Gwinch returned to the forest with Iriyo, both of them accompanied by a wu jen and other assistants. Wutambi (the "other" wu jen) located the fox spirit and began attacking it with his magic, and Iriyo attacked first with his sword and then with his bare hands, catching the fox-spirit by the throat. The spirit became visible and adopted human form; Gwinch and the others saw that their weapons torn its clothing but did not harm its flesh. When Saisho drew his sword of lightning, O-me-sa smiled and presented his fist, showing a ring. Saisho surprised his enemy with a cloud of steam, killing him. After removing the ring and other treasures, the victors began searching for Beatriss.
They found her in a small den dug into the base of the cliff, exhausted and delirious, and nursing five hungry and aggressive fox pups. They brought Beatriss out of the den, put the fox pups in a sack and gave them some tofu.
In the course of their return to Khanbaliq, they stopped to rest at a ruined monastery a couple hours outside town. There they met an old man, obviously a wu jen, and his companion, a beggar. Apprising Beatriss’s weak and vulnerable condition, the wu jen insinuated, with increasing directness and anger, that Gwinch and his companions had beaten her and were transporting her to Khanbaliq for the purposes of exploitation. The two vagabonds trailed Gwinch and his group all the way back to Khanbaliq. That night, the wu jen showed up for “evening mediatation.” After chasing away the other attendees, the wu jen began asking Sheevani and Gwinch pointed questions about where the women had come from and how they had come to Khanbaliq. His questions give way to an argument which rose to a physical struggle, and the wu jen was subdued. Sheevani raised her holy symbol and blinded him with a flash of light, explaining to Gwinch that he was a demon. Gwinch killed him.
The arrival in Khanbaliq of an envoy from Zipang brought increased profits and new controversies. Gwinch’s evening meditation was popular among the Zipangnese community and the regulars were eager to show off for their visiting friends from Zipang. But one older, somewhat staid samurai, named Kidera came to Gwinch for a different reason. A young man in his household, Taeshi by name, was giving him headaches. Taeshi’s late father had been a friend of Kidera but the son was all big talk and no courage. Kidera feared that Taeshi’s snide comments about the shogun would get him into trouble during the envoy’s visit. Taeshi was a regular at evening meditation and Gwinch promised to counsel him.
Taeshi did come to mediation, but reacted angrily to Gwinch’s counsel. Angered also at his failure to attract the interest of the temple servants who were rather more interested in other more distinguished guests, Taeshi began to deliberately and loudly insult the shogun. The other guests, unwilling to hear such talk or to raise their swords in a sacred place, fled the meditation hall.
The next day, Gwinch learned by chance that Taeshi’s words had been reported to the envoy. And from Kidera, that the older Samurai planned to ask the Great Khan, at that evening’s banquet, that Taeshi be banished from Khanbaliq—they did not want Taeshi to be recognized as part of the diplomatic mission, nor would the envoy bring him back to Zipang. Although Gwinch, as a neutral in the balance between Imperial and Shogunal power in Zipang had devised a seating chart for their dinner with the Khan, he would not be in attendance at the banquet itself. Nor would junior samurai such as Taeshi. Most likely he would come to evening meditation.
In the course of his aerrands around the city, Gwinch noted that he was being followed by the same beggar who had followed him back from the ruined monastery. He led his pursuer to the outskirts of the city, and allowed himself to be attack. Intercepting the attack, he killed the beggar, and then confiscated his very interesting looking boots. A trio of tough-looking guys congratulated him and asked him to join the "Black Flower Gang." He declined but they had a nice conversation.
That night, Taeshi did come to meditation, along with several other junior samurai, disappointed to be excluded from the banquet, but happy to enjoy the company of the temple servants without having to compete for attention with their superiors. They donated freely and everyone was having a good time, even Taeshi, albeit with a heavy dose of gallows humor.
And then a messenger arrived, accompanied by a troop of the Khan’s guards. The banquet had been a disaster. The seating arrangement seemed designed to provoke, setting the envoy among the lowest-ranking samurai at the foot of the table. They wanted to punish Gwinch and forgot all about Taeshi’s big mouth. Bad news. Worse news was when the Khan’s guards discovered that Gwinch was harboring twice his allowed number of sohei, and that all of them were armed. While this was going, most of the guests slipped away. Taeshi instead attacked a guard, and was cut down. The guards confiscated weapons, took Taeshi, and left the compound.
Gwinch sent his men away in small groups throughout the night. As dawn approached, he consulted with Sheevani and decided that he had, too, should flee and leave her in charge of the meditation hall. Together with Saisho, a dozen men, and the girl he’d chosen from the temple, Gwinch left the city, taking temporary refuge at the ruined monastery.
