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NOW LIVE! Into the Woods--new character species, eerie monsters, and haunting villains to populate the woodlands of your D&D games.
[OA/FR] Rokugan - Updated 12/13/03
- Thread starter Black Omega
- Start date
Black Omega
First Post
Be my guest. I'm skimming right now to catch up to certain things are still time compressed. Things get much nastier very soon indeed.
Black Omega
First Post
As the group traveled into the north, beyond the limits of the Emerald Empire, the terrain grew even more rugged and rocky. Mindra’s dog and Nezu’s tracking skills came in handy for tracing the path of Sanzo and his partner. Late the next day the ground approached a campsite, an ice-crusted tent still set up. The campfire was long cold and two unmoving figures dressed in warm furs were seen close by it. Examining the two, they found both were men, their skin deathly pale and frosted over. There was no sign of violence and their end must have come quickly, since one of the men had his arms held out, a happy look on his face.
Volar looked over the bodies, using his dagger to pry open frozen clothing to retrieve a total of 150 koku. Odds and ends lay around the campsite but there was no sign of an attack. After some deliberation the group decided there was already a camp set up here, why not use it.
The group set watches that night and built the fire up high before settling in. All was peaceful until the watch shared by Mindra and Kaz. As Mindra walked the edge of the camp, his keen Vanara vision seeing far into the night, Kaz rested back closer to the fire sharpening his katana. Until a flash of movement caught his attention, and ice blue eyes caught his. A beautiful maiden with snow-white skin moving silently over the snow covered ground, her steps leaving no prints. Entranced by her beauty, Kaz was unable to move...even to speak as she approached. Her kiss chilled to the bone but for the life of him, Kaz could think of no reason to stop her.
Mindra might not have noticed something was wrong in time, but it suddenly dawned on him Kaz had gone completely silent, not even the sound of him sharpening his sword. Peeking around a tent, the Vanara was treated to the sight of a motionless Kaz being kissed by a floating woman in white, Kaz’s skin rapidly turning a pallid shade of white.
Thinking quickly, Mindra slipped around to rouse Toshiro then Mir before going to Kaz’s assistance. As the ghost’s pale eyes fixed on Mindra he felt a connection made and almost fell prey to the same trance that captured Kaz, but the monkey fought it off and quickly cast invisibility to undead on himself as Toshiro yelled and burst out of his tent, sword in hand. Mir was far more quiet, slipping over to rouse Verick.
The situation got chaotic from there as Verick rushed out, jade engraved katana in hand. Before he had a chance to strike, the ghost unleashed an unearthly wail and just second later, Verick had dropped his sword and was fleeing out into the frozen night. Toshiro’s slash at the ghost passed harmlessly through her, but Mindra scooped up Verick’s sword and passed it along to Toshiro.
Worried what might happen to Verick too far from camp, Mir cast a Hold Person on Verick, freezing him in place. To the poor Lion cub this had to seem like something out of a nightmare. He was trying to flee from something that terrified him, but he could not move and the sounds behind him just got closer and closer…
Toshiro took a second swing and Verick’s jade katana seemed to damage to ghostly woman, who reacted with a look of shock at the attack with a jade weapon. “Who are you?” asked a voice that sounded like an icy breeze.
“Hiruma Toshiro! I serve Lord Shinjo Jyaku!” Toshiro snarled, taking another swing with the jade katana, but missing this time.
Volar added in from where he had been watching at the side “Who do you serve?”
“Lord Shinjo Jyaku…I must get to him…I have something he needs to know…” the pitiful, whispering wind replied, her attack on the group ceasing.
“Well, come with us, we’ll take you to see him!” Toshiro declared, still very wary after the attack on his friend.
“I must see him, yes…” the ghost replied in a confused tone “I’m sorry...for the attack…” she whispered like a breeze through the trees.
“Very well.” Toshiro answered, lowering his sword at last “this is finished.”
The ghost nodded and drifted away into the night as Volar stared in surprise “no...wait!”
Kaz turned out to be ok, he had suffered from the freezing cold of the ghost’s kiss but nothing Mir and Mindra could not heal. Verick returned once the spells affecting him had worn off, accepting his katana back with only a brief “Thanks.” Not in the best of moods.
Volar and Mindra weren’t too happy either “That was the woman the Bloodspeakers were after!” Volar exclaimed “We could have found out more information from her.”
“She doesn’t know she’s dead.” Mindra chimed in “Some spirits are like that. If they die leaving something important undone, they cannot pass on until that task is finished. My people know of this well.”
