Harakiri: Blades of Honor - par Synergic Games - Livraison mai 2023

Ayez j’ai annulé mon early bird apres avoir vu une vidéo de gameplay chiante merci YouTube :smiley: et le fait que j’ai plus de place pour tout ce que je dois recevoir

Sur cwowd C’est pas une excuse valable ca :grin:

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Même si ce n’est pas le raz-de-marée, les dernières 48H ont permis de reprendre la marche en avant et de pouvoir débloquer Kabuki Demon, le custom insert, Daimyo, et le Dark Shogun il y a quelques minutes. Donc il ne reste plus que 2 SG de dernières minutes…

A mon avis, ils ont des SG sous le coude jusqu’au million

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A 3H de la fin de la campagne, le seuil des 700K$ vient d’être franchi. Plus que 17K$ pour débloquer le dernier SG affiché.

Malgré l’actu de l’autre jour, j’ai quand même espéré une VF jusqu’au bout, bon il reste 2h je lâche mon pledge :laughing:

Je vais garder mon pledge (1€) et croiser tout ce que je peux croiser pour avoir une traduction d’ici la sortie du jeu…

…ou apprendre l’anglais 🥸

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Je pense que tu vas devoir apprendre l’anglais. L’avantage c’est que ça va t’ouvrir une multitudes d’autres jeux à pledger :innocent:

Campagne terminée avec un beau final que je n’ai pas suivi mais les deux derniers SG (Sumo-Sapo et Keiko Izumi) ont été débloqués. Finalement ça a fini avec plus de 4K backers pour 736K$ engrangé.

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Si Synergic Games m’offre le all-in, je la fait la traduction :smiley:
Je suis rodé à la traduction des jeux espagnols maintenant.

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Dernière update post-campagne en date avec deux annonces. La première concerne le PM prévu sur Gamefound pour mars et la deuxième le choix de l’usine avec celle de Dust Studio de Paolo Parente. Très bon choix quand on voit la qualité des figurines CMON/MG/Monolith.

Update #35 - Manufacturing, development and more (ENG/ESP)

Here we are again with February´s update, which we bring you full of news and content, let’s go to it!

The Witches

It’s been two months since the end of the campaign, and we still have fresh in our memories the amazing finish we lived through :). And of course, we have not forgotten that we planned to show you the miniatures of Izumi and Keiko, the two witches we managed to add to the game with just a few minutes left. Here you have them.

Izumi & Keiko, art by David Benzal

Izumi & Keiko, miniatures by Oniric Artwork

These witches are tough rivals —it couldn’t be otherwise— but if you must fight them at the same time: they will have special sequences in their AI. Be ready!

Our Factory

But this is just the beginning of the information we have for you today.

We are are happy to tell you that we have reached an agreement with a company to produce Harakiri. It is none other than Dust Games.

We are delighted to have closed a deal with a company that, in our opinion, offers the highest quality for miniature production. Many of you already know projects that Dust Games has handled: Cthulhu: Death May Die, Blood Rage and Rising Sun (CMON), Mythic Battles Pantheon (Monolith/Mythic), and Okko Chronicles (Red Joker), among others.

Having Dust in charge of the production means that a refining process will be carried out on all the game models to make them even more impressive. Here’s an example of the before and after improvement process:

Master Optimization (Dust Games) - YouTube

Although there is still some time to go before production, we wanted to share this news with you.

Development

Now let’s explain a little more about the game and its mechanics, as we will continue to do on a regular basis. Today we shall cover the process of leveling up, to give you an idea of how characters will evolve during the campaign.

Level upgrades will occur at specific moments in the campaign, for all four characters at once, allowing the players to coordinate how their characters evolve.

Maximum health increase

The first and most direct effect of leveling up is the increase in the character’s maximum health. The amount depends on their class. Akira the ronin is the character with the greatest amount of health, while Hattori the ninja is the one who will have to be most careful to stay on his feet.

Attribute increase

Each character will gain an attribute point to help develop the profile you prefer, so that your character can face the coming challenges. You can assign it to Power (greater amount of damage for attacks), Dexterity (greater mobility), Knowledge (better available items) or Spirit (better management of Ki for the use of skills).

New skill

You will choose a new skill for the character. At each level, you will choose between two new skills, with very different effects. These will affect the exploration phase, and some will include a trait that helps during the Adventure phase. Due to how varied the skills are, each character’s profile will have a multitude of options.

There’s no better way to explain this than with an example, so here’s the skill tree for Tomoe, the samurai woman of the Sakura Clan.

Please recall that Tomoe uses heavy armor and has a very high total health, although she has a base profile of ranged attack (she trained with bows in her childhood). That’s why her initial skill grants her a greater range when using bows while attacking. Whether to develop her bow skills or opt for a more versatile profile is up to you.

Level 2 (Divine arrow or Rattle)

The first skill choice, Divine Arrow, allows you to add additional damage with a bow. It’s a simple and effective skill.

The second option for level 2, Rattle, has a very different profile. It allows, when causing sufficient damage to the enemy, delaying the enemy’s activation until the end of the initiative sequence. It is thus a utility skill rather than a damage skill, giving Tomoe a more versatile profile. This skill does not require the use of any specific type of weapon, so it can be used with melee weapons, which usually have a higher average hit rate than ranged weapons.

Level 3 (Leadership or Bodyguard)

At this level we have two skills with similar areas of affect, but opposite effects. Leadership grants an aura that increases the attack of nearby allies. Bodyguard increases the defense of allies. Although the difference is subtle, your choice significantly affects how to play the heiress of the Sakura Clan.

Level 4 (YYYYY or Piercing)

The first option, YYYYY, is a Technique skill that recovers 2 APs whenever Tomoe defeats an enemy during her activation. This means that she can perform an attack and recover the APs she consumed on it.

Remember, however, that only one attack action is allowed per activation, so the additional APs must be used for other actions such as movement, interactions, readjusting the Ki dice, or saving a point for a later round. This skill gives Tomoe a lot of autonomy, providing more APs to improve her strategic position in this or later rounds.

Alternatively, we have the Piercing skill, which enables attacking an adjacent enemy while ignoring its armor and defense. This skill allows for massive damage, but it will require Tomoe to be in the line of fire. It will be perfect for those who want to combine ranged and melee attacks.

Level 5 (Bubashi’s Wrath or Mantle of Arrows)

Finally, at level 5 we have two skills with a high damage potential. The Bubashi’s Wrath Skill allows Tomoe to perform an attack, which, if it defeats an enemy, allows another free attack, which, if it defeats another enemy, allows another…and so on. There is the potential for sequential mass damage. However, if the attack does not defeat an enemy, the damage is not applied, making it a risky bet. This skill always costs 3 APs.

On the other hand, there is Mantle of Arrows, which can attack multiple targets at once. This skill permits attacking up to 3 enemies adjacent to an ally, but reduces the hits received by 2. This skill has a less risky profile than the previous one, but it does require all targets to be adjacent to an ally. This skill costs APs depending on the attack used (2 for strong attack and 1 for fast attack). Keep in mind that if you developed Tomoe to attack from a distance, she can use Mantle of Arrows on multiple enemies while staying out of range of their counterattacks. Thus, she can use this skill at low risk and possibly get a critical hit or reduce all the enemies’ respective armors. This is an option to consider.

Given this variety of skills, what do you prefer? An archer profile with great capacity to cause damage to opponents? Or a more versatile character who can recover APs and offer support to the offense of her allies? Bear in mind that the abilities provided by Tomoe’s chosen Kami will affect your choice of her skills. The profiles you can develop are very varied.

We are sure you noticed the curious name for the fourth level skill, YYYYY. Would you like to name it? Please leave your suggestions in the comments of this update, and we will choose the best one!

Equipment upgrade: Weapons and armor

Leveling up gives each hero access to new weapons and armor. These will now become available at the blacksmiths scattered throughout the lands of Harakiri: Blades of Honor. Some weapons and armor can only be gained from certain quests and their results. These will be explained in later updates, and we will also explain a crafting system in the game.

