World of Nine Swords

So there's a 3rd Edition D&D supplement called Book of Nine Swords.  It hints at a pretty cool setting, one that blends classic D&D fantasy with Wuxia and anime influence.  Ever since reading it, I've wanted to run a game in that setting--but I've got no attraction for the rules.

With my Trail of Cthulhu game ending, I pitched the idea to my gaming group, suggesting Prime Time Adventures as the rules set--Going for a sort of mildly angsty adventure show along the lines of Fullmetal alchemist or Avatar: The Last Airbender.  They mostly liked the idea, but weren't really looking for something quite as rules-light as PTA.

So, given my recent AW kick, I'm creating a nine swords hack.

The Basics

So each of the nine swords in the title corresponds to a fighting style.  I'm using those as my stats.  I know nine is a lot of stats for an AW hack, and I'll be looking for places where that might cause problems.  I'm thinking, for example, that characters will mark experience based on 3 highlighted stats.

THE NINE DISCIPLINES
I will speak now of the Nine Disciplines that comprise the Sublime Way. Attend carefully, young one.
Desert Wind is the discipline of movement. Speed is the weapon of the warrior who follows this path. He strikes and retreats constantly, never standing still in battle. He is a leaping f lame—a burning sirocco of the wastes.
Devoted Spirit is the discipline of self-knowledge and spirituality, and those who follow this path arm themselves with purity and faith. No other warrior is better suited to confront the minions of evil—but beware, because some choose to pervert this discipline by worshiping powers of darkness instead of powers of light.
To practice Diamond Mind is to learn the secret of action without volition. A Diamond Mind adept can make the raindrops stand still if he wishes. He understands that any battle is a contest of wills, and that victory is inevitable for the warrior who wins that contest.
Iron Heart is the quest for skill, pure and simple. A warrior who follows this path studies ever more complex and difficult maneuvers for battle. The deep communion he shares with the spirit of steel causes a sword to become a living thing in his hands.
The way of the Setting Sun changes weakness into strength and folly into wisdom. A practitioner of this school studies the art of permitting an adversary to defeat himself.
A follower of the Shadow Hand treads a lonely and dangerous path. His is the road of stealth, of deceit, of blows struck without answer, and of death in the dark. A Shadow Hand master kills before his adversary even knows he is in peril.
Stone Dragon is the discipline of strength, of endurance, of pure physical and spiritual power. A warrior of the Stone Dragon is a hardy foe with the strength of the mountain itself in his grasp.
He who studies the Tiger Claw seeks to unleash his hidden savagery—the feral instincts and blind animal rage that lurk within. This warrior is strong, quick, and unpredictable, capable of tearing most opponents apart with his bare hands.
And finally, we come to the discipline of the White Raven—the path of the great captain, the leader of warriors, and the crusader. A White Raven disciple studies the art of fighting in concert with his allies, and uses his fierce war cries to great effect in battle.
These are the Nine Disciplines. Some whisper of a secret Tenth Path, but I think such rumors are no more than bard’s tales. Pay them no attention, my student!

I'm mostly importing the classes from the d&d book for use as playbooks.  But in place where those classes maybe don't have a clearly defined story or clearly defined place in the world, I'll be tweaking them or skipping them.  In addition to the normal set of playbook moves, each playbook will have a duel move (the setting equivalent of the sex move) and an ultimate move(a powerful move players can take as a late-game advance).

So far, I plan on including the following playbooks:

Student of Nine: is all about bettering himself through study.  Maybe the hero of the story
Warblade: not super complicated.  He just likes hitting stuff.  Basically the gunlugger.
Swordsage: works literal magic with his blade.  can shrowd his blades in fire, blend into shadows and the like.
Crusader: the paladin.  follows the will of the gods.  Heals, protects.
Jade Phoenix Mage: the reincarnation of an ancient wizard, sworn to protect the world from his old enemy.
Shadow Sun Ninja: walks the narrow path between light and darkness, and might fall off.

Some other possibilities that might not make it.:
Bloodclaw Master: a warrior who assumes bestial aspect through rage.
Deepstone Sentinel: a dwarf who defends his home with a little bit of stone-shaping magic.
Captain: hopefully I can come up with a cooler name.  Focuses on leading an NPC gang.

I plan on using strings from MonsterHearts.  Renamed edge, they represent a warrior's understanding of his allies and enemies.  I think I'll adapt MH's harm rules as well.  PCs can take four harm.  Once PCs or NPCs run out of harm, you're "defeated" and basically out of action until they heal up.  If PCs have enough edge on NPCs, they can spend it to have the NPC be defeated forever.  Otherwise, they might be back eventually.

