Stealing Stuff - Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice (Part 1)

Today's post is the first in a series called "Stealing Stuff", how we can get inspired and steal stuff from any sort of media (or anything really). I picked Sekiro because Im currently playing through it and I came across a perfect item for TTRPGs.

So Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice is a pretty good game. As with most From Software game, we got great lore and world building, cleverly peppered throughout. One the very few games where clashing swords feels good, exciting and not so "videogamey;

OH YEAH SPOILERS AHEAD

The Black Mortal Blade

There simply are no good pictures of the blade currently online

Know for its ability to sever immortality and to open the gates of the afterlife, this blade has been cast to the deepest abyss in hopes that no one will find it. Scholars theorise the Black Mortal Blade came from the heavenly realm, a weapon meant for those who walked among the clouds;


- Drawing this katana immediately kills the user, but only once;

- It can harm and kill that which isn't supposed to die;

- Those killed by the blade (not by drawing it) cannot be revived by any means;

- Carving oneself with the blade will open a portal into the afterlife, upon which someone might be brought back. That person (for all intents and purposes alive) obeys the wielder last wishes until completion and may wield the blade on their stead.

The Nobles of The Moon Realm

A race of frog like star bright humanoids who came from the moon, were once worshipped as envoys form the heaves. After the knowledge of their treason was discovered, mortals soon forgot their lies and thus their existence.

This "nobles" lure those of weak will with the prize of immortality, all methods employed had adverse side effects, slowly corrupting those who basked on it.

They often seek faraway villages where they can corrupt the people into their schemes, telling that chosen people may ascend to the heavenly realm and experimenting on them by giving them water from the moon. Those who "ascend" just become food for the Nobles and their schemes.

Often guarded by fierce warriors, who long winding necks denote their inhumanity, they prefer to stick to the shadows than to dirty their hands. These fighters move as if floating through air, being able to move in unpredictable ways.

Moon Noble

HD 1
AC 12
Ability:
- With a straw, they are able to suck the youth out of their target from far away. They age 6d6+4 years per turn, no save allowed;


Okami Warriors

HD 5
AC 18
Odachi or Longbow +5/1d12 damage
Ability:
- They can freely float through the air and move through wind as if walking. They use this abilities to evade and ambush enemies;

Items from the Moon Realm

Celestial Waters

Water from the moon. Those who drink achieve a state of immortality, not being able to die from old age, but their bodies dry up and curl into misshapen shapes. This water does not satiate, it only increases the craving. 

Scented Stone

Found in the body of those who partake in the Celestial Waters, these stones smell faintly of cherries. They are used as gateway materials to the moon, by burning it one is able to attract the great snake. Its guts are a tunnel to the moon. 

Lapis Lazuli

Blessed material from the moon, anything forged with it will never break nor rust, forever blessed by the great one. It is also a symbol of purity protecting people against corruption and general magic;

- It can be used to sense ghosts, denoted by a faint glow;

- Weapons forged from Lapis Lazuli can touch the incorporeal. They also may forever banish souls of the departed to the after life;

 The Infested

From the Divine Realm, the body of the Great Carp fell from the sky, slowly decomposing. From its guts writhed to life insects blessed with immortality, ravenous for sustenance, they are embodied by centipedes. This bugs infest the bodies of people, corrupting them and twisting their minds and body, now immortal. The only way to kill one of these creatures is the host bug inside.

An infested player must make a save against poison. Failure means the person becomes infected but effectively looses their mind. A success means the player remain sane. 

- Immortality comes with a price since the body will perpetually rot and no normal person will get close.

Centipedes

HD 2

AC 25 (chitinous armor and regenerating flesh make it hard to actually hurt them)

Infested Humans

Their stats are the same as normal, with the effect that they do not seem to feel pain and rise back again in 1d4 turns after being killed, fully healed;

Infested Ape

Once a giant king, this ape was bested in battle by a hunter long ago, it went to rest on the deathbed of the infested. Now it moans in suffering from its eternal damnation, alone its friends long killed.

When killed, it will take the sword lodged in it, cut off its own head and wield the blade, squirming around like a centipede. Its head becomes a tool of intimidation and of festering infection.

With Head

HD 8

AC 17

1d4 attacks

Claws +8/1d6 damage

Headless

HD 8

AC 15

Odachi +8/2d6 damage

Ability:

- Living Head: infested bugs pour from its eyeholes, scurrying towards the freshest victim. Save vs poison or become Infested. 

On part 2 we will try to tie all this together in a small Hexcrawl + Dungeon;

Other News

I have started a publishing little thing with, tentatively called Tarrasque à Toscana (links to social media later this month). All my stuff will be produced through it, with our first release coming out this month during the Pamphlet Dungeon Jam (https://itch.io/jam/pamphletjam):

- Bakto's Terrifying Cuisine is a a deliciously dangerous culinary adventure for a group of starving level adventurers. Face the challenges of the demon Bakto, as he issues a culinary challenge of the likes of shows such as Iron Chef Japan.

Look forward to it later this month!