Equipment upgrades – Items

Finally, increases in a character’s knowledge —knowledge rather than level— grants access to new and better items in the markets. It’s time to explain how we decided to make this work:

The deck of items available in the markets will be divided among 4 knowledge levels, from 0 to 3. The markets will have available all the items that the character with the highest knowledge can carry. So, at the beginning, since Akira the ronin starts the campaign with knowledge 1, level 0 and 1 item will be included. (Any character can get an item but can only use it if they have the required knowledge level.)

When any character reaches knowledge 2, the level 2 items will be added to the deck, to ensure that they are available for those who can use them. However, this means that the deck will have more cards, and that characters with less knowledge will find themselves looking at more items that they can’t use. How can players increase the available items and also make the market deck more efficient? Keep reading…

As soon as all the characters in the game reach at least knowledge 1, all the level 0 items will be removed from the deck, so that it will contain only more useful items. The players must coordinate, so that items are added to the market deck, and removed, at times that are best for all of them. We believe that this approach is a good way to reward you players for coordinating your efforts and making good joint decisions.

Now, to wrap it up:

We would like to inform you that we still plan to launch the pledge manager during March, along with the Late Pledge option. You can be sure that we will inform our backers in advance.

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Nouvelle update avec une probable ouverture du PM pour avril et la volonté de réduire le volume général pour des boîtes plus compactes…

Update #36 - Logistics, components and more gameplay info

Here we are again with an update full of news and information. Let’s get to it!!!

LOGISTICS

Our first point: We are still gathering information about shipping expenses before launching the pledge manager. As we will be using Gamefound, it is mandatory to enter this data into the system, and given the current world geopolitical situation, we are looking for the best options. We want to open the pledge manager soon (during March-April, we hope), but we cannot confirm a date.

The first point brings us to the next: Expectations that shipping prices would decrease seem less and less likely. We are working intensively with Dust Miniatures to decide how to minimize volumetry in packaging to meet the variety in your pledges. Simpler, denser packaging is the vital element to achieving more economical shipments for everyone. We will avoid delivering boxes full of empty space, which worsens shipping and environmental costs, and increases storage requirements.

After careful analysis, we will include the contents of the Fear and Hope expansion (including its box!) inside the Act 2 box. That does not change the contents, but it allows us to reduce the total volume and to create shipping sets with less waste of space. Oh, and before you ask: we are still committed to fit all the game cards, sleeved, in the boxes.

Regarding the components, here is a new set of tiles for some interior locations. Like the ones we have already shown you, they have a great level of detail. We hope you like them as much as we do!

TILES

One of Harakiri’s elements that caused a sensation was our magnificent game board map. Our goal is still to improve every single element, so we have added “Mich Bucana” to the project team. He is imbuing the map with even more life and detail. Here is a portion of the old and new boards, so you can see how the map will be even more spectacular:

Palace tile, art by Henning Ludvigsen

3D Palace tile, design by Henning Ludvigsen

Tavern tile, art by Henning Ludvigsen

3D Tavern tile, design by Henning Ludvigsen

Sanctuary tile, art by Henning Ludvigsen

3D Sanctuary tile, design by Henning Ludvigsen

Fortress tile, art by Henning Ludvigsen

3D Fortress tile, design by Henning Ludvigsen

MAP IMPROVEMENT

Not only that, but he is also improving the neoprene board version that will be available as an add-on. We have decided that instead of making a simple replica of the game board, we are giving it a new art style closer to the Feudal Japan the game is based on. We hope to show you the result in the next update, so stay tuned, because it will be worth seeing.

Old version (left) and new version (right)

GAMEPLAY

Now, let’s get into more detail about the gameplay. You have been asking us how the characters interact with the world during the Adventure Phase, and how the results of their actions carry over to the Exploration Phase, so… here we go!

During the chapters that take place in the Adventure Phase, the characters will discover and interact with the world around them, and the world will adapt to their actions and decisions. (Please remember that even if an Adventure Phase fails, it will never have to be repeated, but will result in different effects in later chapters.)

Interactions that have subsequent effects will usually occur in Main Missions, Secondary Missions, and Personal Missions.

  1. The Main Missions.

These missions connect to the story of Harakiri, in which the characters struggle to free Japan from the tyranny of the Dark Shōgun. These vary from protecting locations or people, gathering information or objects, eliminating camps of the Shōgun’s forces or his emissaries, gaining access to new secret locations, opening access to areas closed by the Shōgun’s plans, investigating events, helping the inhabitants of Japan, and so on.

How will the main missions affect the Exploration Phase?

The most common effects of succeeding or failing will be the modification of the Oracle Deck, which defines the order of events during the Exploration Phase and controls the behavior of the enemies. The effects can also affect access to certain areas, add or remove interaction points (such as objects or non-player characters), select enemies or allies for the rest of the campaign, affect the number of opponents you will face, and more.

  1. Secondary Missions (side quests)

The availability of these quests depends on the actions and decisions of your characters during the campaign. For example, providing help to third parties can open a series of specific quests that extend during the campaign; acquiring certain items can lead to new quests as well. These missions can also be triggered by travel events, presenting one-off quests to characters in a particular chapter.

How will side quests affect the Exploration Phase?

The general effects are very like those of the main quests (opening or closing areas, adding or removing interaction points, etc…), but side quests never affect the Oracle deck.

  1. Personal Missions

These missions will allow you to make decisions about the fate of the characters themselves, which will influence how the campaign ends. Each character will have their own motivations. For example, a character might reasonably demand revenge against someone who hurt them in the past, rather than allowing them to live in exchange for aiding a mission.

How will personal missions affect the Exploration Phase?

Normally, the effects of personal quests center on the decisions described in a character’s personal booklet. However, the effects can actually lead to different endings for Act 1. They can also have significant effects on the Exploration Phases of Act 2, varying how these chapters will become part of the conclusion of the fight against the Dark Shōgun.

We also have: Memories of the Shōgun. These are small touches of history that wait to be discovered, offering the players a deeper understanding of the world of Harakiri and their archenemy’s motivations and origins. With such knowledge, players can make more informed game decisions.

Now perhaps you are wondering: How will we track the repercussions and effects of our characters’ actions?

You will use a tracking sheet, Harakiri’s World, to mark the goals achieved and the repercussions of decisions. This sheet will also track items collected during your adventures (such as ingredients or special items), and basic information about the status of each character at the end of each chapter, so that the adventure can be resumed later. You can also use this sheet to pause a chapter of exploration and return to it later. We are working on its design and will give it a deeper look when ready.

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Dernière update qui annonce le PM pour la semaine prochaine, le 18 avril pour être exact. Pour le reste c’est juste au dessous…

"Update #37 - Pledge Manager opening date, improved components and more

We’re here again, to keep you up to date with the project. This month, we shall cover:

    1. The pledge manager.
    1. New and improved add-ons, the Shinigami (promoted from enemy to optional expansion), and more.
    1. Jirobo: aiding and advising your heroes.
    1. Improved dice design.
    1. Prices during the pledge manager.
    1. Don’t miss this! The Undertaker enemy: his coffin and his AI features.

As usual, there’s a lot of information to go through, so let’s get started.

  1. The Pledge Manager

In the last update, we told you of our intention to use Gamefound as our pledge manager platform. However, Gamefound would require us to specify shipping prices when there is still about a year to go. Given the current worldwide situation, it is clear to us that this option is not good for either us or you. We don’t want to take the risk of overcharging you for shipping, or undercharging ourselves, so far in advance.

Thus, it will not be possible for Gamefound to be our pledge manager, since the option to delay the payment of shipments is not available. Yes, some of you have informed us of several campaigns on that platform that had allowed it, but we have been informed that those cases were exceptions that will not be repeated.

