Hard Style Wushu

Kumite Edition!
Writing and Design: Malcolm Sheppard, based on Wushu Open by Dan Bayn.
© 2006 Malcolm Sheppard and Mob United Media. No part of this work may be
reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted by any form or by any means,
electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording of otherwise without the written
permission of the copyright holders or under the terms of the Wushu Open License.
Did you use this game? Email [email protected] with the details!
Visit http://www.mobunited.com to learn more about Mob United’s products.
Check out http://www.bayn.org/wushu for Dan Bayn’s Wushu.

Introduction
Budo is an adaptation of the Wushu rules by Dan Bayn and its variant, Wushu
Open Reloaded. Where Wushu is “soft” on character specifics and specialized
actions, Budo is a bit “harder.” It defines things more strictly and has rules that are
slightly more complex than baseline Wushu’s.
Budo uses a bit of vaguely Japanese terminology to distinguish itself from
standard Wushu and build atmosphere. Think less of the circular, continuous
movements of kung fu and “bullet ballet” swordplay, and more of the sharp
movements of karate, the swift, straight stroke of a katana and the slamming,
grappling energy of judo. There’s grace in these rules, but also a sense of decisive
resolve. Furthermore, Budo’s a bit tougher on characters than standard Wushu.
Characters don’t leap back to their feet in an instant. An adventure might wear them
out over time. On the other hand, Trait categories ensure that characters hang in the
fight longer if they mix up their tactics, moving from category to category.
You can run a Budo game in almost any setting, but our examples use a fantasy

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version of feudal Japan. The Kumite Edition includes a sample setting called the
Iridescent Kingdom.
And speaking of the Kumite Edition – this is it! We’ve tweaked the game in
response to reviews, further playtests and fan comments. We’ve changed some terms
into plainer language and refined the rules to make for what we hope is a better
game.

How to Run the Game

To play Budo, you need at least three people: a Game Master (GM), a Hero
and a Judge. You can have additional players who don’t have special duties. They
just portray their characters. The GM creates scenes for the players’ characters to
resolve and picks the game type (Gritty, Heroic or High Fantasy). The Hero is the
“star” of a scene; the Judge controls the order of events and vetoes Details that she
doesn’t think would fit the tone of the scene. The GM is the same person for the whole
session, but the Hero and Judge usually change from scene to scene.
You also need paper, pencils and erasers, and 10 sided dice (d10). If you’ve
played Wushu before, please note the different dice type. Budo characters are also a
bit less competent than starting Wushu characters. They need a more time to resolve
scenes and frequently take big risks to do it.
Budo scenes have aspects. Characters complete scenes by resolving their
aspects (they stop being dangerous or dramatically interesting), but there’s a risk.
Some aspects either drain Ki (life force – Chi in standard Wushu) or create
Setbacks. Setbacks impair your ability to act. If you lose all of your Ki in a Trait
category, you can’t use its associated Base or Traits to resolve the scene.
Budo uses the Principle of Narrative Truth. Your character automatically does
whatever you want him to do. There’s no “chance of success.” Instead, your roll
determines how much your action brings scene aspects to a point of resolution.
You describe actions with Details; these give you dice to roll. Your successes
knock down the aspect’s Ki (though some aspects might take Setbacks instead). You
can’t instantly resolve a scene aspect (taking out enemies or overcoming a challenge)
until you knock away all of its Ki. At that point, you either resolve the aspect
immediately or you can subsequently do so by declaring Ikken Hisatsu! – one strike,
one kill. It depends on the aspect involved.

Character Creation
It’s easy to make a character but first, you have to figure out the kind of game
you’re going to play. Budo supports intense action with a dash of bloody-minded
strategy and self-sacrifice. Create a character that’s fun to play in these kinds of
games. Naturally, you also need to know what kind of world you’ll be playing in. That’s
the GM’s responsibility, but she should always design her story based on what the
players want to do.

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 Trait
Categories
Characters have
three Trait
Categories: Mental,
Physical and Social.
There are many
different kinds of
Traits, but they all fall
under these three
categories. Start by
selecting Base scores
and Traits, then assign
them to these
categories.
The Base
Rating
Each Trait type
has a Base rating that
applies to all rolls
using that Trait
Category. Set your
Base ratings by
splitting 6 points
between Mental,
Physical and Social
Trait Categories. You
must devote a
minimum of 1 point to
each. If you don’t have
a Trait that applies to
the situation, your
Base rating
determines your basic
ability.
Traits
Next, pick your Traits. A Trait can be a profession (Loyal Samurai, Ninja,
Imperial Noble, Foreign Barbarian), a personality trait (Furiously Violent, Peacefully
Righteous) a skill (Swordplay, Sorcery) – anything you can think of that would fit the
game. Take this Trait and assign it to Mental, Physical or Social. If your Trait would fit
multiple categories you’ll have to spend points on it again to apply it to the second
category, or three times to apply it to all categories. If you’re only a Ninja when it
comes to Physical tasks, then you don’t have any special understanding of ninja

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 poisons, astrology or crafts (Mental tasks) and
can’t use ninja disguises (Social tasks) as well
as a fully trained member of your clan.
In some cases, you might want to fudge
categories a bit. Most martial arts are Physical
Traits, but some of them might have Mental
aspects that are skill actual fighting
techniques, like pressure point attacks or
secret moves that don’t require gross strength
and speed. Some swordsmanship forms could
have a psychic, Social component, too.
Split 6 points between your Traits. Once
again, you must assign a minimum of 1 point
to each trait. You don’t have to pick a Trait for
each category, however, and can have
multiple Traits in a single category.
Skills
Finally, choose your Skills. Every Trait point
(don’t count your Base) gives you one Skill.
Your Skills show what you can actually do
with a single Trait. But don’t get too hung up
on Skills. If the Trait alone justifies a
character’s ability, that’s fine too.
For example, if you picked three points of
Ninja (Physical), your caracter might know the
following Skills:
• Shinobi-iri (sneaking around)
• Taijutsu (dirty, quick unarmed combat)
• Shinobi-kenjutsu (unconventional fighting
using a ninja sword).
Optionally, you can specialize in a skill. Do
this by selecting the same skill twice. From
that moment forward, you can treat your Trait
as if it’s a point higher whenever you use that
specific Skill. Just write down the Skill twice
and note the specialization in the second slot.
Style
Now, choose a Style. It’s a general description of your character’s total attitude
and abilities: your “character concept.” It’s the thing that ties your character together –
and when a task relates to your Style, you have special advantages.