Basic Moves
When you Bare your Soul to another, roll with tiger claw.
   On a 10+, you choose one.  On a 7-9, they choose one:
   •you each carry forward
   •you each gain edge on the other
   •you begin a duel with each other

When you Dance Past Danger, roll with desert wind.
   On a 10+. You avoid the danger completely and choose one:
   •You carry forward
   •You throw the source danger out of balance
   •You impress or dismay somebody who's watching
   On a 7-9, choose one:
   •You avoid the danger completely
   •You partly avoid the danger, and choose one from the 10+   list

When you Do Something Sneaky, roll with shadow hand.
   On a 7-9, choose one.  On a 10+, both:
   •You gain your prize
   •You aren't discovered

When you Endure Trouble, roll with stone dragon.
   On a 10+. You endure completely and choose one:
   •You get +1 defense the next time you take damage
   •The source of the trouble loses edge on you
   •You impress dismay somebody who's watching
   On a 7-9, choose one:
   •You endure the trouble completely
   •You partly endure, and choose one from the 10+ list

When you Help a PC, roll with white raven.
   On a 10+, choose:
   •They get +1 to their roll
   •They get +2 to their roll, but you expose yourself to danger or trouble
   On a 7-9, they get +1 to their roll, but only if you expose yourself to danger or trouble

When you Practice your Skills, roll with iron heart.
   On a 10+, choose:
   •Mark experience (limit once per session)
   •Gain edge on someone who practices with you
   •Carry forward to do what you practice
   On a 7-9, carry forward to do what you practice

When you Pray for Guidance, roll with devoted spirit.
   On a 10+, you receive a vision. Choose one:
   •The vision answers your questions
   •The vision gives you a task.  Carry forward to complete it
   •The vision is soothing.  Heal one harm
   On a 7-9, you are given a sign.  Choose one:
   •A sign of benevolence.  A friend heals one harm
   •A sign of favor.  Carry one forward to Sway an NPC with words
   •A sign of guidance.  Tell another PC what must be done.  If    they do it, they mark experience

When you Study a Moment, roll with diamond mind.
   On a 7-9, ask one.  On a 10+, ask three, or ask one and carry forward:
   •What is about to happen?
   •Who or what is the biggest threat here?
   •What weakness can I exploit?
   •Who is in control?
   •What is hidden from me?
   •How can I escape?

When you Study a Person, roll with setting sun.
   On a 7-9, ask one.  On a 10+, ask three, or ask one and gain edge on them:
   •What sword disciplines do you specialize in?
   •What do you intend to do?
   •What do you want from me?
   •How are you deceiving me?
   •How do you feel right now?

When you Sway an NPC with Words...
   If your tongue dances like the tongue of a poet, roll with desert wind
   If you proclaim the teachings of your faith, roll with devoted spirit
   If you employ a carefully reasoned argument, roll with diamond mind
   If you turn their own words against them, roll with setting sun
   If you lie or deceive, roll with shadow hand
   If you use simple and honest words, roll with stone dragon
   If you channel raw emotion, roll with tiger claw
   If you speak as a leader of men, roll with white raven

   On a 10+, your words sway them.  On a 7-9, choose one:
   •It will take more than mere words to sway them.  The GM will tell you what else you need
   •Your words push them to a different course of action that you hoped for

Notes: “swayed” doesn't mean “do exactly what you want.  What happens depends on which words you use, not just how well you roll.  A carefully reasoned argument might convince someone to marry you, but it will never convince them to love you.  For that, you might need the tongue of a poet instead. 
A 7-9 is still a hit.  If  the words push them to a different course of action, it's not the same thing they'd do on a miss.  Just as with the 10+ hit, the words you use should affect what they do or what price they ask.

When you Attack an Opponent, role with the style you use.
   On a 10+, you and your foe trade damage, and you make a style move from your chosen style.
   On a 7-9, your opponent damages you and choose one:
   •You damage your opponent normally
   •You deal -1 damage and make a style move from your chosen style.

Desert Wind Style Moves
•Sirocco Step: Avoid the enemy's attack entirely
•Wind Dervish Dance: Dodge past enemies, maneuvering yourself to the perfect position on the battlefield

Devoted Spirit Style Moves
•Divine Challenge: Force an opponent to engage with you instead of your allies.
•Shield of Faith: Bring your shield to bear for +1 armor

Diamond Mind Style Moves
•Action Before Thought: You strike before your opponent. If defeat or neutralize your opponent with your attack, they won't have the opportunity to strike back.
•Diamond Edge Razor: Your damage ignores your opponent's armor.

Iron Heart Style Moves
•Punishing Blow: Your attack deals +1 damage.
•Steel Wind Strike: Your attack damages two opponents at once.  You suffer damage only from the stronger.

Setting Sun Style Moves
•Giant Killer Stance: You deal damage equal to your opponent's damage value instead of your own.
•Blinded Eye Technique: You throw or maneuver your opponent to a worse position on the battlefield.

Shadow Hand Style Moves
•Creeping Shadow Strike: You strike at an opponent's pressure point, causing him to be stunned or crippled
•Grinning Rogue Strike: If you attack an opponent who is unaware, off balance, or otherwise vulnerable, you deal +1 damage

Stone Dragon
•Root of the Mountain Stance: Get +1 armor and avoid being knocked off balance by an opponent's attack
•Stone Bull Charge: Knock your opponent off their feet or otherwise off balance.

