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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Richards" data-source="post: 9820038" data-attributes="member: 508">ADVENTURE 11: LOOKING DOWN AT MEPC Roster:Adrielle, human/merfolk scout 3                     Brendan Conaill, human monk 3                     Kruz Taszan, changeling rogue 3                     Shiroko, snow fox hengeyokai wu jen 3NPC Roster:Hoppy, mongrelfolk adept 3Game Session Date: 6 December 2025 - - -"These will all fit in there?" asked Hoppy, looking at Adrielle's new purchase.  It was a Haggoth's handy haversack, looking like any other backpack, but with an extradimensional interior that allowed it to store much more than what would normally be able to fit inside."They sure will," replied the scout.  "And even better, all I need to do it stick my hand inside and think about what I want to pull out of it, and that item will come to my hand!""You can pull anything you want out of it?" demanded the mongrelfolk adept, his bugbear eye widening in disbelief."Well, anything I put into it to start with," Adrielle admitted.  "All the magic inside does is move the item into my hand, not create it from scratch.""Oh," replied Hoppy.  "That makes more sense.""But in any case, I can take all of those potions we took from Mushmelon's shop and store them in here for when we need them," the scout continued.  "Go ahead and take what you'd like to have on hand on your person, and I'll keep the rest inside where they won't get jostled or broken."  The group went through the vials, now all marked on the outside with what specific potion or magical oil each contained.  Everyone took a potion or two with various levels of curative magic, and Shiroko stocked up on a few potions of mage armor, while Brendan grabbed a few vials of oil of shillelagh for his quarterstaff.  Shiroko had spent the last couple of days determining which of the vials held the poison Mushmelon used as an anti-theft device - and the hengeyokai marked those with deadly skull symbols - and which ones contained exactly what type of potion or oil.  Then, that settled, the group went to their respective bedrooms, eager to get a good night's sleep, because they were on food kitchen duties the following day, starting at eight bells.Hours later, in the deep of night, everyone was fast asleep when an invisible, magical sensor suddenly appeared up towards the ceiling of Room A of the Geshuku Boardinghouse.  It hovered over the bed in which Shiroko lay, fast asleep in her nightwear, the sheet and covers pulled up to her chin.  As she slept in blissful ignorance of the rude intrusion, over on another part of the world, a pair of men eagerly watched her through a mirror."That's her!" exclaimed Lord Tajūkan.  "And she's sleeping!  It must be nighttime where she is, then - I knew she was no longer in Sokoku!""You were wise to have me scry upon her, My Lord," said the shugenja at his side.  "It is as you believed - she has left her homeland behind, to try to escape her fate.""She will not escape it for long!" declared Lord Tajūkan.  "How long can you keep the spell going?""Alas, only a few more minutes longer, My Lord.""Hrmmm.  She is not likely to awaken during that time.""No, My Lord.""Then we will wait a few more hours, and then cast the spell again.  I would know her location, and all we can tell now is that she is far away, in a bedroom!""It will be done, My Lord.  But look here, at the edge of the image: there is another bed in the room with her, and another person sleeping in that bed.""A woman, it would seem, by the shape of her hand.""I believe you are correct, My Lord."  Just then, the second person in the mirror's image rolled over in her sleep, bringing her face into view."That is no spirit folk!""No, My Lord - she looks to be a human woman.""Human?""From the land of Armaturia, my Lord.""We have people there.""Yes, My Lord.""Then we must learn where in Armaturia that little vixen has run to.""Perhaps when we try again in a few hours, she will be awake and we can determine her location from her surroundings, My Lord.""Let us hope so."  The image suddenly went out, and the mirror went back to being a simple mirror, reflecting the determined faces of the two spirit folk men.  And back in Port Duralia, Shiroko and Adrielle slept on, blissfully unaware of the scrying spell that had invaded their privacy.It was the next morning, after the group had eaten their breakfast and were about to head over to the food kitchen where they'd be working that day, that a sudden chill came over Shiroko.  She visibly shivered."Are you okay?" asked Adrielle, walking by her side.  They had just exited the Geshuku Boardinghouse and were standing on the side of the street, waiting for the three men to catch up.  After all, Kruz and Brendan were the ones who knew where they were going."Yeah," replied Shiroko, looking worriedly in all directions.  "It just feels like I'm being watched."Adrielle looked all around them as the three men ambled up.  "I don't see anybody," she offered."Yeah, never mind," answered the hengeyokai.  "Probably just nerves."  Kruz took the lead, and they started down the street, away from the Sokokuan district and over towards the center of Port Duralia.  Invisible and unnoticed behind and above them, another magical sensor appeared and followed the wu jen and her companions as they walked.  And back in Sokoku, the two spirit folk men observing them through the shugenja's mirror paid particular attention to the street signs, and to their final destination."They are in Port Duralia!" exclaimed the shugenja.  "The Emperor has opened trade with the people of Armaturia - we ship goods there, My Lord!"  A sly expression crossed the spellcaster's face.  "And I know of a man there, in Port Duralia, who may be able to capture the hengeyokai you seek, My Lord.  It would require the services of your sorcerer, to cast a sending spell to this man and give him direction."Lord Tajūkan clapped his hands and summoned a servant.  "Have my sorcerer sent to me at once!" he demanded.  The servant bowed and went to do the Lord's command."So this is the food kitchen," Brendan observed as a functionary from the Silent Sodality unlocked the door and waved over the bearers that had brought the day's comestibles.  He stayed only long enough to put the food in the trays behind the counter and explain the group's duties.  They were fairly simple: the four adventurers would be behind the counter, serving food to the needy as they passed down the line with their serving trays, while Hoppy filled glasses with water and took the used plates and utensils to the back for cleaning.  There was a donation bucket at the start of the line, but it was entirely optional to pay for the food and drink delivered by the Silent Sodality; those in need had merely to show up to be fed a hot meal.  It was an unwritten rule, however, that upon finishing your meal you got up and left, opening your spot at one of the four large tables for another hungry patron.  Likewise, one meal was all you got; if you were still hungry, it was considered polite to go over to a different food kitchen rather than hog all the food at one location.The heroes placed their gear behind the counter, out of the way; Kruz, for instance, felt naked without his light crossbow but realized carrying it on his back would not be appropriate in a food kitchen, so behind the counter it went.  Likewise, Shiroko couldn't serve food while carrying her amagasa michi umbrella, so she stashed it against the wall in the corner, doubting very much if the food kitchen patrons - mostly humans and mongrelfolk, from those who had already stumbled in seeking free food thus far this morning - would be concerned that one of the people serving up their food had large, white fox ears sticking out from the top of her head.The morning went by easily enough, and it was after the lunchtime rush, from about 11 bells and lasting almost a full two hours - their busiest time of the day - that the day turned a bit sour.  The front door opened, and in walked a strange, little man.  His hair stuck out in an unruly mess in all directions and he had a full beard, despite standing a mere three feet tall.  Shiroko recognized him at once as a korobokuru, a member of a dwarflike race from her homeland, although she'd never met this particular individual before.  He stood just inside the food kitchen, scanning the half dozen or so eating at the tables, then directing his gaze at those behind the counter.  Shiroko locked eyes with him and he abruptly left, walking out the front door - the only door in the building."Problem!" Shiroko hissed at her companions as she ducked down behind the counter and crawled to the opposite end on her hands and knees, over by Kruz.  "I think that was a bounty hunter."  Kruz grabbed up his light crossbow and placed a bolt into place.  At her station beside where Shiroko had been in the corner, Adrielle pulled Galrich's fang from the sheath in her belt and willed it to go from stiletto form to shortspear.  "They'll have to get past us to get to you," she promised the wu jen.  Brendan said nothing, but cautiously unwound the spiked chain he'd worn around his torso like a bandolier, readying it for action.  Hoppy just looked confused, from the now closed front door to his friends readying for battle, wondering why they had seemed so concerned about such a little fellow.  But upon Brendan's stern recommendation, the sinborn ducked under the counter like Shiroko.Sure enough, in less than a minute, a group of six people entered the food kitchen.  In the front was a male spirit folk wearing the robes of a monk, and behind him marched four korobokuru, each dressed in simple hide armor and carrying a lajatang: a wooden pole capped at each end with a curved blade, like a pair of crescent moons attached at their midpoints.  Behind them was another spirit folk dressed in simple laborer's clothing, carrying a metal cage just big enough to hold a dog - or perhaps a fox.The monk spoke aloud in a deep voice, using the Common tongue of the Armaturians.  "It would be best for you to evacuate this building at once," he said.  "We are here to capture a dangerous animal."  The homeless folks sitting at the tables, unnerved by the look on the bald monk's face and the stern tone of his voice, stuffed whatever food remained on their plates into their mouths and headed for the door, not wanting any trouble.Then the monk switched languages.  He turned to the korobokuru who'd entered earlier and said, in the Sokokuan tongue, "I thought you said you saw her in here.""I did," replied the korobokuru, pointing to the far corner.  "She was right there, in the corner."  Hearing this, the monk started striding over to the far left end of the counter, across where Shiroko had been serving food.  Kruz brought his crossbow up from behind the counter and aimed it at the monk, warning, "I'd stay back if I were you," but the spirit folk ignored him.So Adrielle - who had been taught the Sokokuan language by Shiroko over their time together, and who had understood what the monk, Kyoshiro, had said, converted Galrich's fang from shortspear to longspear and stabbed him with it.  