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 A Style gives you an automatic Detail to use when things get tight or when you
need an extra boost during your action.
Sample Styles: Samurai on a Quest for Vengeance, Aristocrat Practitioner of
Secret Blood Magic, Taciturn Martial Arts Master, Ronin Seeking Redemption.
Note that if your Style is an actual martial arts or craft style, you should give it a
name and describe its characteristics in terms of their relationship with your character.
Ki
Finally, list your Ki (Chi for Wushu diehards). Divide 9 Ki between your three
Trait categories. You must devote at least 2 points of Ki to each category. Describe
each type of Ki by its category: Mental Ki, Physical Ki and Social Ki.
Sample Character
I want to create a ninja named Otomo Daisuke. He’s got to be smart and
graceful, so my Base scores are Mental 2, Physical 3, Social 1. For Traits, I take
Ninja (Mental – Poisons Skill) 1, Ninja (Physical – Stealth, Unarmed and Sword Skill)
3 and Musician (Social – Shamisen Skill). He’s not much of an undercover agent, but
he has some rudimentary ability with a shamisen so that people will welcome him into
an inn. His Style is going to be a ninjutsu school: Otomo-Ryu, which specializes in
assassination under the cover of good will. Otomo’s Ki scores are Mental Ki: 3,
Physical Ki 2 and Social Ki 4. He’s not good at social situations without his instrument,
but has a certain enduring presence, represented by his high Social Ki.
Equipment (Optional)
Assume that characters have all the weapons and gear they need to perform
tasks. To simulate losing your sword or other issues, take a Setback.
Above and beyond that, you can use these optional rules. In them, equipment is
anything that enhances your ability beyond your normal competence for the task at
hand. So ninja climbing claws make you better at climbing, but a normal sword
doesn’t make you better at swordfighting. The claws are equipment; the ordinary
sword isn’t. But a good or weird sword – a Muramasa blade or a shinobi-katana with
special gadgets and attributes – is equipment for the purpose of these rules.
Equipment is also unreliable. In Budo, your character is the root of all skill and
heroism. Special gear is just icing on the cake and doesn’t always spell the difference
between success and failure. You can lose it, leave it behind or just employ it with
less adroitness than usual.
If you use this option, starting characters have a base Equipment Pool of 5.
This pool has a descriptor that tells everyone what it is (samurai battle gear, ninja
equipment, etc.). Split this pool up into specific pieces of gear with dice values of 1 to
3.
Example: Daisuke has Ninja-Musician gear. This includes:
Shamisen (1 die)

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 Shinobi Katana (3 dice)
Shuko climbing claws (1 dice)
To use a piece of equipment, declare it along with your Details. Your equipment
bonus can boost your Details dice past the scene’s cap (see Scene Resolution). Add
the equipment dice to your action for the scene, but subtract them from your pool.
For every additional scene where you use that piece of gear, subtract an
additional die. Once you’re out of dice, the equipment’s benefit ends. It’s needs to be
repaired, runs out of ammunition, you lose it, or bad karma just accumulates and
counteracts its benefits. Your pool regains an equipment die in every scene where
you don’t invoke its benefits, until you have enough dice to use it again. To invoke a
different piece of gear, pay the full price for the new item and another die each round.
You can switch equipment whenever the story allows it. By default, you can
change individual items once per session, but you can only change the equipment
pool type once per story arc.
If you capture a piece of equipment, add 1 die to your Equipment pool and list it.
(This also increases your maximum pool.) Your item doesn’t need to have the same
dice value as it did when somebody else was using it, but if it was worth more than 1
die, you’ll probably have to rearrange your list. If you lose a piece of gear, subtract its
current dice value from your pool’s maximum.
Don’t interpret the value of your gear too literally. Your ancestral sword could
help your reputation around other samurai. An ancient martial arts technique scroll
might make you a better fighter.
Example: Daisuke wants to climb a slippery wall and take out the guard on the
other side. He invokes his Shuko, dropping his Equipment down to 4 dice because
they were only worth one die. He originally planned to take out the guard with a quick
swipe of his claws, but once he gets to the other side, he sees that the guard is a
tough veteran. He decides to switch to his 3-dice shinobi katana, dropping his
remaining pool to a single die.
Once Daisuke gets to his target, he uses the sword again in a new scene. This
costs another die, so he’s out of equipment dice, but after strangling the enemy
daimyo with the cord on its saya and slitting his throat, he spends a scene escaping,
regaining a single equipment die.
Advancement
Budo characters evolve and improve over time.
Evolution
Every session, you can change 1 existing Trait, Base or Ki point. You can move
a point of Ki (or Base) from Mental to Social, or (for example) switch one Trait point
from Ninja to Yamabushi. You can even reinvest a point from an old Trait in a
completely new one. Finally, you can also change Style once per story arc. You can’t
leave yourself with 0 Ki or Base in any category. You can’t exchanges Traits for Ki, or

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vice versa. If your Traits change, you can alter associated Skills.
Improvement
Add 1 Trait point or Ki point once per story arc. Increase an existing Trait or
develop a new one. You can substitute a new Trait for another point in your
Equipment Pool. You can’t increase Base scores or have a Base + Trait total higher
than 9, but you can increase Ki scores as high as you like.