Sunday, December 26, 2010
Monday, December 20, 2010
Where's Beatriss?
The five monks who had left Khanbaliq in order to escort Beatriss to Tetsukichi's wedding on the plain of horses, returned about a month later to explain that they had left Beatriss at a house in the woods, in consideration of a promise of safe passage from the "handsome peasant" whom they generally believed to be the father of the child she was carrying.
The monks had protested, but Beatriss herself had ordered them go on. When Beatriss never joined them at the winter camp, they had felt some concern and this was greatly increased when they found that she had also not returned to Khanbaliq. Gwinch agreed that, provided they could show him the way, he would confirm that she was safe.
The monks brought Gwinch to the forest, but they could not find the house, much less Beatriss. In searching, they were tormeneted by various magic tricks. For instance, the head of one of the monks was turned into a spider's body, and the sight of him drove the others into a panic. As Gwinch brought his men into control, a voice warned him to leave the forest, that Beatriss was safe, and would be returned to Khanbaliq in six weeks, "when her babies are ready to travel."
Gwinch agreed, but back in Khanbaliq he sought more information. He met a samurai from Zipang who had encountered the fox spirit, and believed him to have caused the death of his favorite concubine. He want vengeance and would be indebted to Gwinch for the opportunity to confront the wicked creature.
The monks had protested, but Beatriss herself had ordered them go on. When Beatriss never joined them at the winter camp, they had felt some concern and this was greatly increased when they found that she had also not returned to Khanbaliq. Gwinch agreed that, provided they could show him the way, he would confirm that she was safe.
The monks brought Gwinch to the forest, but they could not find the house, much less Beatriss. In searching, they were tormeneted by various magic tricks. For instance, the head of one of the monks was turned into a spider's body, and the sight of him drove the others into a panic. As Gwinch brought his men into control, a voice warned him to leave the forest, that Beatriss was safe, and would be returned to Khanbaliq in six weeks, "when her babies are ready to travel."
Gwinch agreed, but back in Khanbaliq he sought more information. He met a samurai from Zipang who had encountered the fox spirit, and believed him to have caused the death of his favorite concubine. He want vengeance and would be indebted to Gwinch for the opportunity to confront the wicked creature.
Monday, December 13, 2010
Rescue
My players decided they wanted to generate new characters (Lili, a Fighter, Rudolfo a Magic-User, and an unnamed Thief) and have another go at the Gatehouse outside the Village of Hommlet.
Fernac, a “long-stay guest” at the Inn, made anxious by the disappearance of his friend Rahm, decided to round-up a group of fresh faces (the PCs) to go out to the Gatehouse and look for him. “I figure he stumbled on a great pile of loot and slipped away to greener pastures . . . but just in case . . .”
Outside the Gatehouse, one of their number, Rudolfo the Magic-User was surprised and swallowed by a giant frog. So they went back to Hommlet and recruited Fizziwig, a PC cleric, and Zert, an NPC fighter.
After entering the Gatehouse, they decided to thoroughly explore the upper rooms before entering the dungeon level. In one of these rooms they encountered a lone archer, poised at an arrow slit; when the party entered the room, the archer turned and, and after dropping his unstrung bow and started clubbing them with his half-rotten limbs. This was Dexter, returned to life in undead form. After dispatching Dexter and about a dozen other zombies (the former brigand residents of the gatehouse), the party camped out in the former kitchen of the old fortress. When they were surprised by a giant rat, things got awkward—Zert was accidentally injured by another party member and returned the attack in earnest. The others intervened and Zert backed-off, still accusing the others of being robbers or killers.
Zert’s bad mood persisted as they reached the lower level. He refused to accept one of the black cloaks they found a supply room. And when the PCs discovered the prisoners—Ausric, Chiara, Aurelia, and Mapper (plus Rahm in zombie form)-- Zert quietly slipped out another door. The party didn’t give much thought to this, instead racking their brains over how to unlock the prisoners’ cells. Within a few minutes, Zert returned with a guard and the pair attacked the party. While not an easy fight, the party triumphed, found a set of keys on the guards belt, and released the prisoners (minus Rahm). They carried the guards body with them as they fled the Gatehouse, and once outside stripped him of his plate mail. Back in Hommlet, Fernac thanked them for their help and rewarded each of them with a small gem.
Fernac, a “long-stay guest” at the Inn, made anxious by the disappearance of his friend Rahm, decided to round-up a group of fresh faces (the PCs) to go out to the Gatehouse and look for him. “I figure he stumbled on a great pile of loot and slipped away to greener pastures . . . but just in case . . .”