So, even though this means a higher cost to us (since the other reward management platforms charge for the service), we will use Kick&Go for the pledge management. This platform has been used by many projects, and we are convinced that it is the best option. The platform is available in both English and Spanish. Our Kick&Go pledge manager will be active starting (unless something happens last minute… fingers crossed) April the 18th (and you will receive an email to give you access, so keep an eye on your inbox).

  1. New and improved add-ons, the Shinigami and more

Double-sided mat

One of our most successful add-ons has been the neoprene mat (with stitched edges) that will include, on one side, the « mega tile » (we are still working on its design, but you can be sure it will be spectacular) and will display an alternative version of the world map of Harakiri: Blades of Honor for the Adventure phase on the other side.

Although this version does not create any differences in play, we wanted to give it a style of its own, and our excellent artist « Mich » has been the key. We are delighted with the result. Please take a look:

Art by « Mich Bucana ».

Remember that this mat is INCLUDED in the HONOR pledge level.

The Shinigami

Many of you will remember that in David Velasco’s story during the campaign, we met a very special creature, the Shinigami, the Kami of Death, with a spectacular miniature by Barruz Studios whose height exceeds 90mm.

Painted by oeiartstudio.

Although our initial intention was to introduce the Shinigami as a timely enemy at certain moments, we have decided to go further. Now, not just a miniature, it has become a small expansion that you can optionally choose to integrate into your Act 1 & Act 2 campaigns:

At the end of a chapter in which a character is defeated, the characters will face the Shinigami in unparalleled combat. This creature features truly overwhelming AI sequences. Unlike the other enemies you will encounter during your campaigns, your fights against the Shinigami will reveal his sequences one by one, so that each time you fight him, you will learn more about his moves, enabling you to plan how to counter them next time, until, with your greater knowledge, you succeed. Since you only need to fight the Shinigami due to character defeat, you will face him at most a few times in one campaign. (There’s no penalty for losing to the Shinigami.)

But what if mere humans could make a good impression on the Shinigami? Perhaps he would honor you with his powers, and one of the characters might get to use him as his personal Kami, along with devastating abilities…who knows? Or perhaps, the Shinigami could grant you a unique item, if you seem worthy of it. So, apart from the miniature, the Shinigami will arrive with a considerable number of cards: his AI deck, initiative, Kami card, enemy board, a unique item, and a specific scenario to fight against him.

The Shinigami Expansion can be purchased separately, but those who pledged at least one RONIN reward during the campaign will receive this expansion at NO COST.

Metal coins

We have received many, many requests for a metal version of the coins in the game. We have been talking with the production factory, and we shall offer this as an additional purchase. There will be 56 metallic coins, with three different designs, and with a special treatment to give them a weathered touch, at a price of 30€. This additional purchase is NOT included in the HONOR rewards.

By the time we shall open the pledge manager we will have a first simulation and we will have the final design shortly after, stay tuned.

Dice tray (neoprene) and Jirobo

As we have mentioned, we now have « Mich » as a collaborator, a talented artist who is helping us to improve everything related to the art of the game.

With this in mind, we have created a new add-on, a dice tray that will be the ideal complement to your games of Harakiri: Blades of Honor (or any other game). It will be available for 12€ as an additional purchase, but not for everyone…

What do we mean by this? Quite simply, we will include the new dice tray, FREE OF CHARGE, in all HONOR level rewards. Here is its design, we hope you like it:

Art by « Mich Bucana ».

And if you are wondering, the character that appears on the tray is none other than Jirobo… but who is Jirobo?

  1. Jirobo: aiding and advising your heroes

The information we offer here is included in the Act 1 campaign introduction, so it’s not a spoiler:

As you can see from the image above, Jirobo is a powerful tengu, a magical creature of unknown origin (though perhaps not unknown for long). He plays an important role in the confrontation story between the players of Harakiri and the Dark Shōgun.

You may wonder how the motivations and objectives of the characters come together at the beginning of Act 1. Although some of this information will be known at the beginning of your campaign, we can tell you that Jirobo is a point of union for them. A fierce enemy of the Dark Shōgun, his objective is the ultimate defeat of the tyrant. He will be a source of advice and knowledge for the characters, and he will grant them an ability to share information in a limited way. At the beginning of the campaign each character will receive a special item, Jirobo’s necklace, which will allow them, once per Adventure phase, to exchange information about one (and only one) active mission. Here, we show you the item:

And now, we leave Jirobo and move on.

Art by Víctor Leza.

And before they arise, we want to answer your potential questions:

  1. Will there be any other purchases available in the pledge manager?

  2. Will there be any other playable items?

The only additional add-on that may be included later is a wash for the miniatures. We are waiting to see whether the samples that Dust Miniatures sends us are of sufficiently high quality. (They are currently installing new machines for this purpose, and when they are ready, they will send us samples.)

On the second question, the answer is a clear NO. We will not include any additional playable items. Our commitment remains firm: Anyone who has pledged a Kami reward level or higher during the campaign will have all the gameplay content of the game.

  1. Improved dice design

Since we’re reassessing the game’s components, and Mich is breathing new life into them, we present the game’s new dice design, one of the last unlocks of our epic campaign endgame:

Designed by « Mich Bucana ».

We know we are missing the sign for the color blind, we are working on it :blush:.

The new dice will be included in ALL copies of the game.

  1. Prices during the pledge manager

During the campaign we made a commitment to maintain our prices, at least initially, when we opened the pledge manager, and we will, of course, honor that. However, it is almost certain that at some time after the first three months, we will be increasing prices, due to ever-increasing costs, and changes in currency exchange. We will give you advance notice of price changes.

Additionally, the Early Birds benefits will also end for any further addition of items when the prices of the products change. Please note that nothing can change the price of the products you have in your cart! Price changes will affect those who want to add other products after that.

  1. Don’t miss this! The Undertaker enemy: his coffin and his AI features

We were very happy with your reception of the Goryo’s AI, so today, let’s detail the AI of one of the Shōgun’s Servants, the Undertaker.

The key element we had in mind when we created the Undertaker’s AI was his coffin. We wanted him to have a big playable impact at long range as well as close range. His first passive ability always makes him move to fetch his coffin if he doesn’t have it on him, and enemies around his precious treasure will receive an attack. Will you try to cut him off by risking an attack, or will you prefer to give him a free path to retrieve it?

One of his most chilling abilities is that he can put one enemy into his coffin, just like that! If an enemy is inside, they can try to escape, but while they fail, they will take damage every round. In addition, after failing their first attempt to get out, they will lose all their AP, so they will only be able to try once per activation.

The Undertaker can also throw his coffin. When it hits its target, they will be knocked down (losing most of their actions for their next activation) in addition to taking damage.

The different AI sequences mix these abilities, allowing him to have a wide control of the battlefield. In some cases, he will attack adjacent enemies (even several at once) or move to reach them. And if the characters decide to move too far from his range, he will throw the coffin at them, reducing, as we have noted, their counterattack capabilities.

Fortunately, he will never throw the coffin if he has a prey inside, so will you decide to sacrifice someone for a few rounds to weaken the Undertaker’s best ranged attack? That will depend on your strategy.

Finally, the Undertaker moves freely in areas like the graveyard. If he is seriously wounded there, he can use his « Profaner » sequence to recover much of his health and gain additional armor for that round.

Keep in mind that in your confrontations against the Undertaker, he will have multiple allies, such as the corpse-eating Jikininkis, who will not let you rest for a moment. He is a difficult opponent to face, with close and long-range capabilities, the potential to affect multiple enemies, and the threat of locking one inside his coffin. Don’t lack courage!

Painted by oeiartstudio.

And well, now we must say goodbye until the next update, in which we will begin to create one of the independent encounters of the game with your help.

Le PM/LP est ouvert…

🚨Pledge Manager open, take advantage of limited-time offers 🚨
Kick & Go: Harakiri: Blades of Honor

Un late pledge ! Un late pledge ! :partying_face:

1 « J'aime »

Dommage qu’il n’y ai pas de VF

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C’est probablement à cause de kick & go mais j’ai du mal à ne pas voir un parrallèle entre ce jeu et Skull Tales, avec son jeu sur les tuiles sympa et sa phase de voyage complètement injouable et naze.