Scene Resolution
Flash, narration and style rule – that’s Budo’s core idea. Players build dice pools
with Details. These describe what’s happening in the game, right down to the results.
Each Detail is a bit of narrative flash that builds up the importance of the situation.
Once you narrate a critical number of Details, roll the sum total as a pool of 10-sided
dice. Every die that comes up equal or less than your Base + Trait is a success. If you
don’t have a Trait that really applies to the situation at hand, score your Base or less
to succeed.
Successes do not determine whether or not you succeed at whatever you’re
trying to do. This is because of the Principle of Narrative Truth (PoNT):
Everything happens exactly as the players describe it, when they describe
it.
Successes indicate how close you get to resolving one aspect of the scene.
Defeating an enemy is a scene aspect. So is picking a lock or making an inspiring
speech.
If you’re used to standard Wushu, there are some subtle differences between
the standard PoNT and the one used in Budo. First of all, Things happen exactly as
the players describe it, provided they do not instantly resolve an aspect of the
scene before being able to call Ikken Hisatsu! (see below). Secondly, things
happen when they describe it, but this partly depends on the Judge’s decisions
(see below).
Rounds, Scenes, Sessions and Story Arcs
Events happen in rounds. A round is just enough time for everyone in the story
to do something significant — hit an enemy, shake off pursuers on horseback or hatch
some palace intrigue.
Once you’ve resolved all of a scene’s aspects, the scene ends.
A session is self-explanatory. It ends when you’re done playing for the day,
unless you want to run two or more sessions in a marathon of gaming!
A story arc ends when everyone has run through a set of sessions that follow a
common storyline. There’s no hard and fast guideline, though five to eight sessions is
a good yardstick.

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 Details and Dice
Every Detail you add to your
description earns you a die.
These could be separate stunts,
witty one-liners, cinematic
flourishes — pretty much
anything that enhances your
gaming experience. (You
always get at least 1 die, just for
doing something.)
For example, someone who
says "I dodge to the side" gets 1
die. Someone who says "I
dodge to the side / and grab his
sword blade with my
chopsticks / before punching
him in the face" gets 3 dice.
Someone who says "I catch his
sword blade with my
chopsticks / when its chisel
edge is less than an inch from
my face, / then twist it around
with one deft motion, / jam it into
the bastard's gut, / and whisper
'Can't you see I'm trying to eat,
here?'" gets 5 dice. Thus,
anything that contributes to the
atmosphere and energy of your
game becomes a smart tactic.
You have one constant Detail:
your Style. Any time you do
something consistent with your
Style, you get a die. You don’t
need to narrate Style use with too much gusto (though it’s encouraged!). Just note
that it’s there. Style use can bump you past the Details cap for the scene.
Once you’ve built up the Details for your action, tell everyone which Trait you’ll
be using (Samurai use swords; Nobles say wickedly clever things and have a lot of
money) and roll your accumulated dice. First, you might want to split them into In and
Yo dice. If you don’t, all of your dice are Yo dice. Every Yo die that comes up equal to
or less than your Trait + its associated Base is a success. Successes knock off the
aspect’s Ki unless it (or he, or she) converts these to Setbacks.
In dice are defensive. Roll them just like Yo dice, except that every success
nullifies 1 Yo success that could harm you. Some aspects have In dice too. Their In
successes strip away your Yo successes.

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 Invoking Ju
It’s always a good idea to use an opponent’s strengths against him. In Budo,
this is called invoking Ju (softness). Invoke Ju by using the aspect’s (or opponent’s)
Trait in your Details. Each time you do this, increase your effective Trait level by one.
You may only use one Trait per Detail, but if you know that the aspect has multiple
Traits, you can effectively weave them together to stack the benefit in a single action.
If this would bump your effective Base + Trait above 9, your Details cap increases by
the difference between the rating you should have and 9. For instance, if you’d end up
with an effective Base + Trait of 11, before considering this rule, drop it to 9, but up
your Details cap by 2.
Invoking Ju might take time because you need to uncover your target’s Traits.
You might have to examine her fighting style or noble finery. Important antagonists
can invoke Ju against you as well – it’s a two-way street.
Dice Caps, the Hero and the Judge
There’s a limit to how many Details you can work into a round, In most scenes,
you can invoke four Details a round. In major scenes, like climactic battles, you might
invoke five, six or seven (or maybe even more, for an earth shattering finale!). The
only exceptions are that you can always add an additional die when you use your
Style, and you can narrate an additional Detail if you’re the Hero of the scene.
The GM chooses the Hero for the scene. The Hero chooses a Judge. A Hero is
the “star” of the round and can narrate an extra Detail. The Hero also goes first in the
round unless he chooses to act later.
The Judge performs two tasks. First of all, she chooses the order of actions for
everyone (including NPC Antagonists and other aspects) except for Heroes (including
Antagonist Heroes).
Secondly, the Judge can veto a Detail as inappropriate for the scene – even if

9
that detail’s coming from the GM. If you’re Judge, you should only do this if it would
break the game’s tone or make things a bit less fun.
Once the scene is over the Judge becomes the Hero and chooses a new Judge.
The new Judge has to be someone who wasn’t already Judge during that game
session, unless everybody’s had a turn. If everyone has, then the position “cycles back”
so that everyone eventually gets a turn again. As every Judge becomes a Hero, this
means everybody gets a chance to be the “star” in turn.
In and Yo
In any conflict where you have to protect yourself, divide your dice into In (Yin)
and Yo (Yang). Yo dice are “standard” dice. You use them to push a scene aspect
toward resolution. In dice delay resolution or protect you from attack. Roll Yo dice to
attack or otherwise affect an aspect (including an enemy). Every successful In die strips
one Yo success from an action.
You might want to use some In dice even when there isn’t any threat, because
they are effective against surprise attacks like shuriken flying through the night, hidden
pit traps and unsavoury secrets that come up in court.
types of Success
Each Yo success does one of two things:
• It strips one point of Ki from a scene aspect. Against a character, it strips a
point of Ki from one of his Trait categories.
• It inflicts one Setback.
Players always choose whether to take successes directed against them in the
form of Setbacks or Ki loss – but attackers choose what kind of Ki loss occurs (Mental,
Physical or Social). If you’re getting hit, you can also choose a mix of Ki “injuries” and
Setbacks.
Ki loss threatens your character’s continued presence (and if you lose too much,
you might even get killed!) for the session, but doesn’t impair your ability. Setbacks strip
away your ability to act decisively, to the point where you might only be able to call
upon your Style to do anything that matters.
Losing Ki – and Ikken Hisatsu!
If you lose all the Ki in a Trait category, you’re too exhausted or wounded to use
that category until you find a way to restore your strength. Additionally, losing Ki might
threaten your character’s long term existence. This depends on the type of game you’re
playing, as follows:
• In a Gritty game, death is common. If you lose all of your Physical Ki, an
enemy can declare Ikken Hisatsu! (one strike, one kill) on very the next
round and kill your character. Worse yet, if the attacker scores additional
successes equal to your Physical Base in the same attack that cost you
your Ki, he can declare Ikken Hisatsu! during the same action he used to
get rid of your Ki!