Outside the Gatehouse, one of their number, Rudolfo the Magic-User was surprised and swallowed by a giant frog. So they went back to Hommlet and recruited Fizziwig, a PC cleric, and Zert, an NPC fighter.
After entering the Gatehouse, they decided to thoroughly explore the upper rooms before entering the dungeon level. In one of these rooms they encountered a lone archer, poised at an arrow slit; when the party entered the room, the archer turned and, and after dropping his unstrung bow and started clubbing them with his half-rotten limbs. This was Dexter, returned to life in undead form. After dispatching Dexter and about a dozen other zombies (the former brigand residents of the gatehouse), the party camped out in the former kitchen of the old fortress. When they were surprised by a giant rat, things got awkward—Zert was accidentally injured by another party member and returned the attack in earnest. The others intervened and Zert backed-off, still accusing the others of being robbers or killers.
Zert’s bad mood persisted as they reached the lower level. He refused to accept one of the black cloaks they found a supply room. And when the PCs discovered the prisoners—Ausric, Chiara, Aurelia, and Mapper (plus Rahm in zombie form)-- Zert quietly slipped out another door. The party didn’t give much thought to this, instead racking their brains over how to unlock the prisoners’ cells. Within a few minutes, Zert returned with a guard and the pair attacked the party. While not an easy fight, the party triumphed, found a set of keys on the guards belt, and released the prisoners (minus Rahm). They carried the guards body with them as they fled the Gatehouse, and once outside stripped him of his plate mail. Back in Hommlet, Fernac thanked them for their help and rewarded each of them with a small gem.
Tuesday, November 23, 2010
Gwinch returns to Khanbaliq
Gwinch returned to his own meditation hall and compound after a two-month sojourn at a monstery outside town where he studied advanced martial arts styles under the tutelage of Sensei Luche, who had defeated him at a tournament earlier in the year. He was surprised by some of the changes Sheevani had made, namely that not only were the young servant women involved in the religious instruction of visiting samurai (while serving beer) but that this instruction extended to the womens' private quarters, newly constrcted to accomodate this innovation.
Gwinch ordered a moratorium on evening temple hours and gave the women to return to their previous activities of cooking and cleaning. He asked which they preferred, but they did not indicate a strong preference. Sheevani had recommended that one of the women, who had inspired a fierce argument between two samurai, should be returned to the Temple outside the city; the woman was sad about this and said she preferred serving samurai at Gwinch's house. Gwinch agreed that Sheevani's practice should resume. He agreed to escort the "disputed woman" back to the temple and to bring back three more to his meditation hall.
At the temple, Gwinch negotiated with the monks at the gate to speak to Ali, the merchant who lived at the temple, and delivered a message from Sheevani. Ali brought Gwinch to the grand temple hall and introduced Gwinch to six women. Ali suggested that he might choose three to entertain guests, and a fourth to be his own companion. With Saisho's advice, Gwinch chose.
Gwinch broight four women back to his meditation hall. The re-opening was well-attended. Besides familiar samurai, there was a merchant who dealt in arms and armor. Gwinch made a nice deal with the merchant to buy weapons for about a dozen of his monks who were otherwise without weapons.
Gwinch ordered a moratorium on evening temple hours and gave the women to return to their previous activities of cooking and cleaning. He asked which they preferred, but they did not indicate a strong preference. Sheevani had recommended that one of the women, who had inspired a fierce argument between two samurai, should be returned to the Temple outside the city; the woman was sad about this and said she preferred serving samurai at Gwinch's house. Gwinch agreed that Sheevani's practice should resume. He agreed to escort the "disputed woman" back to the temple and to bring back three more to his meditation hall.
At the temple, Gwinch negotiated with the monks at the gate to speak to Ali, the merchant who lived at the temple, and delivered a message from Sheevani. Ali brought Gwinch to the grand temple hall and introduced Gwinch to six women. Ali suggested that he might choose three to entertain guests, and a fourth to be his own companion. With Saisho's advice, Gwinch chose.
Gwinch broight four women back to his meditation hall. The re-opening was well-attended. Besides familiar samurai, there was a merchant who dealt in arms and armor. Gwinch made a nice deal with the merchant to buy weapons for about a dozen of his monks who were otherwise without weapons.
Thursday, November 18, 2010
Lesserton & Mor
Joined another new campaign as player, this time with a magic-user named Strothbogie. The character-creation process was fun as we all had very limited starting gold; we contributed to the seediness of an already pretty despicable little town in order to get more. Maybe just to be able to buy a few flasks of oil, that’s how poor we were. But these turned out to be very useful.