Toshiro sighed, “Ok...what should I do?”
“Go out and try to talk to her, perhaps her spirit still lurks in this area…try to find out…hm...What the last place she remembers being is?”
Toshiro nodded and katana firmly in hand he walked out away from the fire and the camp, calling out into the night for the ghost. And finally, she appeared again, a lovely vision in white, her footsteps dancing over the snow.
“So...um...I want to try to help you. Where is the last place you remember? We can try and find you?” Toshiro said.
Once again the ghost seemed confused “I was…attacked by creatures and trapped in a cave over that hill…” she whispers so softly only Toshiro could hear “I hid there and kept my information safe.”
“Thank you.” Toshiro promptly replied, then returned to camp as the ghost watched, then faded from view.
The others were once again rather animated with their questions “What creatures? What information does she have?”
“What do you want me to do, go out there again and try to call her back?” Toshiro growled. He really didn’t see the point but finally agreed to try it again.
Once again he walked out into the night, calling out loudly to the ghost. But this time instead of her quiet presence, he was suddenly attacked by a massive creature covered with white fur that allowed it to blend in with the snow perfectly. The creature was perhaps seven feet tall and though his first fearsome attack hurt Toshiro badly, the fight was short as the rest of the group joined in and killed the creature quickly. With it’s death a howl was heard beyond sight in the darkness, and then silence.
Nothing happened that night to disturb the group’s rest and with the dawn the next day they pressed on over the hill the ghost had indicated. They found a valley and searching persistently, they found a cave with a dead body inside, a young woman armed with katana and a long spear, both bloodied from use. The cave was roomy inside but had an opening too narrow for one of the white furred creatures to sneak through.
Searching the body they found papers protected inside a wooden tube. Some of the papers were lists of names, evidently Bloodspeakers or their allies in Bugaisha. But the most recent bit of information was much more ominous. Evidently the leader of the Bloodspeaker faction in Bugaisha planned to capture someone important in Bugaisha and use that person’s name to summon an oni and bind it to him or her. There was also mention they might be able to use a certain oak grove just outside town. Mir’s grove.
Armed with this information, the group made plans to return to Bugaisha. The woman’s daisho, katana and wakizashi, was tucked away into Yukiyo’s bag of holding to be returned to her family later. Then they gathers some wood from the near by woods and made a little funeral pyre to burn the body, according to Rokugani custom.
While Toshiro, Nezu, and Yukiyo were still inside the cave, searching for any other clues that might have been left behind, Verick, Kaz, Volar, Mir and Mindra stood guard outside, silently watching the body burn.
The attack came suddenly. The hillside over the cave suddenly exploded, an avalanche of snow tumbling down to cover the mouth of the cave as another of the white furred creatures burst into view. This was one much larger than the one the group had fought the night before, perhaps twelve feet in height. It was joined in the attack by three more burst from other hiding places, the canny creatures very skilled indeed at moving unseen in the snow.
[DM Note: Toshiro, and Yukiyo’s players missed this session, so the avalanche was a convenient way to get them out of the way for the fight. ]
Instantly, the group was in trouble, Kaz and Verick cut into the creatures with great skill, but the massive beasts were hard hitting and fast. It was even worse for the spell casters, though. The great reach of the beasts made it difficult to get out of range to cast spells. Volar evaded them by casting a Fly spell on himself and lifting up high into the air above the battle, raiding down Scintillating Spheres and Magic Missiles when the opportunity arose.
Mindra was already very skilled at casting on the defensive and he dodged from place to place, concentrating furiously while calling down the Vengeance of his Ancestors upon the beasts and darting in here and there to heal the fighters and keep them up and going. Mir was left in the worst situation, trapped between the funeral fire and one of the massive creatures, she chose to leap through the fire to escape.
The move succeeded., but ijn a way the young woman had not expected. Her clothing caught on fire and Mir quickly figured out that the creatures disliked the flames enough they would not attack her while she was on fire. So, curiously, she was safer on fire.
The fight was bloody and long, but eventually the group succeeded in killing all the creatures. Much bloodied and battered, they then helped dig out the others while Volar flew around, scouting the area. Volar did not see any more of the creatures, but he stayed well above ground level, taking no chances that one of the creatures could find a way to attack him. Soaring around further to the north, Volar found a village. A rough, wooden wall surrounded the place, with hotly burning torches placed at regularly intervals along the wall and a couple of men standing watch. The people of the village were dressed in furs that covered every inch of them. The guards readied their bows as they saw Volar but didn’t try to fire at him as he flew closer.