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 • In a Heroic game, you might be in danger if you lose all of your Ki in two
Trait categories. If you do, the enemy can declare Ikken Hisatsu! on the
next round.
• In a High Fantasy game, you’re only in danger if you lose all of your Ki
from every category. After that, an opponent can declare Ikken Hisatsu!
on the next round.
Naturally, “what’s good for the samurai is good for the ninja.” These same
guidelines apply when it comes to your attempts to kill, disable or otherwise assert
your will over your enemies.
Ikken Hisatsu! kills an opponent or decisively resolves a scene aspect. It uses
up your actions for the round but doesn’t require a dice roll. Some scene aspects
don’t need it; they resolve themselves as soon as they run out of Ki.
When it comes to your character, Ikken Hisatsu! might kill him – but it might not.
You get to modify the narration of your character’s untimely demise or disappearance.
If you want, you can use this moment to leave open the possibility that your character
might be alive. In any event, your character is gone for the remainder of the session
and it’s time to play in Ancestor, Devil or Vassal Mode.
Fortunately, you regain one point of Ki per scene. You may assign this
recovered Ki to any Trait category you like, but you can’t regain more Ki in a category
than you started with.
Setbacks
Injuries, accidents and voluntary sacrifices can inflict Setbacks. Each Setback
drops your Details cap (and thus, base maximum dice) for the round by one. Narrate
the same number of Details, but Details that would exceed the number of dice you
can invoke become Setback Details. They don’t help you. You’re wounded, nervous
or stunned – whatever hinders your character. Narrate your character suffering from
injury or distress. Enemies might use these Details to invoke Ju – but you can do the
same to them.
Fortunately, your Setbacks can never nullify your Style – you always have one
die on hand. Your Setbacks vanish in two situations:
• Whenever you regain a point of Ki, you lose a Setback.
• If you roll successes, you can allocate them to recover Setbacks on a 1
for 1 basis instead of resolving scene aspects.
Duty is as Heavy as a Mountain, Death is as Light as a
Feather
In addition to gaining Setbacks through conflict, you can voluntarily suffer a
Setback to increase the Details (dice) cap of another character by one. Up to two
characters can suffer Setbacks to benefit the same individual. In this case, narrate a
Setback Detail that helps the other character. Maybe you threw yourself in front of a
sword or played the buffoon as a distraction.

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 You can also
impose a single
Setback on
yourself to
automatically
score a Yo
success. Players
normally do this if
they’ve scored 0
successes and
need to score one
to push an aspect
into Ikken Hisatsu!
territory. In
successes cannot
nullify Yo
successes that
have been
purchased in this
fashion.
You may spend Ki
for the benefit of
another character,
but it’s pricey; two
points of your Ki
gives another
character one
point of Ki. This
represents a
serious injury or
loss of face. You
decide which Ki
you lose, while the
recipient decides
on the type of Ki
he gains. You
must narrate one
Detail that justifies
this loss. You can
use this Detail for other purposes as well, but it can’t be a Setback Detail.
These systems are called “Duty is as Heavy as a Mountain, Death is as Light as
a Feather.”

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 Scene Aspects
Scene aspects are the source of all conflicts in Budo. Anything important to the
scene has an aspect – and anything that isn’t, doesn’t. The GM (or Devil — a player
that helps with the opposition) invents scene aspects, “dressing” the scene and
providing its challenges.
Footsoldiers
Footsoldiers are born to die in droves! In fact, They’re little more than pawns
whose only reason for being is to make the player characters look good.
Each group of Footsoldiers has one or two low level Traits and a Style, but have
no Trait categories and only one Ki score – but that Ki score is prodigious because it
belongs to a squad of spear carriers. Yo successes reduce this combined Ki score.
Once that drops to 0 the lot of them are either all dead or running in abject terror. You
don’t need to waste time calling Ikken Hisatsu! Footsoldiers can’t suffer Setbacks.
Footsoldiers rarely roll dice. Instead, they have a Yo Rating. Take the player
characters’ average Trait + Base score, divide it by 10 and multiply it by the base
Details cap for the scene. Round off fractions to the nearest whole number.
Example: The characters have average Trait + Base scores of 4. In a scene
where the Details cap is 3, the Footsoldiers have Yo Ratings of 1 (0.4 x 3 = 1.2,
rounded off).
To determine a Footsoldier squad’s Ki, multiply its Yo Rating (before rounding it
off) by the number of rounds you want them to stick around and the number of
characters in your group.
Example: Continuing from the previous example, the GM wants the Footsoldiers
to last for five rounds against three characters. 1.2 x 3 x 5 = 18, so the Footsoldiers
have 18 Ki.
Footsoldier Traits mostly exist to let characters invoke Ju, but there are
occasions when they’ll be on the characters’ side. In this case, they use their Traits to
help characters, performing espionage, storming fortifications and so on. In these
situations, Footsoldiers roll dice normally.
Footsoldier rules also apply to ambient threats like fires, hails of arrows, mob
ridicule and so forth.
Antagonists
Antagonists are standard characters, but are controlled by the GM or Devil.
They either oppose the players or add a complication that needs resolving. At least
one Antagonist is always a Hero. He acts after the players’ Hero but before anyone
else. Other Antagonists act whenever the Judge decides they do.