Voici l’update de mai avec les différentes avancés avec les artworks et figurines…

Update #39 - Reminders, improvements, and a guy you don’t want to mess with…

We are here again with another update, this one for May.

  1. A reminder: the Pledge Manager is open and active!

  2. A closer look at improved artwork.

  3. We present: the first models for our miniatures (resin masters).

  4. The Blood Oni.

  5. Please check out this Interview in El Gremio de Mecenas. (It’s in Spanish, but Youtube subtitles should do the job for you.)

  6. Harikiri: Blades of Honor, is showing up everywhere in headlines.

The Pledge Manager is open and active:

Launched on April 18th, the pledge manager is at full throttle! Thousands of backers have checked their carts and filled in their data. We are very satisfied with how KickAndGo is performing, and you know that if you have any questions about the process, you can send them to us: pledgemanager@synergicgames .

And not only that: over a thousand new backers have come to us via the Late Pledge option. If you know someone who might be interested in our project, and you want to give them to access to the currently active discounts, ask them to go to this link:

https://www.kickandgo.es and then click on Harakiri: Blades of Honor.

If you haven’t found our pledge manager email in your mailbox, check your spam folder, and if you still can’t find it, you can receive it again by registering at our project page on the Kick&Go (www.kickandgo.es) platform. Use the same email address you did in the Kickstarter App/Site.

A closer look at improved artwork:

In the last update, we told you about the alternative version of the Adventure Phase map that is available as an additional purchase and included in the Honor pledges. The image we showed you was the whole map, so it was impossible to show its level of detail. We have added a couple of enlarged sections so you can see it in all its splendor. Here they are:

Art by Mich

Art by Mich

Art by Mich

We are also continuing to improve the game’s art. Please enjoy these comparisons of the old and new images:

Art by Mich

As long as we keep receiving more and more support we will keep on improving, even more, all components :blush:, spread the word :wink:.

The first models for our miniatures (resin masters):

Miniature production is quite laborious. Once our artists create their designs, the factory, in our case the skilled hands of the Dust Games engineers, applies a series of improvements. (Imagine achieving a harmony between what looks most compelling, and what is robust to manufacture.) Once this is done, a printed resin model is generated and sent to the customer (us). We review each one separately, and we may make improvements before further testing is done to create the molds for mass production. We are pleased to tell you that we have started to receive the first resin models from which the molds will be made. These miniatures can still receive some improvements, but we want to show you what we have.

https://youtu.be/G4J-64sF3xE

In most projects, the miniatures are produced entirely in PVC. In our case, we are going to mix this material with a harder plastic, ABS, allowing us to obtain spears, swords, and bases for miniatures that will not bend. Although this type of process has a higher cost (since we must generate additional molds for these parts) we have decided that, for you: only the best of the best!

As we receive more models, we will show them to you. We want you to stay informed. But please remember: the final miniatures may not look identical to the resin models. Slight differences are inevitable.

The Blood Oni

If you’d like to continue learning more about how the Shōgun’s hordes lineup; so far, you have seen a minion and a servant. It’s time to show you how one of his Chosen ones works, none other than the Blood Oni.

Before we continue, rest assured that you are not about to see a bunch of spoilers. The details of the AI, and the specific methods of obtaining items to counter the Blood Oni that we will show you, are specific to the prototype, not to the actual game.

First, here is a comparison of his old card with his new one, showing our renewed design, his statistics, and his special traits:

Art by Mich

You can see that there is a meter at the bottom to count the Oni’s Anger. Each time he is hit, his anger increases, leading to greater defensive and offensive capacities. Constant low damage attacks will not be a good choice, as they will make him furious. Try to make every hit lethal.

Now how can you lower his anger? By your interactions with the scene. Here’s where the combat took place.

Art by Henning Ludvigsen

This is a fortress, in which the Oni takes the central space. The characters can face him on the same level, but they can also go to the upper level, where they can attack with crossbows or a cannon. On the lower level, perhaps the characters could interact with point (A), a cauldron filled with blood that the Oni uses to increase his anger.

But why did we write “perhaps?” Well, a hero would need something special, and the ability to obtain it depended on the previously selected path and actions of the characters:

During the prototype game, the characters had to hasten to rescue a spy with valuable data on the Shōgun’s defenses, but on their way to the target they got lost, and they had different ways to reach the fortress on which he was held prisoner.

The first of these options was through the cemetery, where they encountered the fearsome Undertaker, whose abilities you learned about in the previous update.

The alternative option, through a rice field, led to a confrontation with the Nue, a creature that commanded a group of kappas that were trying to massacre several peasants. If enough villagers could be saved from their terrible fate, the characters would receive a unique item, a poison made from the tail of the defeated Nue. That poison would open the option to interact with the cauldron. The Oni, after taking a most unpleasant drink, would lose its accumulated anger, take damage, and stay away from the cauldron for the rest of the fight.

The Cauldron was not the only point of interaction on the main level. A second point (B) was a random pile of objects that the Oni could throw at characters. However, a quest from the Adventure Phase prior to that combat could affect this point.

On the upper floor, interacting with the crossbow would launch a huge bolt at the Oni, quelling its anger and delivering a solid hit. The damage received depended on the number of characters adjacent to the Oni. The more distracted he was by his closest opponents, the lower his defense against the crossbow.

And then there was the dreaded cannon. With this weapon, one hero could cause a lot of damage and shatter some of the Oni’s armor. Access to the cannon was not easy, but if the heroes had successfully completed a side quest in the graveyard, they could start this combat adjacent to that weapon.

As you can see, interaction in various scenes, and the path taken to reach the Oni, were important factors in preparing for the Blood Oni’s combat in the prototype. How will your heroes prepare for the Blood Oni in the actual game? That’s a different story.

Now, let’s take a look at this red giant’s AI cards.

The 6 cards were divided into two groups: In the first four, the Oni began by moving to, and interacting with, point (A) or (B). The characters could not stand still at any location, nor could they avoid the attacks of their enemy’s long range. Even those who were located at the top of the wall were not safe from his range 2 attacks.

After the Oni interacted with (A) or (B), the cards continued like this, with the Oni choosing the first sequence (a or b or c…) that he could perform:

  1. Retribution:
  • a. The Oni would head towards the opponent who was going to attack next on the high level of the wall to try to impale him. If he caused enough damage, he would lower him down to his side with his spear. Thus, he restrained characters who tried to approach the crossbows or the cannon.
  • b. If there was no opponent in an elevated position, the Oni would throw himself against an opponent at his level and attack without mercy.
  • c. If unable to perform that sequence either, the Oni gained two points of anger.

Finally, this sequence activated the Shōgun’s henchmen in their aggressive mode (yes, apart from fighting the Oni, the combat included both Ashigarus and Kachis. Did we forget to mention them?).

