each clan. These enemies are the
ቭ
手

Mad Scientist
Life Points
Skills Tool / Pyromancy, Clothes, Torture, Finance, Strategy
Ninpo Close Combat A (Finance) Range: 1
Ranged Attack A (Strategy) Range: 2
Blast A (Pyromancy) Range: 1 Cost: 1
Crushing Blow S (Torture) Cost: 1
Hadesology E

A Hasuba scientist dedicated to unlocking the secrets of the other clans’ Ninpo.

Swordsman
Life Points
Skills Body / Demolition, Riding, Running, Sword, Analysis
Ninpo Close Combat A (Ride) Range: 1
Ranged Attack A (Sword) Range: 2
Crushing Blow S (Demolition) Cost: 1
Heat Haze S (Sword) Cost: 1
End of the Beginning E

A Kurama Shin Clan soldier hunting for supernatural threats.

70
 Shinobigami

Ex-Ninja
Life Points

Skills Stealth / Pyromancy, Escape, Invisibility, Multiplicity, Analysis

Ninpo Close Combat A (Escape) Range: 1
Shadow Duplicate S (Multiplicity) Cost: 1
Blast A (Pyromancy) Range: 1 Cost: 1
Able-bodied E
Continuous Attack S Cost: 2

A ninja who has thrown away his duty, betraying his clan by running away.

Shaman
Life Points
Skills Scheme / Shuriken, Sleep, Seduction, Finance, Word Magic
Ninpo Close Combat A (Word Magic) Range: 1
Ranged Attack A (Shuriken) Range: 2
Resupply S (Finance)
Emotion Manipulation S (Seduction) Cost: 1
Marionette S (Manipulation) Cost: 5

A female ninja of the Hirasaka Agency, infiltrating an organization to gain information.

Tactician
Life Points
Skills Strategy / Running, Interception, Nature, Strategy, Writing
Ninpo Close Combat A (Nature) Range: 1
Continuous Attack S Cost: 2
Guidance S (Running) Cost: 2
Essentials of the Battlefield E
Tactical Shock S (Writing)

A strategist from the Otogi Private Academy, planning his next move and looking for the
chance to give him the best chances against his opponent.

Sorceror
Life Points
Skills Sorcery / Climbing, Sleep, Summoning, Binding, Visual Control
Ninpo Close Combat A (Binding) Range: 1
Meteor Shower A (Summoning) Range: 3 Cost: 3
Crushing Blow S (Climbing) Cost: 1
Able-bodied E
Counter S (Sleep) Range: 2 Cost: 2

An oni-blooded sorceror specializing in curses and skilled in magic.

71
 Secret of Ninja Scroll 12 - Enemies

Genius

Enemy
魔

be assigned 2 Ougi, chosen by the Master.

are able to take on several opponents at once. They should
These enemies are stronger than the Player Characters and
人

Metal Night
Life Points
Skills Tool / Engineering, Pyromancy, Demolition, Invisibility, Strategy
Ninpo Close Combat A (Invisibility) Range: 1
Sunder S (Demolition) Cost: 2
MechaNinja E
Blast A (Pyromancy) Range: 1 Cost: 1
Carnage A (Strategy) Range: 2
Heat Haze S (Sword) Cost: 2
A ninja that has mechanized his entire body. He is now equipped with advanced weap-
onry such as optical camoflage and high-frequency vibro-blades. His heart is now as
cold as iron and will stop at nothing to accomplish his mission.

Demon Blade
Life Points
Skills Body / Weapon Concealment, Ballistics, Running, Sword, Analysis
Ninpo Close Combat A (Weapon Con.) Range: 1
Kaleidoscope A (Ballistics) Range: 3
Assassin S (Sword) Cost: 1
Unmovable E
Bloody Determination E
End of the Beginning E

A warrior that lives by the sword. In a continuous search for that which is True
Strength, they trust nobody but their sword and follow its thirst. And it thirsts for blood.
72
 Shinobigami

Ninja Master
Life Points

Skills Stealth / Rope Use, Infiltration, Ventriloquism, Multiplicity, Willpower

Ninpo Close Combat A (Rope Use) Range: 1
Shadow Duplicate S (Multiplicity) Cost: 1
Body Double S (Ventriloquism) Cost: 4
Carnage A (Multiplicity) Range: 2
Crushing Blow S (Rope Use) Cost: 1
Unmovable E
These are the legendary ninja that gave the World of Shinobi its name. However, these
ninja have left their clans, never to be seen again. It is said that they left in order to save
the ones they love.

Master Mind
Life Points
Skills Scheme / Sleight of Hand, Investigation, Rumourmongering, Finance, Illusion
Ninpo Close Combat A (Sleight of Hand) Range: 1
Social Battle S (Rumourmongering)
Reticence S (Investigation)
Emotion Manipulation S (Rumourmongering) Cost: 1
Plot Restriction S (Illusion) Cost: 3
Kaleidoscope A (Illusion) Range: 3
Hidden deeper even than the World of Shinobi, these ninja lurk in the world of shadows
themselves. They control the movements of finance and government to their whim, and
also seem to be able to control where and when things happen.