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 Minor Challenges
Minor Challenges don’t threaten characters, but represent scene aspects that
players probably want to resolve anyway, like fixing a cart or polishing a sword. Minor
Challenges might have one or two Traits (to let players invoke Ju) and always have a
Style. Like Footsoldiers, they have a single Ki score and no Trait categories.
Minor Challenges have an In Rating. Take the player characters’ average Trait +
Base score, divide it by 10 and multiply it by the base Details cap for the scene.
Round off fractions to the nearest whole number.
Set a Minor Challenge’s Ki by multiplying its In Rating (before rounding it off) by
the average number of rounds you want the challenge to last and the number of
characters in your group.
The In Rating counters Yo dice one a one for one basis, but characters’ excess
Yo dice automatically succeed, sapping the Minor Challenge’s Ki. Once the aspect’s
out of Ki, it’s been completely resolved.
General Challenges
General Challenges are scene aspects that don’t pose an active threat to
characters but represent some obstacle that takes time and effort to overcome. These
are the spring-loaded traps, complex locks and confusing forest trails of Budo. Assign
a General Challenge to one Trait type (Mental, Physical or Social) and a Style that
describes what the challenge is (Mountain Pass, Sword Forging). It has least one
Trait and, like a Minor Challenge, a single Ki rating. Calculate Ki just as you would for
a Minor Challenge. General Challenges don’t invoke other Details. Their Traits
represent important features (like Tall Bamboo for a forest) and usually have ratings
equal to 1 less than the characters’ average Base + Trait scores. The GM narrates the
General Challenge’s details. Many General Challenges only roll In dice, but some of
them can harm characters and use Yo dice as well. Split dice as you would for a
character.
Players usually resolve General Challenges with the type of Trait listed for the
aspect, but this is a guide, not a hard and fast rule. For example, characters open a
sturdy lock with Mental Traits because lockpicking is a learned skill – but someone
might just use a Physical Trait and smash it with a hammer! If a player uses an
unusual Trait type, he has a greater onus to demonstrate that his solution is clever
and fun. Otherwise, it merits a veto.
You completely resolve a General Challenge as soon as you can declare Ikken
Hisatsu! against it. You can invoke Ju on a General Challenge.
Complex Challenges
Complex Challenges are almost as detailed as characters. They have Mental,
Physical and Social categories, Traits for each, divided Ki scores – even Styles.
Examples of Complex Challenges include enemy castles, esoteric rituals and warrior
quests. To qualify as a Complex Challenge, the aspect’s possible solutions must have
Mental, Physical and Social components — though some might not require one of

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these. Unlike General Challenges, scale and complexity determine a Complex
Challenge’s Ki scores. These can vary wildly between types. For example, a castle
has a lot of Physical Ki but next to no Social Ki. Smart characters exploit these
weaknesses by narrating clever Details and invoking Ju. Resolve a Complex
Challenge by stripping away the Ki in the Trait category that would decisively defeat it
or achieve a critical objective. In some cases, players might have to get rid of the Ki in
two or all areas.

Non-Character Players
Non-Character Players (or NCPs) either don’t feel like playing a main character
or can’t play their usual
character because of
events in the story (death,
kidnapping, etc.). An NCP
chooses from one of three
Modes.
Ancestor
Mode
In Ancestor Mode,
the NCP automatically
and permanently
becomes group Judge.
She never becomes Hero
(and doesn’t have a
character to make into
one), but does set the
order of actions and has
veto power. The Ancestor
also picks the Hero each
round, but isn’t allowed to
pick the same player
again until everyone has a
turn at the position (after
which it cycles around as
usual). Finally, in Ancestor
Mode, the NCP adds one
helpful Detail to another
player’s action per round.
This represents the subtle
influence of the ancestors
(or fate) on the game.

15
 Devil Mode
Devil Mode gives the NCP
control of enemy Antagonists
and Complex Challenges.
Once an NCP chooses this
mode he collaborates with the
GM when it comes to setting
the scene. The player can
drop one of his aspects
(Antagonists or Complex
Challenges) into a scene after
consulting with the GM about
her plans. The Devil plays the
Antagonist or Complex
Challenge to further the
intended story arc but freely
employs her own strategies to
delay others players’ victories.
If you like, the GM either has
veto over all Devil scenes or
can veto one Devil scene per
NCP, per session. It all
depends on how much power
you want the GM to exercise.
A Devil’s Antagonist is always
a Hero.
Vassal Mode
If an NCP chooses Vassal
Mode, she plays a gang of
allied Footsoldiers. The
players and GM contrive a
scene that makes this
possible. She normally gives one of her Footsoldiers a name and personality – and
this minor, plucky hero speaks for the entire squad. If he dies, a new member of the
squad immediately replaces him. As allied Footsoldiers, the Vassal makes dice rolls
for Traits, but just uses a Yo Rating for combat. Vassal Footsoldiers have these game
statistics:
Style: Player’s choice.
Traits: Two traits equal to the group average.
Yo Rating: Calculate this normally, but use the highest rating in the group
instead of the average.
Ki: Yo Rating x (number of players) x 5. Additionally, Vassal Footsoldiers
recover Ki equal to the number of player characters in the group in every scene.

16
 The Iridescent Kingdom
Wouldn’t it be amazing to have a setting where ninja face off against Shaolin
monks. How about one where samurai brawl with Thai pirates in front of ancestral
tombs guarded by shamans?
Well, I’ve got some good news for you. A setting like this isn’t just possible, but
isn’t a far cry from the same kind of history that inspires wuxia and chambara films.
There really was a place where Chinese and Japanese martial arts exponents faced
off, and where weaponless warriors guarded ancient mausoleums. It was the Ryukyu
Kingdom: the model for our setting.
A Bit of History
The Ryukyu Kingdom included Okinawa, the modern Ryukyu Islands and a few
other possessions. Nowadays, most of these are administered by Japan, but the
Ryukyuan people have their own language, traditions and customs. For most of their
history, their closest ally was China. They were a tributary kingdom, offering China
wealth in exchange for protection.
Oh yeah – they invented karate. Karate now uses the characters for “empty
hand,” but it used to use different characters, meaning “Tang (China) hand.” Modern
martial arts researchers agree that contemporary karate is a mix of southern Chinese
martial arts (particularly Five Ancestors, Monk Fist and Crane), native methods and
other influences from across Southeast Asia. The Ryukyu Kingdom was a port of call
for ships from across Asia, and visitors exchanged fighting techniques with the locals
– often violently.
The Ryukyuans have a reputation for pacifism and long, harmonious lives. Most
famously, they banned most weapons from the islands. While some people think that
this was the result of Japanese occupation, the truth is that they did it themselves.
That occupation is a turning point in Ryukyu history. In 1609, fierce samurai from
Satsuma invaded the kingdom as punishment for its refusal to aid Japan on various
military adventures. The invasion was relatively bloodless; King Sho Nei ordered his
people to surrender when it was clear that the kingdom couldn’t muster sufficient