Soon after arriving in the ruins of a long-destroyed city of former importance, we met one of its residents, who with the help of some magic, welcomed Strothbogie and guided him to the clan of the bee-keepers. The honey of these bees has unusual effects on those who ingest it. Strothbogie hoped to sample these effects, while his companions hoped to profit by taking some honey and selling it to others back in town. We traded some oil and other goods for a few doses of honey and Strothbogie succeeded in accomplishing his plan. The others have taken several important steps; we successfully brought honey back to town, and are now trying to figure out how to sell it. (It’s illegal.)
Wednesday, October 20, 2010
TPK[1]
As a referee, I enjoy seeing PCs set goals for themselves and achieve them. It’s most enjoyable for everyone when they “win”—at least partially— but when they lose—completely— it gives me confidence that, while I may have my bias, I am applying the rules fairly and that there is a meaningful level of risk in the game. Losing completely of course means that a PC, or all the PCs, get killed, and this is what happened in our less session.
This adventure took place at the ruined gatehouse near Hommelet (Yes, that Hommelet.) on the continent of Alyan (my own faux-Europe/Middle Earth kind-of-place) which is on the other side of the world from Zipang, Zhou Dang, and Khanbaliq. Three of the five players created new first-level characters. One of the players was playing for the first time, and two had never played in this part of the world. Bubu Singe was playing Rahm Sabine, a fighter who had previously explored the moathouse, but was still first level. White Bear played Aurelia, a cleric who had reached 3rd level in other adventures. The travelers met, as if by chance, at the taven of a well-known inn.
The trip out to gatehouse was uneventful; entering the moat house provided the first major challenge. Although Rahm had prepared his companions for the giant frogs in the moats, he was surprised by the pack of rabid dogs who had taken up residence in the courtyard. Rahm himself was severely mauled and they all had to return to Hommelet to rest before making their second sortie.
Once inside, they proceeded efficiently. Rahm helped them avoid the green slime as they entered the dungeon level and the new player (a thief) was a skilled mapmaker. They found the secret passage into an area of the dungeon where the uniformed soldiers of an evil cult made their quarters, surprising and dispatching two sentries. But not before the sentries raised a general alarm. The party retreated and organized a defense; they eliminated the first wave of attackers with nothing more than minor wounds. But when they stepped into a doorway, making plans for a barricade, they were surprised by the crossbowmen waiting just outside. And although this second and third wave of attacking cultists sustained heavy casualties, they provided sufficient cover for a spellcaster to incapacitate the party. Rahm himself and his henchman Dexter were killed; Aurelia, Chiara, and Mapper were held, and Ausric, a magic-user, surrendered, asking to join the evil cultists.
Lots of decisions for the DM. What do evil cultists do with captured prisoners? Do they have need of new minions? For what purposes? How do they test their loyalty? Some of the answers could be pretty nasty and others pretty boring. (Or both. i.e. latrine duty.) Is that the game we want to play, or is it easier to just call this a TPK?[1]
This adventure took place at the ruined gatehouse near Hommelet (Yes, that Hommelet.) on the continent of Alyan (my own faux-Europe/Middle Earth kind-of-place) which is on the other side of the world from Zipang, Zhou Dang, and Khanbaliq. Three of the five players created new first-level characters. One of the players was playing for the first time, and two had never played in this part of the world. Bubu Singe was playing Rahm Sabine, a fighter who had previously explored the moathouse, but was still first level. White Bear played Aurelia, a cleric who had reached 3rd level in other adventures. The travelers met, as if by chance, at the taven of a well-known inn.
The trip out to gatehouse was uneventful; entering the moat house provided the first major challenge. Although Rahm had prepared his companions for the giant frogs in the moats, he was surprised by the pack of rabid dogs who had taken up residence in the courtyard. Rahm himself was severely mauled and they all had to return to Hommelet to rest before making their second sortie.
Once inside, they proceeded efficiently. Rahm helped them avoid the green slime as they entered the dungeon level and the new player (a thief) was a skilled mapmaker. They found the secret passage into an area of the dungeon where the uniformed soldiers of an evil cult made their quarters, surprising and dispatching two sentries. But not before the sentries raised a general alarm. The party retreated and organized a defense; they eliminated the first wave of attackers with nothing more than minor wounds. But when they stepped into a doorway, making plans for a barricade, they were surprised by the crossbowmen waiting just outside. And although this second and third wave of attacking cultists sustained heavy casualties, they provided sufficient cover for a spellcaster to incapacitate the party. Rahm himself and his henchman Dexter were killed; Aurelia, Chiara, and Mapper were held, and Ausric, a magic-user, surrendered, asking to join the evil cultists.