In a moment of impish playfulness, Volar cast a spell that made bright lights flash, then a spell that magnified his voice, booming out “Toshiro comes! Prepare yourselves! Toshiro comes!” then quickly Volar flew away. Though in truth, while the guards were certainly surprised, they made no attempt to attack.
By the time Volar had returned the fire had burned low and the group had a decision to make. Still thoughtful after his encounters with the ghost [DM Note: In others worse, the player still gone.] the decision was left up to Kaz. Volar wanted to press westward to Kuzo, eventually. But for the moment, he thought staying in the cave or visiting the village was a good idea. Verick favored the cave idea, citing the position’s defensibility. Mir was also curious about the village to the north. But in the end, the decision was left up to the samurai and Kaz decided to try and press south as fast as possible and try to get out of the range of the snow beasts before night fell.
The group rode hard but the going was slow in the deep snow and they had not gotten as far south as they would have liked by the time night fell. A great fire was built up in the hopes it would protect them from the creatures and watches were set, but no additional precautions were taken.
The first attack came in the middle of the first watch, a boulder of rock and ice hurling into the camp, missing everyone but rolling to the stop in the fire, starting to douse the hot burning flames. As one creature moved in close and slashed at Verick and Volar, another threw boulders from the edge of the light. And through luck, Mindra spotted another sneaking up on the group from the other side, trying to ambush them. Volar used more magic missiles and Mindra and Mir got out their bows to add to the attacks and the creatures were beaten off, though none were killed.
The group had little rest over the next few hours; howls surrounding them in the night and boulders often thrown at them, though the creature doing it quickly retreated out of sight each time. Then another attack came, a period of silence preceding a beast sneaking in close to the camp with a stealth that belayed it’s size. In this case the group was saved by their horses, Verick and Kaz’s warhorses picking up scent of the beast and attacking with hoove and bite. The attacks failed to make any impression on the creature and with a great rending of claws, Verick’s beloved horse was turn to bits, Kaz’s mount only barely escaping a similar fate before the group could react to chase the snow monster off. The death of his horse, an animal he had trained since it was born, left the young man in a truly foul mood.
[DM Note: Before this, a few people in the group had warhorses but they had never really been used to attack. Verick and Kaz both liked the idea of their warhorses attacking the Yeti, but it didn’t work out quite as well as they had hoped. Since Toshiro’s player missed all this, I ruled Nezu was busy guarding Toshiro’s tent]
This set the tone for the night. Howls, sudden attacks by boulders, an occasional rush into range for claws, then the sudden retreat. By dawn, none of the creatures harassing the group had been slain, but the group had gotten no sleep, Volar not even getting enough rest to allow him to prepare spells. Exhausted, bloodied and with Verick sunk into a brooding silence nothing could break, the group was happy to retreat from the land of the snow monsters just as quickly as they could.
[DM Note: This event is still fondly referred to as the one time they left Kaz be in charge. The fierce fight for survival all night left the group determined not to let Kaz be in charge again. The discussion about going to Kuzo was also amusing. Most of the group was against it and even Volar’s player said ‘I agree, this is a bad idea. But Volar would want to visit’]
Back at Nezu’s village, the group paused to confer. Verick, Volar and Mir were all against Nezu simply being left here, evidently having darker plans in mind for the nervous former bandit. But Toshiro had given his word and he decided Nezu should pick up where he had left off, protecting the village in Toshiro’s name. Nezu’s gratefulness was unbounded.
From there the group rode quickly to the south, and after several days finally arrived back at Bugaisha. Reporting in, they found Lord Jyaku had already departed for the Winter Court, leaving his assistant, Shinjo Yuji, in charge. Yuji-sama accepted the group’s report calmly, though he grew a little unsure as he looked over the papers recovered from the girl.
Excusing himself, he left for a few minutes and then returned, looking a bit sheepish. He admitted Shinjo Jyaku-sama had left him several letters for use if certain situations came up. Information that he didn’t need to know unless certain things happened. The girl was on such situation. Though believed to have been a traitor, she had secretly been a spy in Jyaku-sama’s service and had infiltrated the Bloodspeakers at the cost of her own personal honor.
Arrangements were made for her Daisho to be returned to her family and Yuji thanked the group sincerely for their efforts. Because of the loss of his horse, a fine Unicorn steed was gifted to Verick in some small repayment for his loss. Others in the group never did really understand Verick’s feelings for the death of his horse, but Unicorn’s share a similar bond with their own animals and understand the emotional grief of such a loss.