Tiger Claw Style Moves
•Leaping Panther Strike: Leap across the battlefield to engage your opponent
•Wolf Fang Strike: Attack with two weapons, dealing damage with each.

White Raven Style Moves
•Flanking Maneuver: An ally carries forward to attack
•Wind Dervish Dance: Give an ally +1 armor

Finished the playbooks and had my first session:

Playbooks:
https://docs.google.com/file/d/0B6U3ehs5GcTTajN6czZsMWYzTnc/edit?usp=sharing

The Characters:
Hiro, Student of Nine
Hiro's player had expressed interest in the Student of Nine weeks ago when I described the playbooks I might be including.  He went for a very classic protagonist character, young, orphaned, grew up near the ruins of the Temple of Nine Swords.  He picked Soul Drake as his nemesis, which lead to a really cool development with the Jade Phoenix during the History step.  He chose to specialize (as much as a So9 can, anyway) in Tiger Claw and Iron Heart, simply because he liked the "Practice your skills" and "Bare your Soul" basic moves.  Which makes me happy.

Hako Shubiao, Jade Phoenix
Hako's player had expressed interest in either this, the Ninja, or the Captain.  He likes playing characters with some darkness, so it's no surprise that he picked "Reincarnation of the Phoenix who was Corrupted" as his origin.  We established that his previous incarnation had fallen to evil, and that he remembered no more than vague snippets of that life.

He asked if he could pick more than one origin.  I said "circle one, but that doesn't mean the rest aren't true also".  He described that he'd been a wealthy landowner who'd left a wife an son when he was awakened to his previous incarnations and been made aware of his role as a Phoenix.  So we wound up with a Father missing his son and a son missing his parents, both of whom had the Soul Drake as an enemy.  That quickly turned into a Batman/Robin relationship:  The Soul Drake cult had killed Hiro's parents, and Haku took him on as apprentice.

Jasmine, Swordsage
The versions of the Swordsage, Warblade, and Crusader I handed out had art on the front (I've removed it from the public versions since it's not my art to share).  Jasmine's player chose to build a character based on that art.  After I read the blurb in the D&D book that describes how the eighty empresses select their members, he chose that as Jasmine's origin.

He chose a fallen pupil as her Nemesis, a beggar's bowl as part of her gear, and said that the unopened letter she carried was a letter of forgiveness from Jasmine to her former pupil.  This hinted at a much different version of the Empresses that I'd expected, and we worked out a cool story behind it.  The first Empress was a sort of Buddha figure who gave up her throne and riches for an ascetic life (albeit one with a sword), but that the common people still regard her and her adopted descendants as royalty.  Jasmine's apprentice couldn't handle the ascetic lifestyle and rebelled, but in characteristic fashion Jasmine bears no ill will.

Gili, aka the Yellow Bee, Captain
Gili's player showed up a bit later.  He'd wanted to play a Swordsage or Jade Phoenix, but they were both taken by the time he showed up.  So he chose the Captain.  And took it in a really unexpected direction.

I'd included "Son of your tribe's chieftain" to indicate the barbarian tribes that the Frenzy was likely from.  I was thinking Orcs, beastmen, or just uncivilized humans.  But Gili's player chose to be from a tribe of comic-relief goblins.

Gili (aka, the Yellow Bee) left the tribe to seek glory and adventure along with Little (The Red Badger), Ali (The Green Monkey), and Lt. Haruka (The Blue Duck).  (Me: "why did Gili make Haruka his Lieutenant?" Him: "She asked first")

First Session
We established a little bit more about the setting: the nearest village to the ruined Temple of Nine. "Visitors call it The Tenth Sword, but everyone here just calls it the village", How long everyone had been in town (Hiro forever, Hako for years, Jasmine for about a week, and they don't actually let Gili in).

Gili and his band, camped out near the road into town, spot a group approaching.  The men are on horseback, but there's a dwarf in the middle riding a "What would a dwarf ride?"  "A Bear!"

Gili tries to obeserve them covertly, but blows his Do Something Sneaky check.  But his Dance Past Danger is a good hit, so he runs away safely.  He follows from a safer distance, and when two of them split away he sends Lt. Haruka and Little to follow.

The procession makes it into town.  Heralds announce him as Sword Prince Mardilkuthor Pwarma.  Hako stirs from his workshop to see what the fuss is about, and recognizes Pwarma as someone who doesn't much care for the Nine swords and those who seek them.  Jasmine, not wowed by the pomp, dances past the guards to pet the bear.  "It's not like a warbeast", I say. "It's more like a trained circus bear.  It's actually kinda sad".  Pwarma is civil to the Empress, but executes his own guard for allowing someone to get past his defenses.  And we call it a night.