Lots of decisions for the DM. What do evil cultists do with captured prisoners? Do they have need of new minions? For what purposes? How do they test their loyalty? Some of the answers could be pretty nasty and others pretty boring. (Or both. i.e. latrine duty.) Is that the game we want to play, or is it easier to just call this a TPK?[1]
Monday, September 20, 2010
Khanbaliq/Zhou Dang play-session: Nuptials
As winter drew near, Su-Laing and a part of her family planned to leave the city and join her grandfather and the clan at their winter campground near a hot spring up on the steppes. She and Tetsukichi would be wed according to the traditions of the horse people.
The large party accompanying them included Beatriss (who was five months pregnant and finding the confines of city life progressively repugnant), Hatsu, 5 of Gwinch’s sohei, and 20 soldiers. They made camp in a strip of light woods growing between a ravine and steep cliffs. While gathering firewood, the soldiers discovered that many of the trees were thickly gummed with thick spider webs. The party considered returning to Khanbaliq or pushing on through the night, but both these options were rejected as dangerous. They sought shelter of some sort at the base of the cliffs and were happy to find a small, snug house. Beatriss’s vulpine admirer made a couple appearance in fox-form alarming some soldiers and amusing others.
Before squeezing into the house to sleep, they set up a watch. It was near dawn when the spiders attacked.
Well-organized and with great numbers, they killed multiple waves of attacking spiders without anyone being bitten. Soon after they chased off the last spider, and while debating whether to sleep another hour or break camp, O-me-sa appeared in human form. If Beatriss would consent to stay with him at his house in the forest, he would guarantee that the others passed through forest in safety. Beatriss readily agreed.
The travelers broke camp to continue their journey. Beatriss said that she hoped to join them in time for the wedding.
The rest of the journey was peaceful. Along the way they met Gunjar, a wandering shaman with four horses, who agreed to join their group and assist with the wedding ceremony. They reached the great camp of Duutar, Su-Laing’s grandfather, and they met representatives of the Sansar clan, including Tetsukichi’s soon to be adoptive father. Tetsukich said a temporary good-bye to his betrothed in order to go to the Sansar camp and go through the adoption ceremony. He built his own ger and a week later he returned to marry Su-Laing and to bring her back to his own new clan. During the bride’s first official meeting with her new in-laws, they were startled by the sound of a herd horses galloping into the camp. The horses were without riders, and unsaddled, and sweating as if they had been running for a long time. They began eating the grass around the newlyweds’ ger and the shamen agreed this was a good omen.
The large party accompanying them included Beatriss (who was five months pregnant and finding the confines of city life progressively repugnant), Hatsu, 5 of Gwinch’s sohei, and 20 soldiers. They made camp in a strip of light woods growing between a ravine and steep cliffs. While gathering firewood, the soldiers discovered that many of the trees were thickly gummed with thick spider webs. The party considered returning to Khanbaliq or pushing on through the night, but both these options were rejected as dangerous. They sought shelter of some sort at the base of the cliffs and were happy to find a small, snug house. Beatriss’s vulpine admirer made a couple appearance in fox-form alarming some soldiers and amusing others.
Before squeezing into the house to sleep, they set up a watch. It was near dawn when the spiders attacked.
Well-organized and with great numbers, they killed multiple waves of attacking spiders without anyone being bitten. Soon after they chased off the last spider, and while debating whether to sleep another hour or break camp, O-me-sa appeared in human form. If Beatriss would consent to stay with him at his house in the forest, he would guarantee that the others passed through forest in safety. Beatriss readily agreed.
The travelers broke camp to continue their journey. Beatriss said that she hoped to join them in time for the wedding.
The rest of the journey was peaceful. Along the way they met Gunjar, a wandering shaman with four horses, who agreed to join their group and assist with the wedding ceremony. They reached the great camp of Duutar, Su-Laing’s grandfather, and they met representatives of the Sansar clan, including Tetsukichi’s soon to be adoptive father. Tetsukich said a temporary good-bye to his betrothed in order to go to the Sansar camp and go through the adoption ceremony. He built his own ger and a week later he returned to marry Su-Laing and to bring her back to his own new clan. During the bride’s first official meeting with her new in-laws, they were startled by the sound of a herd horses galloping into the camp. The horses were without riders, and unsaddled, and sweating as if they had been running for a long time. They began eating the grass around the newlyweds’ ger and the shamen agreed this was a good omen.
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