17
 resistance. Ryukyuans suffered
under laws that made them
second class citizens and the
king was reduced to a puppet.
Attempts to assimilate the
Ryukyans commenced in earnest
during the Meiji period, but have
never been completely
successful. Ryukyuans still
maintain a distinct identity and
some of them even agitate for
independence in the modern
day. A disproportionate number
of Ryukyuan martial artists are
members of these movements.
Enough with the
History - Time for the
Fantasy
The Ryukyu Kingdom is an ideal
model for a Budo setting (or any
Wushu setting, in fact), but let’s
mix it up a bit. We want a setting
full of conflict, where history
inspires, but doesn’t limit what
you can do in the game. So we’ll
play fast and loose with history
and indulge common myths
about the Ryukyus. In them,
Chinese spies and pirates rub
shoulders with insurgents who
use secret fighting skills to
liberate their homes. Ryukyu
means “iridescent sphere,” so
our setting is called the Iridescent
Kingdom.
The Battle for the Jewel Begins
It’s 1610 CE – a year after ferocious Satsuma samurai invaded the Iridescent
Kingdom. Led by the powerful Shimazu clan, who are powerful allies of the Tokugawa
shogun – too powerful, in fact, so the bakufu (military government) gave them
permission to invade so as to divert their ambitions. If anyone wanted to bring down
the shogun, they might do so by frustrating the invasion. If the Satsuma forces retreat,
the Shimazu will turn their ambitions back to Nippon, threatening the fragile order.
That’s why agents from rival clans crawl through the kingdom, helping rebels to turn

18
away the invaders – and point them back at Tokugawa’s throat.
But these aren’t the only conspirators. The Ming Dynasty is waning. The empire
relies on its shield of allies to ward off foreign invasion. Corruption reigns in the
capital, despite the best efforts of a paranoid emperor’s spies. The eunuchs are too
clever for him. The Manchu warlord Nurhaci batters the northern borders, uniting
horsemen under his banner.
The occupied Iridescent Kingdom is a gap in Zhongguo’s armor – a possible
staging area for a Nihonjin naval invasion. The stronger the occupation gets, the more
the emperor must move forces from north to south, weakening his defenses against
the horsemen. Fortunately, Zhongguo has agents in place and ways to assist the
native rebels. 36 Chinese families call the kingdom home. In Sho’s court, Chinese
emissaries with superb martial and espionage skills relay secret messages. Finally,
Ryukyuans travel in secret to Fujian, where they learn fighting arts from legendary
teachers.
There are plots and counter-plots, but the Satsuma are strong and dedicated –
even bloodthirsty. Their sword teachers tie cords’ to their students’ weapons because
their enthusiasm for taking heads is considered to be excessive, even for samurai.
The Iridescent Kingdom will free itself now – or fall for good.
Iridescent Society
The Iridescent Kingdom is composed of dozens of islands. Some of them are
very small, hosting little more than a fishing family or recluse. Notable areas include
the large island of Miyako and the distant Yaima Islands. The Yaimas are notable for
the unusual customs of its people. They have unique local gods and eccentric
dialects. In nearby Dunan, there are underwater megaliths that appear to be the
remnants of a forgotten temple. Hammerhead sharks infest the ruins.
But for centuries, the capital has been Uchina – known as Okinawa to the
invaders. It is the largest island in the Iridescent Kingdom. Almost 200 years ago King
Sho Shin united (or subdued) the other Anji under Uchinanchu rule. He divided his
realm into six magiri (petty “kingdoms”) and allowed the Anji to rule them as his
vassals.
The Sho Dynasty and the Anji are the upper echelons of the kingdom’s rigid
social hierarchy. Below them, Uyakata rule individual towns. Their vassals are the
Pechin: a warrior caste equivalent to the samurai. The Pechin class has five
subdivisions, ranging from the high Pekumi to the lowest Chikudun Pechin. The
Chikudun Pechin are the kingdom’s “street cops,” even during the occupation. They’re
often suspected of supporting the rebellion.
Visitors in the Iridescent Kingdom note culture’s distaste for weapons. Sho Shin
proclaimed the first weapons ban. His heirs and the Satsuma have been happy to
continue the custom. Commoners aren’t permitted to own any weapons. Even large
knives have to be kept chained in a public place. Pechin and nobles can own arms
but can’t wear them in public. There are exceptions for emergencies, and Pechin can
carry the sai and bo (staff) in the course of their duties. The sai (a metal truncheon

19
with large tines) is a symbol of authority.
Over the years, Pechin have learned to use a number of innocuous items as
weapons. Many know how to use boat oars (eku) and mill handles (tonfa) in combat.
In emergencies, they’ll lash a sharpened sai to a bo, creating an effective spear
(called the nunti) while keeping to the latter of the law. But the Pechin are most
famous for their unarmed fighting skills. They develop fists that can shatter stone or
strike pressure points in complex, lethal sequences.
Zhongguo has long been the pre-eminent foreign cultural influence. The Middle
Kingdom promotes cultural exchange, going so far as to send families to formally
settle there. The average Uchinanchu feels closer to Zhongguo than Nippon. This
connection includes martial arts; the Iridescent Kingdom’s warriors practice a number
of Chinese styles.
Faith and Myth
Spirits dwell in utaki: sacred places scattered across the islands. It’s bad luck to
disturb or take anything away from an utaki. Traditional religion holds that women
contain the spiritual energies of the home and men, the outdoors. Shisa (stone lions)
hold a man’s spirit outside when he enters a building, to keep from polluting the
hearth. Women are considered to be spiritually superior to men and lead religious
worship, from household rites to community services at utaki. They also advise lords
and kings about magical and spiritual matters. Yuta are local priestesses; Noro
administer to the nobility. There are also Buddhist monasteries and of course,
Chinese folk rituals influence the culture. Anyone able to wield magical forces is called
a kamigutu, or “god-person.” Kamigutu can help people if their mabui (spiritual
essence) has been lost or distorted.
The most holy place in the Iridescent Kingdom is Seifa-Utaki, said to be the
place where Amamikyo, the Mother of Uchina, came to the mortal realm. The gods
are primordial ancestors from the mythic age. The greatest are Utin, the Father, Jiichi,
the Mother and Ryugu, the Sea. Below them, elder mortal ancestors (futuki) are cared
for in Buddhist temples. Recent ancestors are honored in the home. Periodically,
clans gather at the ancestral haka: a house of the dead containing the remains of
several generations. Visiting without permission or otherwise disturbing a haka is
dangerous; the ancestors don’t like it. Accordingly, male family members sometimes
guard haka to keep the ancestors from being disturbed.
Locations
Here are a few signature locations:
Motobu: Called Mutubu by locals, this port on the coast of Uchina is the primary
encampment for the Satsuma. Hundreds of samurai live here, in a collection of tents,
seized farmsteads and captured fortresses.
Nafa: Spread in the valley beneath Sui Castle, the city of Nafa is the Iridescent
Kingdom’s major trade center. The Kume neighborhood is filled with immigrants,
including the 36 Families of Kume. You can buy almost anything in Nafa, or book