Toshiro was unable to see his girlfriend, however, she had been sent with the force of samurai assigned to suppress the rebellion in and was not expected back until that was dealt with. Yuji also promised to investigate the plot to summon an Oni. The note mentioned the need to kidnap someone of ‘Celestial’ blood so their name could be given to the oni to create a new breed of Oni. A consultation with the Temple revealed this is how new Oni were made. The person giving their name had to agree to it but once the link was made the Oni would start to take on characteristics of the samurai, while the samurai would fight a constant battle against the corruption of the link. A battle that sooner or later they would lose and be lost to the Shadowlands.
The problem was that quite a few Unicorn samurai, including Yuji and O-Hisa, would count as Celestial. Even Toshiro was a descendant of the great Hida Banuken, the Crab Clan Champion who oversaw the construction of the great Kaiu Wall that has stood against the Shadowlands for hundreds of years, and thus would be a prime target.
The group would have plenty of time to ponder how to foil this plot while returning to the training of duties of their day to day life. The traitors from the list would be dealt with severely.
Volar looked over the bodies, using his dagger to pry open frozen clothing to retrieve a total of 150 koku. Odds and ends lay around the campsite but there was no sign of an attack. After some deliberation the group decided there was already a camp set up here, why not use it.
The group set watches that night and built the fire up high before settling in. All was peaceful until the watch shared by Mindra and Kaz. As Mindra walked the edge of the camp, his keen Vanara vision seeing far into the night, Kaz rested back closer to the fire sharpening his katana. Until a flash of movement caught his attention, and ice blue eyes caught his. A beautiful maiden with snow-white skin moving silently over the snow covered ground, her steps leaving no prints. Entranced by her beauty, Kaz was unable to move...even to speak as she approached. Her kiss chilled to the bone but for the life of him, Kaz could think of no reason to stop her.
Mindra might not have noticed something was wrong in time, but it suddenly dawned on him Kaz had gone completely silent, not even the sound of him sharpening his sword. Peeking around a tent, the Vanara was treated to the sight of a motionless Kaz being kissed by a floating woman in white, Kaz’s skin rapidly turning a pallid shade of white.
Thinking quickly, Mindra slipped around to rouse Toshiro then Mir before going to Kaz’s assistance. As the ghost’s pale eyes fixed on Mindra he felt a connection made and almost fell prey to the same trance that captured Kaz, but the monkey fought it off and quickly cast invisibility to undead on himself as Toshiro yelled and burst out of his tent, sword in hand. Mir was far more quiet, slipping over to rouse Verick.
The situation got chaotic from there as Verick rushed out, jade engraved katana in hand. Before he had a chance to strike, the ghost unleashed an unearthly wail and just second later, Verick had dropped his sword and was fleeing out into the frozen night. Toshiro’s slash at the ghost passed harmlessly through her, but Mindra scooped up Verick’s sword and passed it along to Toshiro.
Worried what might happen to Verick too far from camp, Mir cast a Hold Person on Verick, freezing him in place. To the poor Lion cub this had to seem like something out of a nightmare. He was trying to flee from something that terrified him, but he could not move and the sounds behind him just got closer and closer…
Toshiro took a second swing and Verick’s jade katana seemed to damage to ghostly woman, who reacted with a look of shock at the attack with a jade weapon. “Who are you?” asked a voice that sounded like an icy breeze.
“Hiruma Toshiro! I serve Lord Shinjo Jyaku!” Toshiro snarled, taking another swing with the jade katana, but missing this time.
Volar added in from where he had been watching at the side “Who do you serve?”
“Lord Shinjo Jyaku…I must get to him…I have something he needs to know…” the pitiful, whispering wind replied, her attack on the group ceasing.
“Well, come with us, we’ll take you to see him!” Toshiro declared, still very wary after the attack on his friend.
“I must see him, yes…” the ghost replied in a confused tone “I’m sorry...for the attack…” she whispered like a breeze through the trees.
“Very well.” Toshiro answered, lowering his sword at last “this is finished.”
The ghost nodded and drifted away into the night as Volar stared in surprise “no...wait!”
Kaz turned out to be ok, he had suffered from the freezing cold of the ghost’s kiss but nothing Mir and Mindra could not heal. Verick returned once the spells affecting him had worn off, accepting his katana back with only a brief “Thanks.” Not in the best of moods.