  1. Whirlpool:
  • a. After interacting with the pile of objects (B) and throwing one at its farthest enemy, the Oni would get into position to attack the maximum number of enemies at range 2 and launch a horizontal slash against everyone. Were the characters preparing to distract the Oni from a crossbow shot by standing around it? Bingo!
  • b. If he did not have multiple enemies in range, the Oni would go against the one with the lowest health to try to finish them off.
  • c. If neither of the previous sequences could be performed, the Oni gained, yes, two anger points.
  1. Human Projectile: This is certainly one of our favorites:
  • a. After interacting with the cauldron (A) and charging his anger, the Oni would move to the enemy with the highest health and attempt to grab it. Unless his target passed a complicated die roll, he would throw his target at the farthest character, causing a large amount of damage and leaving both characters knocked down. Why use a bolt if you can use one of your opponents as ammunition?
  • b. If he could not perform this first sequence, the Oni would move to the enemy with the highest health and show him just how effective his spear was.
  • c. If he could not perform that sequence either, he gained 2 points of anger.
  1. Cannibal: This one was the public’s favorite:
  • a. If the Oni had lost at least half its health, the red giant approached its closest ally…and devoured it. One less enemy! Of course, the Oni recovered health equal to that of his “ally,” and gained 2 points of anger.
  • b. If that was not possible (i.e., if there were no more allies left to devour, or if his health had not dropped enough) the Blood Oni moved to the enemy with lower health to attack him.
  • c. If he had not been able to perform any of the above sequences, he gained not 2 but 3 anger points. And in this case, the Oni’s allies activated in aggressive mode (quite naturally, as they feared ending up in the stomach of a giant monster even more than being defeated by some heroes).
  1. The last 2 (Hate) cards differed from the previous 4 in two main elements:
  • a. The attacks that were directed against his next-enemy-to-activate were not normal attacks, but focused. Focused attacks are a gamble. They can miss, but if they don’t, they reduce or ignore the armor of their target. We can assure you that every time a Shōgun’s Chosen makes a focused attack, players’ nerves are on edge.
  • b. These Hate cards remain in play, and if when playing a Hate card, the previous one has already been activated, a boosted version of it is applied. The first card blocked the use of the target’s abilities for the rest of the combat, while the second cancelled the possibility of using Kami mode abilities. Two real headaches!

As you can see, the Blood Oni was an unpredictable and aggressive enemy, capable of eliminating without remorse a group of characters who were not able to take advantage of the opportunities that the scenario itself granted them.

Grosse update du mois de juin avec du contenu et du beau matos…

Update #40 - Steady progress, learn how you will play as the rightful heir to the throne, and the first adjustment to our prices

Another month, another update full of content. We will discuss:

  • I. Ronin reward level price update.
  • II. A new wave of components and improvements, with pictures.
  • III. A detailed analysis of Takashi’s skills. He is one of the heroes of Act 2.

I. UPDATING THE PRICE OF THE RONIN REWARD LEVEL.

As we already indicated, the prices of the different reward levels and add-ons, which have remained the same since the campaign, will change in the coming months, affecting new purchases. As of July 15, 2022, the price of the Ronin pledge will increase from 109€ to 129€. Obviously, any Ronin reward that is already in your cart and has been paid for will keep its price without being affected by this increase.

The current price remains valid through July 14th. All you backers who pledged 1€ in the campaign and who want to access the world of Harakiri: Blades of Honor at the lowest price, take advantage of this remaining time window!

We are making these updates to reflect the effects of inflation and changes in currency exchange rates.

II. NEW WAVE OF COMPONENTS AND IMPROVEMENTS.

Get ready because this monthly update comes loaded with new components to show you.

We start with some new tiles:

Dojo. Art by Henning Ludvigsen.

Onsen. Art by Henning Ludvigsen.

Cave. Art by Henning Ludvigsen.

Traditional House. Art by Henning Ludvigsen.

And there’s more. We are receiving and analyzing the engineering work by Dust technicians to improve and fine tune the designs of the miniatures, before starting to manufacture the final molds. Today we show you a batch of designs we just received, in all their splendor:

We know you are delighted with the redesigns of the components we are making. Here’s a comparison of the new and the old designs of the Shōgun’s influence deck, which details what the characters will have to face during the Adventure phase, when the Dark Shōgun spreads his corruption throughout Japan.

We have also received laser samples of the dice and adjusted some elements, including:

  1. Modified the symbols’ design to ensure that they will look excellent when the dice are engraved.

  2. Adapted the tone of some of the colors to better differentiate the symbols.

  3. Added symbols so that people who have difficulty distinguishing colors can easily read the dice, as we announced we would do during the campaign.

(The final dice will be engraved to achieve very high durability. We use laser versions of the dice to cheaply create and evaluate samples).

III. DETAILED ANALYSIS OF TAKASHI’S SKILLS.

Let’s delve into the gameplay, specifically with Takashi, who is none other than the son of the former Emperor of Japan, and who, in Act 2, will be key to the development of the story.

Takashi. Art by Silviu Sadoschi.

Takashi has a very special profile. As the Emperor’s son and born leader, his abilities affect both his allies and his enemies. His tactical capabilities are enormous, and he will be one of the most complex characters to handle. As Takashi levels up, you will choose among skill alternatives that will affect how all the heroes must operate in combat. As you will see, Takashi’s skills are so bound up with the activities of his allies, that all the players must collaborate with him to achieve the best results.

Two of these skills have, as yet, no names. We would like your assistance in naming them.

Takashi, miniature by Barruz Studio.

Level 1 Skill: Intimidation.

As with all the other characters, the first level provides only one skill. It has no Ki dice requirement, and it partly defines the character’s play style.

With his Intimidation technique, Takashi will sometimes be able to make decisions about what the AI can target, that are normally beyond the players’ control. This allows him to affect how battles develop from the very first chapter of Act 2.

Level 2 Skills: AAAA and Ascending Cut.

The first of the available level 2 abilities is passive, AAAA, which adds a choice of benefits for Takashi’s activation if an ally defeats an enemy before his own activation. He can either increase the hits of his next attack or increase his armor.

The alternative, Ascending Cut, is more aggressive and direct, adding additional attack dice when Takashi performs a Quick Attack (QA). Ascending Cut makes it possible to perform a QA with more hits than usual, while keeping Action Point (AP) consumption to a minimum.

Level 3 Skills: New Breath and BBBB.

New Breath grants an additional AP to all of Takashi’s allies who are within Range 3 (R3) of him. This skill can be used as a booster at the beginning of the round, enabling allies to perform powerful skill chains. Or it can be used at the end of the round, so that characters have more AP in the next round (remember that characters can save 1, and only 1, AP between rounds during the Exploration Phase).

Alternatively, we have BBBB, a passive ability that applies an adaptive bonus to Takashi, depending on the type of Oracle card for the round. If a red Oracle card is in effect, the enemies act more aggressively, so Takashi will gain additional armor. If instead the Oracle is Green, Takashi will take a bonus to the hits he causes. Thus, the bonus adapts to the AI of the enemies.

Level 4 Skills: Tactical Retreat and Unison Strike.

Tactical Retreat allows an ally within R5 from Takashi to immediately gain 3 movement points (3 MP) to get closer to the samurai. Please imagine an ally who is trapped between several enemies or wants to improve their position before their next activation. Takashi reaches out with Tactical Retreat and, perhaps, provides the difference between life and death.

The alternative is Unison Strike, an attack that receives a bonus depending on the amount of allies Takashi has within R2. As a natural leader, Takashi benefits from the support of his allies, and this skill reflects that perfectly.

Level 5 Skills: Second Wind and The Last Word.

We come to the most powerful skills. Second Wind allows Takashi to choose an ally who has already activated this round. That ally will get another activation (right after Takashi) with 2 AP and the potential to perform a new attack action, even if he has already performed one this round. Any second activation in one round opens a huge range of opportunities.

The Last Word is an attack that adds one hit for each activation preceding Takashi’s. This includes both allies and enemies, so the bonus may end up being massive. When Takashi can delay his activation to the end of the round, he can choose his target based on everything that has occurred this round, and then perform a devastating attack.

As you can see, the heir to the throne can develop different profiles, depending on your choice for his skills. He can go for an aggressive profile, with Ascending Cut, BBBB, Unison Strike, and The Last Word, giving him extremely high damage capacity. Or he can go for a “lead the troops” profile with wider strategic capacity, by learning AAAA, New Breath, Tactical Withdrawal, and Second Wind that give multiple additional activations to allies and himself, with a great capacity to adapt to the dangers as they appear. Of course, it is also possible to choose intermediate profiles that suit your own game play style. We can’t wait to see what you’ll be able to do with such a versatile character as the young heir, Takashi!!!

Well, you know what’s next, right? Let’s find the best names for the AAAA and BBBB skills. Write your suggestions in the comments to this update, and in the next update, we’ll announce the winning proposals!