20
yourself passage anywhere in the East.
Sui Castle: Sui Castle is the Sho dynasty’s
palace. Currently, King Sho and his Anji lords are
prisoners here. They are given a great deal of privacy
and luxury, but the fact remains that they cannot
leave. The castle is often abuzz with activity as
envoys and messengers visit the powerful people
within. The nobles are prisoners, but still exert
considerable influence. Without it, the people might
rise up against the Satsuma en masse.
Tomari: Where Nafa is cosmopolitan, Tomari is
quiet and traditional. Tomari Uchinanchu are
supposedly the best martial artists in the Iridescent
Kingdom, but are very secretive about their skills.
They also say that the old magic of the islands can be found in the hearths and tombs
of Tomari.
Factions
The Iridescent Kingdom has dozens of factions, families, religious orders and
martial arts schools – more than you’d expect from a small archipelago. Part of the
reason has to do with the Kingdom’s complex social structure and part of it comes
from the kingdom’s place as a nexus of trade and cultural exchange.
The main political question now is the rebellion. It’s small, young and
disorganized. King Sho has ordered the people not to resist the Nihonjin, but many
Pechin believe that this only applies to people who aren’t members of the warrior
classes. Ming agents and rivals of the Shimazu clan support might a revolt for their
own reasons.
In a Budo game, factions might be character Styles or Traits. Each entry lists
possible Trait Skills. Remember that if a Trait could fit more than one category
(Mental, Physical or Social), you must purchase the Trait separately for each
category.
This setting often refers to a rebellion against Satsuma rule, but we won’t detail
it. The exact size, structure and goals of the rebellion are left to the GM, because it
will serve as either the characters’ primary faction or the main opponents in an
archetypal Iridescent Kingdom campaign.
36 Families of Kume: 36 families from Zhongguo settled in Nafa to direct trade
and diplomatic relations with the Iridescent Kingdom. The families are wealthy,
politically connected. Members include powerful martial artists, including reputed
masters of the internal arts. The families sponsored the largest Zhongguo-style
temple in the islands and staff its clergy. They say that in Kume, the Middle Kingdom’s
gods reign supreme. 24 of the 36 families support the rebellion, but none of them do
so openly. They have, however, spirited away Uchinanchu for special training in
Fujian and assisted emissaries from the Ming Empire. Skills: Mental: Trading,

21
Smuggling, Taoist Mysticism. Physical: Family martial arts may be considered a
separate trait. See Martial Arts for more information. Social: Diplomacy, Lies,
Haggling.
Anji: The old petty kings of the islands are still lords, but they’ve been confined
to Sui Castle and its environs while the Satsuma forces consolidate their control.
Some of the Anji are thoroughly cowed, but others send secret messages to their
former territories, urging the people to support rebel movements. Common wisdom
says that the Anji are ultimately selfish. They’re wealthy and influential even in
captivity, but the Sho Dynasty didn’t bring them willingly into the fold – they want
power above all. Skills: Mental: Administration, Political Knowledge, Writing Secret
Messages. Physical: None. Social: Connections, Court Etiquette, Innuendo.
Ming Emissaries: Despite the invasion, diplomats from the Ming court still visit
the Iridescent Kingdom. The Satsuma rarely allow them to venture beyond Sui Castle
and Nafa, but the samurai often underestimate the training, cunning and
determination of the emissaries. Some are masters of disguise and the martial arts
who are as stealthy as the legendary ninja of Nippon. They provide training and
material support for rebels along with arrangements to smuggle people and
equipment in and out of the kingdom. Skills: Mental: Infiltration, Languages,
Smuggling. Physical: Stealth and martial arts Skills. Social: Court Etiquette,
Diplomacy, Disguise, Telling Lies.
Nihonjin Agents: Ninja! Well, some of them are, anyway. The Shimazu clan is
powerful, so there are many Nihonjin who’d like to see their invasion fail. Of course,
would-be allies support the occupation and the Shimazu have their own spies, so
every agent has a counter-agent. Nihonjin spies usually hide in the Satsuma garrison
where it’s easiest to blend in, but some of them are skilled enough to pass as
Ryukyuans. Ambitious lords host agents in Sui’s walls and rebels shelter them in the
jungle. Skills: Nihonjin agents are either samurai who are not professional spies at
all, or ninja hired from the Iga or Koga regions of Nippon. They usually know the
martial arts and cultural Skills and Traits associated with those groups. See Satsuma
Samurai and Martial Arts for more information.
Noro: The Ryukyu priestess caste supports rebellion against the Satsuma.
They’ve long been important figures in Iridescent society. In ages past, they decided
when lords went to war, when they made peace and what they must do to appease
the divine ancestors. If they have magical powers, they use them subtly, lest the
Satsuma systematically hunt them down. For now, they support rebels secretly, while
openly counseling the common people to persevere during the occupation. Skills:
Mental: Channeling Spirits, Divination, Politics, Spirit Lore. Physical: Wilderness
Survival. Social: Counseling, Empathy, Commanding and Negotiating With Spirits.
Pechin: The so-called “weaponless warriors” of the Iridescent Kingdom are in
fact anything but – they have swords, but aren’t allowed to wear them outside of their
estates. Pechin can be rich or poor, but most live among ordinary people. Even during
the occupation they act as peacekeepers. There’s considerable friction between
Pechin constables and the drunken Satsuma warriors they arrest. Most Pechin