Volar and Mindra weren’t too happy either “That was the woman the Bloodspeakers were after!” Volar exclaimed “We could have found out more information from her.”
“She doesn’t know she’s dead.” Mindra chimed in “Some spirits are like that. If they die leaving something important undone, they cannot pass on until that task is finished. My people know of this well.”
Toshiro sighed, “Ok...what should I do?”
“Go out and try to talk to her, perhaps her spirit still lurks in this area…try to find out…hm...What the last place she remembers being is?”
Toshiro nodded and katana firmly in hand he walked out away from the fire and the camp, calling out into the night for the ghost. And finally, she appeared again, a lovely vision in white, her footsteps dancing over the snow.
“So...um...I want to try to help you. Where is the last place you remember? We can try and find you?” Toshiro said.
Once again the ghost seemed confused “I was…attacked by creatures and trapped in a cave over that hill…” she whispers so softly only Toshiro could hear “I hid there and kept my information safe.”
“Thank you.” Toshiro promptly replied, then returned to camp as the ghost watched, then faded from view.
The others were once again rather animated with their questions “What creatures? What information does she have?”
“What do you want me to do, go out there again and try to call her back?” Toshiro growled. He really didn’t see the point but finally agreed to try it again.
Once again he walked out into the night, calling out loudly to the ghost. But this time instead of her quiet presence, he was suddenly attacked by a massive creature covered with white fur that allowed it to blend in with the snow perfectly. The creature was perhaps seven feet tall and though his first fearsome attack hurt Toshiro badly, the fight was short as the rest of the group joined in and killed the creature quickly. With it’s death a howl was heard beyond sight in the darkness, and then silence.
Nothing happened that night to disturb the group’s rest and with the dawn the next day they pressed on over the hill the ghost had indicated. They found a valley and searching persistently, they found a cave with a dead body inside, a young woman armed with katana and a long spear, both bloodied from use. The cave was roomy inside but had an opening too narrow for one of the white furred creatures to sneak through.
Searching the body they found papers protected inside a wooden tube. Some of the papers were lists of names, evidently Bloodspeakers or their allies in Bugaisha. But the most recent bit of information was much more ominous. Evidently the leader of the Bloodspeaker faction in Bugaisha planned to capture someone important in Bugaisha and use that person’s name to summon an oni and bind it to him or her. There was also mention they might be able to use a certain oak grove just outside town. Mir’s grove.
Armed with this information, the group made plans to return to Bugaisha. The woman’s daisho, katana and wakizashi, was tucked away into Yukiyo’s bag of holding to be returned to her family later. Then they gathers some wood from the near by woods and made a little funeral pyre to burn the body, according to Rokugani custom.
While Toshiro, Nezu, and Yukiyo were still inside the cave, searching for any other clues that might have been left behind, Verick, Kaz, Volar, Mir and Mindra stood guard outside, silently watching the body burn.
The attack came suddenly. The hillside over the cave suddenly exploded, an avalanche of snow tumbling down to cover the mouth of the cave as another of the white furred creatures burst into view. This was one much larger than the one the group had fought the night before, perhaps twelve feet in height. It was joined in the attack by three more burst from other hiding places, the canny creatures very skilled indeed at moving unseen in the snow.
[DM Note: Toshiro, and Yukiyo’s players missed this session, so the avalanche was a convenient way to get them out of the way for the fight. ]
Instantly, the group was in trouble, Kaz and Verick cut into the creatures with great skill, but the massive beasts were hard hitting and fast. It was even worse for the spell casters, though. The great reach of the beasts made it difficult to get out of range to cast spells. Volar evaded them by casting a Fly spell on himself and lifting up high into the air above the battle, raiding down Scintillating Spheres and Magic Missiles when the opportunity arose.
Mindra was already very skilled at casting on the defensive and he dodged from place to place, concentrating furiously while calling down the Vengeance of his Ancestors upon the beasts and darting in here and there to heal the fighters and keep them up and going. Mir was left in the worst situation, trapped between the funeral fire and one of the massive creatures, she chose to leap through the fire to escape.
The move succeeded., but ijn a way the young woman had not expected. Her clothing caught on fire and Mir quickly figured out that the creatures disliked the flames enough they would not attack her while she was on fire. So, curiously, she was safer on fire.