3 « J'aime »

Avant-dernière et dernière update où on voit bien l’avancement du projet…

Update #41 - PVC MINIATURE SAMPLES, THE LAST ADD-ON, COMMUNITY COLLABORATION, AND MUCH GAMEPLAY INFORMATION … CONTENT GALORE!

Hello again! Summer is here, but don’t worry, we are handling the heat and working to bring you lots of news and progress.

  1. Production: new samples of the resin masters (100% complete!), and a surprise:

We got them all! We have received, analyzed, and made the necessary corrections to ALL the resin masters of the game’s miniatures. This is a big step forward because we can soon start to configure the production molds.

Here are several pictures. You are going to receive some spectacular miniatures, be sure of that.

We have more than the masters! We have already received the first batch of REAL PRODUCTION SAMPLES of the PVC miniatures. We can still make some changes (for the better) in the definition of the miniatures, but these images will give you an even better idea of the quality you will receive. You have the first samples included in the « Wash » comparison pictures :slight_smile:

  1. Miniature Wash: what we decided. This is the last available add-on. And something we wanted to show you :blush:.

The most frequently asked question in the comments has been: Will there be any other additional purchases? We have always responded: a miniature wash, but only if its quality is adequate.

Well, we have received the samples of two wash options that Dust offered us:

  • Running dark colored ink over the unprimed miniatures
  • Add a priming step before adding the wash.

The first choice is low-cost and has been used in other projects. The wash makes some areas with indentations in the miniatures darker. We decided that this approach is not adequate, as it might produce some unsatisfactory results. We will NOT offer this option.

The priming in the second alternative produces a much more homogeneous result, and in our opinion, it is much superior. This option has a higher cost, but we believe that the result is worth it.

Below, we show you several samples that we have received from Dust.

Tsurube Otoshi, PVC sample and Wash sample.

Undertaker, PVC sample and Wash sample.

Byakuei and Akane, PVC sample and Wash sample.

Hanako and Takashi, PVC sample and Wash sample.

Aruoki, PVC sample and Wash sample.

It’s important noting that the miniatures showed in this video are REAL PRODUCTION PVC miniatures, so, exactly what you will be getting.

This will be the LAST available add-on. It is priced according to pledge level as follows:

RONINWASH “Ronin Pledge” Discounted: 49€. After Discount ends: 59€

SAMURAIWASH “Samurai Pledge” Discounted: 64€. After Discount ends: 74€

DAIMYOWASH “Daimyo Pledge” Discounted: 69€. After Discount ends: 79€

HONORWASH “Kami or Honor Pledge” Discounted: 79€. After Discount ends: 94€

Also, for your information, this is the sample we received for the cheaper version that we DISCARDED.

Miniature de la vidéo du projet

LECTURE

And… well, we also got the first samples for the metal coins, and we can’t wait to share them to you, they look soooo nice!

Sample coins. Created by Oniric Artwork

And sound even better!!

Remember that the add-on includes 56 of those!

  1. Gameplay: how the Adventure Phase travel events work.

Now let’s discuss travel events during the adventure phase. Characters travel on (relatively safer) Imperial Roads, but also on Dangerous Paths. Characters can avoid travel events by traveling together or traveling just one location in their turn. Here is a picture showing both kinds of roads:

See here the difference between Imperial Road (connecting the cities) and Dangerous Paths (to be used as shortcuts).

Otherwise, travel forces the character to face a travel event:

  • A Green Event for traveling only on Imperial Roads.
  • A Red Event for traveling only, or partly, on Dangerous Paths.

Here is an example of a green “safe” event, when all the travel has been done on the Imperial Path:

As you can see, the event starts with a short explanation, and then the players can face a test, a choice, or a direct result. The consequences vary and include rewards or a variety of negative repercussions. A bad decision or failure in the test may require the character to turn the card over and face its less “kind” version.

If part of the journey has been on Dangerous Paths, the travel event card will be the red kind and more dangerous. Here’s one:

However, not all the “safe” events have positive effects, and the “dangerous” events are not always negative.

The deck of travel events will evolve as the campaign progresses. The deck can be affected by the actions of the characters, adding specific events. If the characters travel together, they will be spared from having to face a travel event; but they might be able to learn more and accomplish more if they travel separately.

Finally, we want to show you a very special travel event, containing the Haiku (one for each language) winner of the contest we held during the campaign! :blush:.

Haiku contest winners, Grayson and Xavier.

In fact, we liked that contest so much that we are proposing a new one…

  1. Community: please help us create a Travel Event.

Propose a travel event in the comments to this update. Specify both the green, “safe” and red “dangerous” versions of the event. We will include the winning selection (possibly with minor edits) in the actual game.

Remember the structure:

  1. Title.

  2. Narrative introduction.

  3. Proof, decision, direct effect and/or modifiers. Remember that different modifiers can be applied depending on the character (for example, an event in which, if Tomoe is the participant, success is assured, or impossible).

  4. The reward. (There are many possibilities… gold, enemy heads, a market or blacksmith card, karma, or even a tag that links to a later event).

Keep in mind that each event must have a “Safe” and a “Dangerous” version and that it should make sense to face either version (with no knowledge of the other version).

  1. You, our community, have aptly named two of Takashi’s skills.

We haven’t forgotten the many proposals you sent us to name Takashi’s skills from the last update… We received a lot of suggestions!!

The AAAA skill suggested to you the ability to be inspired by others, motivated by the actions of allies. So, we have chosen the name “Inspired” from the backer “Issam Riyami”.

For the BBBB skill, many proposals were about adapting the character to the situation, and many people suggested a connection with liquid. In the end, we selected “Be Like Water” from the backer “Max Sorg”.

  1. Gameplay: a small sample of the special locations.

Another element that will evolve along with your adventures in the world of Harakiri: Blades of Honor, is: special locations. In some missions, or depending on the actions of the characters, you might discover new places to interact with. These interactions might unlock new missions, offer potential allies, or provide new mechanics for the characters. We don’t want to give much away about them, but we are including a few illustrations that we hope you will like:

Darkstone Tea House, dedicated to the Spanish board game community « Darkstone » and Tengu Forest.

  1. Gameplay: let’s dive into another AI.

We know you love to learn more in depth about some of the opponents you will face, so here we present the different versions of the Akaname.

Yes, most of the minions will have two different versions: a simpler one in the early stages of the campaign, and a more dangerous one with superior characteristics, powers, and new abilities that will be a headache for the characters. Your heroes will have to gradually get used to facing more complex AI.

Here is the AI of the Akaname:

Akaname (advanced). Art by Mich.

Akaname (regular). Art by Mich.

As always, the first thing we had in mind when we created akaname’s AI was: What makes him unique?

The akaname will be an early opponent, and you will realize that it is a tough nut to crack. They will have more health points than the other minions you will have encountered so far (kappas, kachis, jikininkis and even ashigarus). And they will introduce you to the rare negative state, “poison.”

In its simpler version, the akaname combines attacks with trying to infect its enemies at range 2. In addition, its tiebreaker conditions consider how much poison its enemies already have, poisoning the less infected ones in simple mode, and re-infecting the most infected ones in aggressive mode.

In aggressive mode akaname makes dangerous concentrated attacks, increases the number of these attacks, increases its stats, and it introduces a new ability, unique and terrifying: that of sucking its enemies.

As the combat progresses, if the characters are not careful and do not eliminate the effects of poisons that the akaname spread everywhere, they can fall victim to the sucking technique, which can immediately defeat a target. The ability to defeat a character with a single blow, regardless of its health, is something that no other minion or servant of the Shōgun has, and we assure you that we have experienced highly charged emotional moments when we tried to save our heroes from this devastating effect. Watch out for the akaname! They’ll give you more than one scare.

With this, we say goodbye until the next update, which will arrive during the month of August, and which will again, we hope, be full of content.