22
support the rebellion. Many have fled to small islands and jungle strongholds, sallying
forth to sabotage Satsuma supply lines and harass samurai. Skills: Mental:
Administration, Sense Danger, Local Knowledge. Physical: Pechin are skilled martial
artists. See Martial Arts for details. Social: Intimidate, Local Rumors.
Pirates and Sailors: The Iridescent Kingdom hosts sailors from throughout the
East – and a few from even farther away. It’s hard to tell a cargo vessel from a pirate
ship if the pirates are smart, but outlaws tend to be violent troublemakers when they
reach port. Pechin arrest or even kill the worst brawlers. Nevertheless, they come with
all manner of goods to trade. Some sailors know exotic fighting styles like Melayu
Silat, Kalaripiyattu and “Fencing.” Skills: Mental: Languages, Navigation, Sailing.
Physical: Climbing, Swimming. Some also know martial arts Skills. Social: Carousing,
Naval Customs, Swearing Up a Storm.
Satsuma Samurai: The samurai occupiers hail from many Satsuma clans, but
all of them obey Shimazu leaders. Satsuma warriors have a well-earned reputation for
ferocity and short tempers. Some of them are eager to cut down peasants for no other
reason than to test a new sword. They’re hard drinkers too, but will train their fighting
skills even through blinding hangovers. The average warrior is just an Ashigaru
(Footsoldier), but skilled swordsmen, riflemen and tacticians can all be found in the
ranks. They’re instantly identifiable in the Iridescent Kingdom because only they are
permitted to wear swords in public. Most wear the traditional daisho: a katana and
wakizashi. Skills: Satsuma practice the Jigen-Ryu Bugei listed in Martial Arts.
They’re also good at Carousing and a number of other Traits you’d associate with the
classic samurai type.
Martial Arts
Budo’s about conflict, and specifically about fighting! So here’s a list of martial
arts used by characters in the Iridescent Kingdom. This isn’t exhaustive. Who knows
what sort of warrior might show up in port? Martial Arts are usually Traits, so they’re
listed in terms of their component Skills. Some Skills you might think are Physical are
in other categories for atmosphere and because in Budo, there’s an advantage to
spreading out your ability. Remember that each Trait Category uses a separate Trait,
even if they have the same names. Follow suit when you create your own martial arts
styles!
Jigen-Ryu Bugei – Satsuma Samurai Arts: The fearsome Jigen-ryu is the
premiere martial tradition in Satsuma. Practitioners are known for their extreme
aggressiveness. They cut and smash enemies down with relentless attacks. The
school’s signature practice involves smashing a stout post hundreds of times a day
with a stick or bokken.
Samurai from other regions have similar fighting styles.
Mental: Aikijujutsu (redirecting force without strength), Heihojutsu (strategy)
Physical: Atemi (striking vital points), Bojutsu (staff) Iaijutsu (drawing and
cutting), Kenjutsu (using a drawn sword), Suijutsu (swimming in battle), Yawara
(grappling and throwing), Yoroi Kumiuchi (fighting in armor).

23
 Social: Etiquette, Intimidate, Kiaijutsu (shouting to inspire fear and increase
fighting ability)
Changquan – Northern Chinese Martial Arts: This is not one style, but an
entire category. Northern styles are rare in the Iridescent Kingdom because of the
distance between the islands and practitioners. Northern arts are acrobatic and
feature high kicks, leaping techniques and extended stances. The Shaolin school is
the most famous Northern method, though it’s said that there’s also a Southern
version of the style.
Mental: Dianxue (vital point attacks), Qing Gong (supernatural leaping and
flying), Medicine.
Physical: Acrobatics, Qinna (standing grappling), Striking (hands, feet, elbows
and knees), Spear, Straight Sword, Saber and other weapons.
Social: Perform Martial Forms
Toudi/Nanquan – Southern Chinese Martial Arts: Toudi (“Tang Hand”)is the
Uchinaguchi (Iridescent Kingdom language) term for Nanquan. Like Changquan,
Nanquan is not a single art, but a category of Southern martial arts styles. These
styles use stable stances, low kicks and numerous hand techniques in rapid
combinations. Examples include Wing Chun and Hung Gar. In the Iridescent
Kingdom, Pechin often practice this style in combination with native Uchinadi. The
most popular styles in the kingdom are Hequan (Crane) and Lohanquan (Monk).
Mental: Dianxue (vital point attacks), Iron Palm (smashing with “internal” hand
attacks), Medicine.
Physical: Qinna (standing grappling), Striking (hands, feet, elbows and knees),
Spear, Chopping Sword, Saber and other weapons.
Social: Perform Martial Forms
Uchinadi – Okinawan Hand: Uchinadi is a native art of the Iridescent Kingdom,
used by the Pechin to keep the peace using the most rudimentary weapons and their
unarmed bodies. Uchinadi emphasizes hitting hard with simple techniques and a well-
conditioned body. Uchinadi has no individual forms except for a short few
combinations and weapons sets.
Mental: Iron Palm, Medicine
Physical: Bo (staff), Eku (oar), Nunchaku, Striking (hands, feet, elbows and
knees), Sai, Tigumi (wrestling), Tuifa (Tonfa), other weapons.
Social: Intimidate, Sensing Aggression
Udunti – Palace Hand: Udunti is the royal martial art of the Iridescent Kingdom,
practiced by nobles and high-status Pechin protectors. It concentrates on complex
joint locks, disarms and blending with the enemy’s movements. Practitioners are said
to be able to defeat multiple opponents well into old age. Thus, Uduniti’s martial Skills
are largely Mental as well as Physical.

24
 Mental: Odori-jutsu (Aikijujutsu style combative “dance” that uses an enemy’s
strength against him), Iaijutsu (drawing and cutting), Mutodori (using the enemy’s
weapons against him)
Physical: Bo (staff), Eku (oar), Nunchaku, Striking (hands, feet, elbows and
knees), Sai, Sabre, Tuifa (Tonfa), other weapons.
Social: Sensing Aggression
Other Martial Arts: Virtually any martial art can appear in the Iridescent
Kingdom. Besides Nippon styles, Zhongguo methods and indigenous arts, Siamese
and Malay fighting arts are especially common among sailors.

25
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