The fight was bloody and long, but eventually the group succeeded in killing all the creatures. Much bloodied and battered, they then helped dig out the others while Volar flew around, scouting the area. Volar did not see any more of the creatures, but he stayed well above ground level, taking no chances that one of the creatures could find a way to attack him. Soaring around further to the north, Volar found a village. A rough, wooden wall surrounded the place, with hotly burning torches placed at regularly intervals along the wall and a couple of men standing watch. The people of the village were dressed in furs that covered every inch of them. The guards readied their bows as they saw Volar but didn’t try to fire at him as he flew closer.
In a moment of impish playfulness, Volar cast a spell that made bright lights flash, then a spell that magnified his voice, booming out “Toshiro comes! Prepare yourselves! Toshiro comes!” then quickly Volar flew away. Though in truth, while the guards were certainly surprised, they made no attempt to attack.
By the time Volar had returned the fire had burned low and the group had a decision to make. Still thoughtful after his encounters with the ghost [DM Note: In others worse, the player still gone.] the decision was left up to Kaz. Volar wanted to press westward to Kuzo, eventually. But for the moment, he thought staying in the cave or visiting the village was a good idea. Verick favored the cave idea, citing the position’s defensibility. Mir was also curious about the village to the north. But in the end, the decision was left up to the samurai and Kaz decided to try and press south as fast as possible and try to get out of the range of the snow beasts before night fell.
The group rode hard but the going was slow in the deep snow and they had not gotten as far south as they would have liked by the time night fell. A great fire was built up in the hopes it would protect them from the creatures and watches were set, but no additional precautions were taken.
The first attack came in the middle of the first watch, a boulder of rock and ice hurling into the camp, missing everyone but rolling to the stop in the fire, starting to douse the hot burning flames. As one creature moved in close and slashed at Verick and Volar, another threw boulders from the edge of the light. And through luck, Mindra spotted another sneaking up on the group from the other side, trying to ambush them. Volar used more magic missiles and Mindra and Mir got out their bows to add to the attacks and the creatures were beaten off, though none were killed.
The group had little rest over the next few hours; howls surrounding them in the night and boulders often thrown at them, though the creature doing it quickly retreated out of sight each time. Then another attack came, a period of silence preceding a beast sneaking in close to the camp with a stealth that belayed it’s size. In this case the group was saved by their horses, Verick and Kaz’s warhorses picking up scent of the beast and attacking with hoove and bite. The attacks failed to make any impression on the creature and with a great rending of claws, Verick’s beloved horse was turn to bits, Kaz’s mount only barely escaping a similar fate before the group could react to chase the snow monster off. The death of his horse, an animal he had trained since it was born, left the young man in a truly foul mood.
[DM Note: Before this, a few people in the group had warhorses but they had never really been used to attack. Verick and Kaz both liked the idea of their warhorses attacking the Yeti, but it didn’t work out quite as well as they had hoped. Since Toshiro’s player missed all this, I ruled Nezu was busy guarding Toshiro’s tent]
This set the tone for the night. Howls, sudden attacks by boulders, an occasional rush into range for claws, then the sudden retreat. By dawn, none of the creatures harassing the group had been slain, but the group had gotten no sleep, Volar not even getting enough rest to allow him to prepare spells. Exhausted, bloodied and with Verick sunk into a brooding silence nothing could break, the group was happy to retreat from the land of the snow monsters just as quickly as they could.
[DM Note: This event is still fondly referred to as the one time they left Kaz be in charge. The fierce fight for survival all night left the group determined not to let Kaz be in charge again. The discussion about going to Kuzo was also amusing. Most of the group was against it and even Volar’s player said ‘I agree, this is a bad idea. But Volar would want to visit’]
Back at Nezu’s village, the group paused to confer. Verick, Volar and Mir were all against Nezu simply being left here, evidently having darker plans in mind for the nervous former bandit. But Toshiro had given his word and he decided Nezu should pick up where he had left off, protecting the village in Toshiro’s name. Nezu’s gratefulness was unbounded.
From there the group rode quickly to the south, and after several days finally arrived back at Bugaisha. Reporting in, they found Lord Jyaku had already departed for the Winter Court, leaving his assistant, Shinjo Yuji, in charge. Yuji-sama accepted the group’s report calmly, though he grew a little unsure as he looked over the papers recovered from the girl.
Excusing himself, he left for a few minutes and then returned, looking a bit sheepish. He admitted Shinjo Jyaku-sama had left him several letters for use if certain situations came up. Information that he didn’t need to know unless certain things happened. The girl was on such situation. Though believed to have been a traitor, she had secretly been a spy in Jyaku-sama’s service and had infiltrated the Bloodspeakers at the cost of her own personal honor.