Update #42 - More improvements, more components. Take advantage of our discounts and get to know the clans of the protagonists

For this month we present:

  1. Components: a new batch of tiles.
    We almost have them all! The only one we haven’t received is the megatile that will occupy the back of the board (and playmat). Here are four very different locations: a sacred forest, a snowy field, a dangerous cliff, and a shop (don’t get your hopes up about buying something there).

We hope you like them and are preparing for the adventures you will experience in each of them.

Sacred forest, art by Henning Ludvigsen

Snowy field, art by Henning Ludvigsen

Cliff, art by Henning Ludvigsen

Shop, art by Henning Ludvigsen

  1. Components: more improvements. Today: the character boards.
    As you already know, we are working intensively to improve many game components. We knew during the campaign that we were going to improve the character cards and make them double layer. We have made artistic enhancements, taking advantage of the double layers to clarify the lower level for all characters.

Character board (new version), art by Mich

Old Character board.

Character board (new version), art by Mich

You can see the updated design with its more attractive visual elements, replacing the numbers for the affinity and stat tracks.
We also changed the position of the life points cube, making the track narrower, and also removed the armor card. The armor stat is now on the side, where we added slits to insert the equipped armor and the Kami card. The new board reduces the playing area, taking less space on the table.

  1. Production: final dice sample.
    We have just received a final production sample of the game dice, and we could not miss the opportunity to show them to you:

Final dice

  1. Pricing: update regarding several add-ons (September 30th).
    As we announced, we will be updating the prices of game add-ons. These add-ons have been available since the beginning of the campaign. From October 1st the following prices will change:

Dice set (9) from 10€ to 12€.

Coins (56) from 30€ to 39€.

Premium Sleeves (around 1,300) from 45€ to 55€.

Dice tray from 12€ to 15€.

Playmat from 24€ to 30€.

The Shinigami expansion from 12€ to 18€.

Sun Wukong miniature from 10€ to 12€.

Take advantage now, if you intend to purchase any of them!

  1. Community: travel events.
    You have risen to this difficult challenge and written travel events that will be fantastic additions to the game. We have decided to give you all a few more months. Send us more proposals, and we will introduce several of them into the game! (Please bear in mind, we are likely to edit and adapt them regarding the amount of text, the difficulty of the tests, and the rewards received, etc.) You still have time!

  2. Lore: the four clans.
    This is a good time to get to know the clans of the four main characters of Harakiri: Blades of Honor a little better, as written by David Velasco.

We want to take this opportunity to give well-deserved recognition to Tobias D. Robison, who is collaborating enormously with our team, including editing and proofreading the texts for the English version of the game, among other contributions.

There’s an important note below, after these clan texts, about our activities in September. Don’t miss it!

THE SAKURA CLAN

The Sakura was the foremost clan of those that opposed the Shōgun’s rebellion. It was the richest and most powerful, and the emperor himself belonged to it. It is still the most important, but after losing many of its most prestigious courtiers and fierce warriors in the war, it has lost some of its influence.

According to certain ancient, preserved manuscripts, the founder of the Sakura Clan was nothing less than a kami, a celestial entity of great power, one of the many that are worshiped throughout Japan, who are expressions of nature and the forces that control it. That kami was in fact Amaterasu, the goddess of the sun, and she laid the foundations upon which this clan settled. Her intervention went even further. She granted the emperor’s ancestors the power to rule, creating a dynastic line that, after centuries of history, has only now been interrupted by the betrayal of the Shōgun. Feeling great love for the clan she created, Amaterasu blessed it with protective spirits that inhabited the trees, especially the cherry trees that grew throughout Japan. That is precisely where the clan’s name comes from: Sakura is the beautiful and delicate flower of this tree, which every year marks the beginning of spring.

Tomoe and Byakuei

Since its origins, this clan has been led by two great families who are very close to each other. The first and most important, to which the emperor belonged, is the Teshigawara. It is largely composed of courtiers and high-ranking officials, as well as important merchants, artists, and prominent scholars.

Many members of this family are the most refined, diplomatic, and patient people in Japan. And yet others are extraordinary warriors who display great fighting skills from a very young age. A few of these expert fighters are the most outstanding archers in all of Japan, since they are specially trained from childhood in that lethal art. A secret training, which, according to legend, was revealed to them by a yōkai—a powerful supernatural creature, whose identity is lost in the dawn of time—makes them particularly effective, both on foot and on horseback.

The second leading family of this clan is the Kadenokoji. Much of their offspring become skilled samurai whose goal is to protect the life of the emperor, and by extension all of his subjects, especially those most vulnerable and disadvantaged.

Those born into the Sakura Clan remain the most faithful and loyal in Japan, even though their loyalty has made them targets of the followers of the Shōgun, who prey upon them with betrayal and deceit.

Kadenokoji feel a special obligation toward the Dragon Clan, the weakest and most defenseless of all who opposed the Shōgun and showed their loyalty to the emperor. Now, even in defeat, the members of the Sakura Clan feel responsible for the safety of the thousands of peasants who make up the bulk of the Dragon Clan.

Historically, the Sakura Clan has always been one of the most open houses towards others, especially because Kyoto, which is in their domain, has until now had been the capital of Japan. They have welcomed everyone who traveled its many trade routes and who passed through its streets that connected the Empire from one end to the other. The Sakura Clan prospered over the centuries, dealing in silver and spices, rice, sake, paper, silk, the ever-present tea, and many more commodities.

Today, the clan is in absolute decline. They have been the greatest victims of the war against the Shōgun. They have lost their emperor and his ten-year-old son and heir, of whom all trace vanished during the conflict. They have also suffered countless casualties among their warriors, they no longer hold political control, and Kyoto is no longer the capital of their Empire. The Sakura Clan are now strictly under guard by the forces of the Shōgun, in a precarious détente that could break at any moment.

THE MOUNTAIN CLAN

This is the most mysterious, isolated, and unknown clan in all of Japan. Hardly any of its secrets have been discovered. To a large extent, that is due to the rugged terrain over which their domain extends, where three major mountain ranges converge in the center of the main island, with many of the highest peaks topping 3,000 meters. This was the ideal place to create a clan so different from the rest. It consists of some twenty families who each live separately, divided by the tortuous and steep terrain. On certain occasions, some groups felt displaced from the rest, leading to quarrels that were remedied by their elders.

Their council of the elders is an aspect that differentiates the Mountain Clan, since they do not have a lord who directs their way. The council, which usually meets once a year, consists of the oldest person in each family. However, the oldest of them all might be considered their lord, since this person has the last word in close decisions.

Hattori and Akane

Being so different, it is not surprising that—unlike the others—this clan names no clear founder, and it is not known how it came into being. According to ancient writings, it all began naturally with the union of families living relatively close, and then, little by little, more and more joined. According to other writings that are still preserved, their union was born from the need to defend themselves from dangerous enemies that came from the most inaccessible areas of the mountains. Such a threat was the hordes of onibi, which from time to time attacked the villages, sowing chaos and leaving a trail of dead in their wake. These yōkai were lethal, emitting demonic balls of bluish fire. They appeared in large groups and devoured the vital energy of their victims, whose bodies were soon consumed and devoid of life. Over the last few years, these spheres have reappeared on the peaks of certain mountains. All the members of the clan pray with great fervor to the kami, begging them to forbid a repeat of this nightmare.

The Mountain Clan families are proud of the many ninjas who offer them protection, their elite warriors. To this end, they have developed true masters in these arts, who train the children with the best qualities to become ninjas from a very young age. The Mountain Clan also trains the best healers in Japan, who have immense knowledge of natural remedies that are unique to the plants that grow in the mountains where they live. This science is double-sided, because they know how to heal using herbs and roots, and they can elaborate the most lethal poisons to serve the purposes of the ninjas.

It has been said of old, that it was precisely in these mountains that Japan’s first ninjas emerged, trained in a hidden mountain fortress that was later destroyed by a landslide. No one knows if this story is true, but if so, some of the most lethal weapons of these warriors were kept there, and they had magical properties, granted by powerful kami of nature.

