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Author Archives: Confanity
Fishing for tsuris
四苦八苦 shi.ku.ha-.kku Literally: four – suffering – eight – suffering Alternately: Deep distress, terrible hardship, anguish, malaise. The very bad feels. Notes: You might think, as I did, that this phrase is nothing more than a doubling for effect, but … Continue reading
Fire Down Below – Time…
It’s all well and good to build a character, but next you need a method for actual play. We’ll get into this by dividing up time and using it to do stuff. Divvying up Time: on the Surface For the … Continue reading
The one before the Metal Friend
元の木阿弥 (Moto no mokuami; “The former Mokuami”) Definition: Back to square one; ending up where you started. For something, or a situation, to revert to a previous (worse) state after temporarily improving. The ur-example is of a poor person who … Continue reading
Posted in Uncategorized
Tagged back to the, futility, learning experience, reset, wasted effort, 元の, 戦国時代, 旧の, 木阿弥, 木庵, 木椀
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A looming opportunity
好機到来kou.ki.tou.rai Literally: pleasing – loom / opportunity – arrive – come Alternately: A golden opportunity arrives. The time is ripe for something good, with perhaps the implication that it’s an unparalleled and therefore unique opportunity. Notes: Compare and contrast 千載一遇, … Continue reading
Fire Down Below – Character Creation
So you’re on a quest to retrieve the Fire Down Below, but first you need some heroes. Specifically, four: too large a roster would be hard to keep track of… but wounds, afflictions, and even deaths will demand a regular … Continue reading
Posted in Rules, World-Building
Tagged character classes, character creation, fire down below, house rules, menace, RPG, skills
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For a boring time, put your awl into it
全身全霊 zen.shin.zen.rei Literally: whole – body – whole – spirit Alternately: Putting all of your physical and mental strength into something. “With all your soul and with all your might,” as they say. Doing one’s best; being utterly devoted to … Continue reading
Fire Down Below – Core
The mechanical aspect of play in The Fire Down Below campaign will rest on the twin bases of attributes and skills. About Attributes and Modifiers When each hero is created, roll 3d6 seven times and assign six of the resulting … Continue reading
Posted in Rules, World-Building
Tagged attributes, fire down below, house rules, RPG, saves, skills
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The Durham yojijukugo
心神喪失 shin.shin.sou.shitsu Literally: heart – soul – mourning – loss Alternately: Of unsound mind. Suffering from hindrances so severe that, even if one commits a crime, the appropriate response is judged to be institutionalization or treatment rather than regular prosecution … Continue reading
landofnudotcom 
Does this ring any bells?
Not for those who refuse to hear! 耳を掩い*て鐘を盗む (Mimi wo ooite kane wo nusumu; “To cover one’s ears and steal a bell”) *See Notes for an important comment on pronunciation! Definition: When you think you’ve hidden something – usually something … Continue reading →