Arrangements were made for her Daisho to be returned to her family and Yuji thanked the group sincerely for their efforts. Because of the loss of his horse, a fine Unicorn steed was gifted to Verick in some small repayment for his loss. Others in the group never did really understand Verick’s feelings for the death of his horse, but Unicorn’s share a similar bond with their own animals and understand the emotional grief of such a loss.
Toshiro was unable to see his girlfriend, however, she had been sent with the force of samurai assigned to suppress the rebellion in and was not expected back until that was dealt with. Yuji also promised to investigate the plot to summon an Oni. The note mentioned the need to kidnap someone of ‘Celestial’ blood so their name could be given to the oni to create a new breed of Oni. A consultation with the Temple revealed this is how new Oni were made. The person giving their name had to agree to it but once the link was made the Oni would start to take on characteristics of the samurai, while the samurai would fight a constant battle against the corruption of the link. A battle that sooner or later they would lose and be lost to the Shadowlands.
The problem was that quite a few Unicorn samurai, including Yuji and O-Hisa, would count as Celestial. Even Toshiro was a descendant of the great Hida Banuken, the Crab Clan Champion who oversaw the construction of the great Kaiu Wall that has stood against the Shadowlands for hundreds of years, and thus would be a prime target.
The group would have plenty of time to ponder how to foil this plot while returning to the training of duties of their day to day life. The traitors from the list would be dealt with severely.
volar
First Post
Yeti Attack and stuff
Normally Toshiro is the lead samurai and he has some good tactics and will listen to other's advice.
It is scary when Kazu decides to lead. He makes up his mind and if another Samurai is not around then watch out.
All of us non-samurai have learned we must follow samurai in this strange land, especially those from outside the area. So when Kazu decided to move on after dark we had to follow even though everyone else thought it was a bad plan.
Buzzing the village interesting. Volar thought the group would visit and wanted it to be interesting in the village. This was Volar's first act of defiance against all of the lawful things going on in new place he was exploring.
No one really understood the bond Verick, Lion Cub, had with his horse. It was quite entertaining to see Verick get vicious and evil at Mir when she made some offhand comment about the horse.
Normally everyone was yelling at Volar for killing horses. Seems horses don't dodge area spells to well.
Volar
Normally Toshiro is the lead samurai and he has some good tactics and will listen to other's advice.
It is scary when Kazu decides to lead. He makes up his mind and if another Samurai is not around then watch out.
All of us non-samurai have learned we must follow samurai in this strange land, especially those from outside the area. So when Kazu decided to move on after dark we had to follow even though everyone else thought it was a bad plan.
Buzzing the village interesting. Volar thought the group would visit and wanted it to be interesting in the village. This was Volar's first act of defiance against all of the lawful things going on in new place he was exploring.
No one really understood the bond Verick, Lion Cub, had with his horse. It was quite entertaining to see Verick get vicious and evil at Mir when she made some offhand comment about the horse.
Normally everyone was yelling at Volar for killing horses. Seems horses don't dodge area spells to well.
Volar
Draken Korin
First Post
Verick's Horse, A Brief Background
Akodo Iwashiro, my father, went west after the disgrace that nearly ended the Akodo family. He was a great samurai and tactician, who had dedicated his life to mastering the art of war. But what is a samurai without a master, and without his honour. Perhaps it was incorrect, but he saw no advantage to ending his life over that loss. Instead he took his swords and went into the world to seek a new way.
He wandered as a ronin for some time, always travelling westward, encountering many different people, and learning many things. Eventually he settled at the northern edge of the great mountain range that stretches through Rasheman. That was where he met my mother, and began the family of Akodo Iwashiro in the west.
His travels had shown him a unique perspective, limited these days to a select few, and those of the Unicorn clan. That the mobility and speed of a horse mounted warrior is a formidable tactical advantage. He learned this not from the Rokugani, but from the Hordeland barbarians who came to respect and befriend him in his travels through the Hordelands.
It was this perspective that gave my father a new purpose in the west. With a strong wife, and a new son, my older brother, he pooled the last of his resources and acquired a string of horses from his old barbarian friends, now to the east. Over the years, he became expert at the husbandry of horses, and their training and breeding, building a name for himself in the west.
After many years refining the integration of his arts in horsemanship, and melding them with the old ways of war from Rokugan, he formed a school of war, to share his knowledge. The training was rigorous, and my father was a harsh master, but his methods produced some of the finest cavalry and foot officers, and tacticians in the west.