Perhaps their austere way of life and the harshness of their territory causes most of the Mountain Clan to be hard and severe, extremely reserved in front of strangers, and impassive in other situations, especially when there is tension and danger. As for their dealings with other clans, the truth is that they pay little attention to them, as they are indifferent to outside influences. However, there is an exception: the Firefly Clan, for whose members they feel a centuries-old aversion.

Apparently, it all started with a fishing problem, although no one could say for sure. According to the elders, one of their boats was sunk off the coast of Ise for fishing in waters that the Firefly Clan claimed belonged only to them, which led to a great dispute between the clans. Since then, the only thing that is known for sure is that hatred developed between the families of both clans. Today, the dispute is most bitter in the border area that separates their territories.

The mountains that give their name to the clan are notable for their hot springs of volcanic origin. The snowfalls that occur in winter are truly colossal, isolating the families even more. The traditional cormorant fishing has been practiced along the Nagara River since ancient times. Skillful birds can catch the so-called ayu there, called the “sweet fish” due to the unmistakable flavor of their meat.

The Mountain Clan has lived, in practice, isolated from the rest, unwilling to enter into disputes and protected by the lethal ninjas that they train with great zeal. But this détente was destroyed by the betrayal of the Shōgun, which forced them to join ranks with the emperor. They are now suffering the consequences of having fought on the side of defeat.

THE FIREFLY CLAN

According to what has come down to us through ancient writings, this clan was founded by a prestigious and skilled samurai, after he defeated a demon that had settled in the area. It was a gigantic oni of great power, with skin of an intense blue and two long horns, that was massacring the people there. It killed a multitude of peasants and many warriors who dared to confront it, until the lands that today form the domains of the Firefly Clan were devastated and largely depopulated. After the legendary samurai Akio Saemonsaburo succeeded in crushing this creature, he set out to restore splendor to those lands and created this powerful clan, which has prospered over the centuries.

Akira and Hanako

Since then, it has been one of the most respected and feared houses in Japan, partly due to the fact that among its ranks are the best samurai in existence. This is due not only to the skill of their warriors, but also to the quality of their prized and desired katanas. The Firefly Clan prides itself on having the best blacksmiths in Japan, forging truly lethal swords. Their katanas make their troops generate real terror on the battlefield, although unfortunately their numbers have been seriously depleted during the recent war against the Shōgun. To their misfortune, the Firefly Clan fought in favor of the emperor, so they are currently suffering the consequences of their defeat.

Until recently, this clan was divided into four families who lived by and for war. This has changed and now there are only three, for they suffered the betrayal of the Ishikawa, who during “The 100 days of Edo” defected from the Firefly Clan to join the troops of the Shōgun. The Saemonsaburo family rules the destiny of the clan, faithfully followed by the Shinohara and the Kuroda. All its members hate to the extreme those born in the bosom of the Ishikawa, whom they consider vile conspirators, and against whom they have secretly sworn revenge.

Their founder chose the name of Firefly because of the sympathy that Akio Saemonsaburo felt for these creatures. He considered that their light came from the samurai who had lost their lives honorably serving their lord. For this reason, one of the main traditions of the clan is the “Hotaru gari” or “Hunting of fireflies,” which is repeated every year at the arrival of summer. This custom, passed down from one generation to the next, consists of going out to the countryside on warm summer nights to catch as many of these beautiful and enigmatic creatures as possible, especially near rivers, using large fans and wooden boxes. They carefully pour the fireflies into paper cones, which the creatures light colorfully before flying away.

The Firefly Clan is reputed to have the most skilled navigators, an honor motivated by their possessing one of the most impressive fleets in Japan. A large part of its economy is based on fishing, and this is also the origin of a long-standing conflict that has extended to the present day. Specifically, it is the hostility felt toward them by the Mountain Clan. According to the Firefly Clan’s elders, this animosity began when one of the Mountain Clan’s best boats was sunk off the coast of Nagoya, supposedly for fishing in waters that the Mountain Clan claimed as theirs exclusively. From then on, hatred spread between the members of both clans, giving rise to quarrels that have not been resolved for centuries.

The Firefly clan is one of the most fervent in Japan. Proof of this are the shrines that exist in the capital, Ise, among which are the Gekū and Naikū, founded at the dawn of the Empire, which each year receive hundreds of visitors, eager to pay their respects to their ancestors and to the powerful kami.

THE DRAGON CLAN

Of all the clans under control of the new Shōgunate, the Dragon clan is the most religious, deeply attached to nature and to the world of the yōkai, with which they feel completely in tune, despite the dangers that many yōkai present. Their beliefs are instilled in children from a very young age, so that they accept the existence of supernatural creatures and are often extremely curious about them. They especially venerate their ancestors and feel obliged to fulfill, to the extreme, the wishes of those who lose their lives. They do this because they are convinced that the soul of the deceased will not rest until his or her last wish has been fulfilled. The Dragon Clan’s union with nature motivates them to give animals a great presence in daily life, both their livestock and their great many pets. Dogs and cats are omnipresent, but it is not unusual to find a member of the Dragon Clan with an uncommon pet like the macaques native to Japan.

Hikaru and Takashi

Their mysticism goes back to the origins of the clan itself. Tradition has it that this house was created by a mythical and enigmatic yōkai dragon who lived in Lake Biwa. According to legend, this powerful creature granted a wish to a wise hermit who was the germ of the clan, and who adopted the name of the being that founded it. Also, it is said that the dragon gave the men a jade jewel of great power that they could use to defend their clan. At present, no one can be sure if this story is true, but some say that this jewel could be hidden in the most sacred and inaccessible corner of a secret sanctuary.

A festivity in honor of the legendary dragon has come down to our days and is repeated every year at the arrival of spring. Parents and their children fly countless dragon-shaped kites, filling the sky with colors to remember and honor the yōkai who created them.

It is not surprising that many in the Dragon Clan are monks, who live scattered throughout its territory in numerous temples. It is precisely in these religious complexes that knowledge is treasured, and libraries comprised of hundreds and hundreds of manuscripts gathered since the beginning of time are cared for. Given so much knowledge, many insist that the monks responsible for these ancient archives can control aspects of the yōkai magic.

Apart from monks secluded in shrines, the clan is divided into five large families. They are mostly peasants with few resources, for this house is one of the poorest and humblest in all of Japan, a situation that has worsened after the war. They grow rice, an important product. It feeds the population and is made into the traditional sake, high-proof brandy, ropes, sacks, and greatly appreciated Japanese paper. The Dragon Clan also grows highly valued wheat, rye, soybeans, buckwheat, sorghum, and tea.

The Shōgun’s punishment of the Dragon Clan for supporting the emperor has been brutal. They are strictly guarded by the minions of the Shōgun, and they also suffer from the significant tax increase decreed by him, a punishment for people who were already very poor.

An additional threat is posed by the powerful Sika Clan, whose lands are just west of them. This rival supported the Shōgun during his rebellion and now enjoys great prestige that it intends to take full advantage of. The Dragon Clan lost most of its samurai in the war, and the Sika have craved its land for centuries. The wind brings rumors that the Sika plan an invasion, an attack that could exterminate and destroy the entire Dragon Clan.

Our next update will be right at the end of September, so we can include images from the fair. And with this, we express our hope to meet again soon.

2 « J'aime »

J’avais lâché mon pledge à la dernière minute… et j’ai du mal à me rappeler pourquoi :unamused:
Le jeu fair sacrément envie !

J’ai vu que le Late Pledge était ouvert, mais il me faudrait rajouter 2 add-ons offerts si j’avais backé durant la campagne.

Si une âme charitable, de la région parisienne, envisageait de porter un pledge supplémentaire et peut être réduire un peu ses frais de port, il peut me faire signe :wave::japanese_ogre:

Edit : ce serait pour un Daimyo pledge