He tried to slap the weapon head away and moved it enough so that it got him in the arm instead of the chest, but Adrielle was glad enough to have gotten first blood.  But now battle was apparently on, so Kruz fired his crossbow bolt at the bald monk, but missed.Shiroko popped up from her new place behind the counter, saw the armed korobokuru standing all together in a group, and cast a hail of stone spell that dropped rocks onto their heads from the air above.  This had the intended effect in that they all were wounded by the falling rocks, but it also had an unintended side effect as well: standing in place, the four little korobokuru started shaking where they stood, roaring in fury and goading themselves into a frenzy, before all four dashed as one towards the counter.  It was then Shiroko realized they were barbarians, stoking their rage as a precursor to combat.Brendan had his spiked chain uncoiled and was spinning one end around his head in the confined space behind the counter.  But the first two barbarians stopped when they got to the counter and spun about, holding their lajatangs in one hand and using the other hand as a springboard to flip the two korobokuru behind them up over their heads and onto the counter.  Brendan caught one of these acrobatic barbarians - Kenta - in the face with the end of his chain, causing the little dwarf's face to gush with blood.Kyoshiro hopped over the counter and stood in the space where Shiroko had spent her morning serving food to the unfortunate.  He saw his prey further down the line, but there was a spear-wielding human, another human wielding a chain, and the crossbow-shooter between him and Shiroko.  So he silently vowed to cut them all down as long as they shielded the hengeyokai.  He sent an open-handed blow towards Adrielle, catching her in the face, but she managed to slice upon another gash on his arm with the tip of her longspear during his approach.  But with him already close in, she shortened Galrich's fang back to shortspear length, much better for close-quarters fighting.Amidst all of this combat, the spirit folk dogcatcher, Chiku, ambled up the aisle between the two sets of tables in an unhurried gait, his metal cage held before him.Hoppy pushed his way past Kruz and Brendan to get to Adrielle, who was still in heated combat with Kyoshiro.  He didn't want to distract her, but he had seen her rock back from the blows she'd received from the bald monk, and the sinborn simply placed a hand lightly upon her shoulder, channeling in a cure light wounds spell to heal some of the damage she'd taken.  She ignored the sinborn's ministrations, concentrating on her fight, and stabbed her foe in the gut with the tip of her shortspear.  He growled in pain and struck out at her with his fists, but she leaped back in time.  Kruz, in the meantime, fired a crossbow bolt at one of the korobokuru barbarians standing on the counter, Hekachi.Shiroko fired off a blast of electricity from a new spell she'd only recently mastered, lightning blade, sending it straight into Hekachi's face.  The blast knocked him out cold, and he toppled face-first onto the countertop, only to slide off to the floor in front of the counter in an undignified heap.  Brendan focused his attention on the other korobokuru standing atop the counter - Kenta - smacking him in the face with the end of his spiked chain.  Kenta withstood the blow and lowered his lajatang behind him, which the third korobokuru, Adidi, used to pull himself up into the space where Hekachi had just stood a moment before.  The final korobokuru barbarian, Nobu, ran around to the right of the counter, approaching it from the other side; now he and the monk Kyoshiro had the entire group of five foes pinned between them, with Kenta and Adidi slicing down at them from the countertop.  And Chiku by this time had set his cage upon the table in the corner and was fiddling with it, opening the top and pulling something out from it.Brendan took a hit from Kenta's lajatang, but Hoppy was right there beside him in a second, casting another cure light wounds spell upon the chain-wielding monk.  Kruz hit Adidi with a crossbow bolt to the throat, causing him to spin about in place, gurgling in his own blood, before toppling off the counter to land in a heap beside Hekachi.Adrielle stabbed at Kyoshiro again, hitting him in the shoulder, while at the same time Shiroko cast an ice knife spell and sent the chilled weapon flying at the monk.  Reflexively, Kyoshiro went to deflect the incoming missile headed his way, and when he slapped it away it exploded into a burst of icy energy, sending shards flying in all directions; he took a bunch of the shards, but others went piercing into Adrielle and Brendan, the only others within range.  But Brendan ignored the icy splinters, swinging his chain into Kenta's face, knocking him both unconscious and off the counter.Kyoshiro continued his attacks upon Adrielle, angry that this female simply refused to drop.  At the other side of the counter, Nobu attacked Kruz with his lajatang, cutting deeply into the changeling's leg and causing him to cry out in pain.  Hoppy cast his last cure light wounds spell of the day upon Kruz and then scooted further away from him, giving the rogue room to fight back and also positioning himself into the middle of the group of heroes, so he was as close to each of them as possible, should additional healing be required.  It would likely mean using his wand, but he had it out and ready.Kruz dropped his light crossbow to the floor and drew his shortsword in one smooth motion, realizing he'd have a better shot in these close quarters with a melee weapon against the sole remaining korobokuru barbarian.  