Master Strategist
Life Points
Skills Strategy / Pyromancy, Invisibility, Creature Mastery, Strategy, Encryption
Ninpo Close Combat A (Pyromancy) Range: 1
Blast A (Pyromancy) Range: 1 Cost: 1
Diversion S (Encryption) Cost: 2
Strategic Command S (Creature M.) Cost: 3
Destruction: Stealth S (Invisible) Cost: 2
Encirclement A (Strategy) Range: 5
These strategists have snatched victory--and the opponent’s head--in 100 of 100 battles.
Maestros of the art of war of East, West, current and ancient, they live only to conquer
the battlefield.

Mage Blooded
Life Points
Skills Sorcery / Hydromancy, Invisibility, Necromancy, Word Magic, Visual Control
Ninpo Close Combat A (Word Magic) Range: 1
Carnage A (Visual Control) Range: 2
Crushing Blow S (Hydromancy) Cost: 1
Continuous Attack S Cost: 2
Vampirism S (Necromancy) Cost: 1
Counter S (Visual Control) Range: 2 Cost: 2
Within the Oni clan, powerful rites to create terrifying beasts--weapons of destruction-
-exist. Those creatures born of these horrible rituals have magic coursing through their
very blood; they are known as the Mage Blooded. 73
 Secret of Ninja Scroll 12 - Enemies

Outsider

Enemy
渡

Master.
Outsider. They should be assiigned 1 Ougi, chosen by the
solemn duties. The Shinobigami are said to be a type of
them back to whence they came is one of a ninja’s most
existence. Most of them are harbingers of disaster. Sending
These enemies are demonic beings from another plane of
来
人

Necrologist
Life Points
Skills Sorcery / Acupuncture, Torture, Contortionism, First Aid, Necromancy
Ninpo Close Combat A (Torture) Range: 1
Encirclement A (Necromancy) Range: 5
Destruction: Body S (Jumping) Cost: 2
Counter S (Contortionism) Range: 2 Cost: 2
Vampirism S (Necromancy) Cost: 1
Crushing Blow S (Torture) Cost: 1
A race of Outsider that dabbles in the science of death. They are able to control 2 crests: the Death Crest and the
Life Crest. The Death Crest, when handed to a living thing, changes them to a puppet-like being called a Manne-
quin. When the Life Crest is handed to a dead thing, it turns the body into a Replica, a mockery of life that keeps
the memory of the being’s life before death.

Architect
Life Points
Skills Tool / Engineering, Rope Use, Digging, Sleep, Encryption
Ninpo Close Combat A (Digging) Range: 1
Kaleidoscope A (Engineering) Range: 3
Spider of Darkness S (Rope Use) Range: 2 Cost: 5
Arrow Catching S (Clothing) Cost: 1
Continuous Attack S Cost: 2
Hadesology E
A race of Outsiders that continuously creates machines. They come into our world
to test out their new creations. They are constantly searching for mortals suitable to
74 become their successor, and will “spirit away” any they find worthy.
 Shinobigami

Muse
Life Points

Skills Scheme / Clothing, Olfaction, Seduction, Rumourmongering, Possession

Ninpo Close Combat A (Performance) Range: 1
Scent of Spring A (Necromancy) Range: 5
Emotion Manipulation S (Rumourmongering) Cost: 1
Social Battle S (Rumourmongering)
Fascination S (Seduction) Range: 3 Cost: 2
Demonic Rebirth S (Possession) Cost: 5
A race of Outsider that lives off of Beauty. They provide inspiration to artists in recip-
rocation. However, any that deal with a Muse will find their arrangement leads to their
death. The Beauty that the Muse crave eventually coalesces into Gates open to others.

High Roller
Life Points
Skills Strategy / Sleight of Hand, Jumping, Ventriloquism, Willpower, Memory
Ninpo Close Combat A (Ventriloquism) Range: 1
Kaleidoscope A (Sleight of Hand) Range: 3
Guidance S (Running) Cost: 2
Pursuit of Knowledge S (Memory) Cost: 2
Destruction: Stealth S (Ventriloquism) Cost: 2
Body Double S (Invisible) Cost: 4
A race of Outsider that has supernatural nerve and mathematical ability. Their aim in
this world is to dominate in any and all games. They may seem happy-go-lucky, but in
fact will strictly adhere to the rules.

Destroyer
Life Points
Skills Tool / Weapon Concealment, Demolition, Contortionism, Interception, Bluff
Ninpo Close Combat A (Interception) Range: 1
Sunder S (Demolition) Cost: 2
Destruction: Tool S (Demolition) Cost: 2
Emotion Manipulation S (Bluff) Cost: 1
Surprise Attack S (Weapon Con.)
Shaken E
A race of Outsider that provides clients with hard to find components. They are able
to deconstruct items minutely to create and deliver their specific parts: the spring of a
virgin girl, the dream of an ideal, an integrated circuit of envy, etc.

Swordsmith
Life Points
Skills Body / Ballistics, Sword, Inception, Transformation, Binding
Ninpo Close Combat A (Binding) Range: 1
Bloody Vortex A (Transformation) Range: 3 Cost: 1
Assassin S (Ballistics) Cost: 1
Heat Haze S (Sword) Cost: 2
Continuous Attack S Cost: 2
End of the Beginning E
A race of Outsider that bears a cursed sword used for fighting in the supernatural realm.
Their sword is made of extreme human emotions. Human bodies are carried to their
realm and processed over extreme heat to collect their dreams, love, hate and despair. 75