He hit Nobu with a lateral slashing motion across the barbarian's chest, catching him unawares.  At the same time, Adrielle was finishing off Kyoshiro by stabbing him in the chest a final time with the tip of her shortspear and driving it deep into his body, before kicking a booted foot up to his shoulder to give herself the leverage needed to pull it back out again.  A spurt of blood followed the weapon's exit from the monk's body, and then Kyoshiro collapsed to the ground, a startled expression on his face denoting his inability to accept he'd been defeated by a mere woman, of all things.Shiroko saw Chiku pull a weighted net from the cage and decided to make a run for it - perhaps if she could make it out the door, the others would give chase and leave her friends along.  She scrambled up and over the counter - no easy feat for a woman in a tight-fitting kimono - and ran down the center aisle between the tables, but Chiku was well-practiced with his net and he sent it flying after her, catching her up in its entangling embrace.Brendan swung his chain over his head again to gain some momentum and sent one end over to strike Nobu, who was busy engaging Kruz in a melee battle with their bladed weapons.  He caught the rogue in the other leg with his lajatang, just as Brendan's chain struck him in the shoulder, nearly causing him to drop his double-bladed weapon.  But Hoppy limped over and fired off a charge from his wand on Kruz, sealing up the gashes the rogue had sustained in both legs.  He might not be much when it came to a physical fight, but the sinborn's ability to keep his friends healthy and hearty in combat was a definite advantage, for the other side had no such healing abilities on hand.  This was exemplified when Kruz struck forward with the point of his shortsword and pierced the korobokuru through the shoulder, knocking him backwards to fall unconscious in the corner, flat on his back with his head propped up by the far wall and his lajatang beside him, dropped as he fell."We're coming, Shiroko!" promised Adrielle as she scrambled over the counter and headed towards the entangled hengeyokai.  But Shiroko saw no reason to waste time trying to untangle herself from the net when she could see perfectly fine through the openings - well enough to target a spell, in any case.  Sticking a finger through the netting, she pointed it at Chiku and cast a ray of frost at him.  It wasn't a particularly powerful spell, but she'd already used up most of those, and the dogcatcher didn't look particularly tough in any case.  But it ultimately didn't matter, for the spirit folk ducked underneath the ray and it went harmlessly over his head.However, Chiku took a moment to look about him and realized he was the last member standing of the original six who had come to collect the snow fox hengeyokai.  He knew he couldn't fight off five experienced warriors by himself, but if he could get to Shiroko and threaten her with his knife...it was worth a try.  He raced in her direction, pulling a workman's knife from a sheath at his belt.  He was not as adept with the Armaturian tongue as had been Kyoshiro, but he gave it his best shot.  "You stay," he hazarded, "or I kill fox!"  But he failed to take into account the reach of Brendan's spiked chain, and when the monk leaped over the counter and sent it flying in the dogcatcher's direction, it caught him around the throat and spun in several circles around his neck.  Shiroko had the presence of mind to drop to the floor, allowing the spiked chain to swing harmlessly over her head as it strangled Chiku and punctured his neck at the same time.  Once it had stopped, Brendan gave it a solid tug, sending the spirit folk dogcatcher spinning about in place and then falling to the ground, quite visibly dead."What was all of that about?" demanded Kruz."I suspect," Shiroko replied as Adrielle worked to free her from the net, "that Lord Tajūkan - the man responsible for me fleeing my homeland - has discovered my whereabouts and sent a team to capture me.""Why does he want to capture you?" asked Hoppy, and the hengeyokai fired an expression his way that said, "Are you really that naive?"  "Oh," replied the sinborn, and although none of the types of skin on his face (bugbear, lizardfolk, and bullywug) was capable of blushing, Shiroko could tell he was embarrassed nonetheless."So now what?" asked Brendan.  "Do you need to flee Port Duralia?""Sokoku is over a month away by boat," Shiroko reasoned.  "His next step, after failing to capture me with the local forces, will likely be to send a group of his loyal samurai to capture me and take me back to Sokoku.  But that gives us plenty of time before we need to worry about that."Besides," the hengeyokai added, "I have come to like it here in Port Duralia - I have learned the local language, the customs, and have made friends.  Lord Tajūkan drove me from one home; I'm not about to let him drive me away from another.""Damn straight," agreed Brendan. - - -As this adventure was effectively just one combat encounter, and since the next adventure in sequence was likewise mostly one big encounter, we finished this first one fairly quickly and I offered to run the players through the second.  They all agreed, so we went straight into the next one, which took place several days later, so Logan re-prepped Shiroko's spells, I switched over to my next set of combat sheets, and we were off on the next adventure. - - -T-shirt worn: My wolf T-shirt, as it's the closest thing I have to a snow fox.</blockquote>

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