My brother was always to be the heir to the school, while I, a dreamer and dilettante, learned little of the ways that had been brought west with my father. My horse, Snow on the Grey Mountain, was the first thing I remember my father giving me. In retrospect, I know it was a lesson, to teach responsibility, and in some ways, it pushed me in the right direction.
From his foaling, to his training, I was the one responsible for him. A responsibility which I took more seriously than much of the other things I had done to that time. When my father died, and I took it upon myself to return his ashes to his ancestral home, with the shards of his Jade sword. Snow carried me there, and it was somehow fitting that the first thing my father gave me helped me to carry out the last thing I would ever be able to do for him.
More than Kaz's ill considered decision to move in into the open. I blame myself for Snow's death. Ultimately, I was responsible. No one can understand what he meant to me, especially not a self-important girl whose claim to being a servant of nature I find as hollow as the winter wind. Snow on the Grey Mountain was a part of my family, and one of the last connections to the west. Now he is dead.
Verick
Akodo Iwashiro, my father, went west after the disgrace that nearly ended the Akodo family. He was a great samurai and tactician, who had dedicated his life to mastering the art of war. But what is a samurai without a master, and without his honour. Perhaps it was incorrect, but he saw no advantage to ending his life over that loss. Instead he took his swords and went into the world to seek a new way.
He wandered as a ronin for some time, always travelling westward, encountering many different people, and learning many things. Eventually he settled at the northern edge of the great mountain range that stretches through Rasheman. That was where he met my mother, and began the family of Akodo Iwashiro in the west.
His travels had shown him a unique perspective, limited these days to a select few, and those of the Unicorn clan. That the mobility and speed of a horse mounted warrior is a formidable tactical advantage. He learned this not from the Rokugani, but from the Hordeland barbarians who came to respect and befriend him in his travels through the Hordelands.
It was this perspective that gave my father a new purpose in the west. With a strong wife, and a new son, my older brother, he pooled the last of his resources and acquired a string of horses from his old barbarian friends, now to the east. Over the years, he became expert at the husbandry of horses, and their training and breeding, building a name for himself in the west.
After many years refining the integration of his arts in horsemanship, and melding them with the old ways of war from Rokugan, he formed a school of war, to share his knowledge. The training was rigorous, and my father was a harsh master, but his methods produced some of the finest cavalry and foot officers, and tacticians in the west.
My brother was always to be the heir to the school, while I, a dreamer and dilettante, learned little of the ways that had been brought west with my father. My horse, Snow on the Grey Mountain, was the first thing I remember my father giving me. In retrospect, I know it was a lesson, to teach responsibility, and in some ways, it pushed me in the right direction.
From his foaling, to his training, I was the one responsible for him. A responsibility which I took more seriously than much of the other things I had done to that time. When my father died, and I took it upon myself to return his ashes to his ancestral home, with the shards of his Jade sword. Snow carried me there, and it was somehow fitting that the first thing my father gave me helped me to carry out the last thing I would ever be able to do for him.
More than Kaz's ill considered decision to move in into the open. I blame myself for Snow's death. Ultimately, I was responsible. No one can understand what he meant to me, especially not a self-important girl whose claim to being a servant of nature I find as hollow as the winter wind. Snow on the Grey Mountain was a part of my family, and one of the last connections to the west. Now he is dead.
Verick
Yellow Sign
Explorer
First I must say that I this is one of my favorite Story Hours and I am getting some good ideas for my own Rokugan game! There is hard battles, mystery, romance, adventure, and great role playing. Two Thumbs UP!! What I would like to see are the stats for your player characters. What level did you start them out at and what level are they now? Keep up the good work.
Draken Korin
First Post
Akodo Verick's Character Sheet
Here you go, if you're really interested. These are current, he was probably two levels lower at the point we're at in the story.
-----
Name: Akodo Verick
Sex/Race: Male Human (OA)
Class: Rogue(3), Fighter(3), Samurai(3)
Hit Dice: [(3d6)+(6d10)]+18
Hit Points: 62
Initiative: +7
Speed: Walk 30'
AC: 21
Attacks: *Dagger +11/+6; *Dagger (Thrown) +11/+6; *Jade Fang of Akodo +12/+7; Longbow (Composite) +11/+6; Wakizashi +12/+7
Damage: *Dagger 1d4+3; *Dagger (Thrown) 1d4+3; *Jade Fang of Akodo 1d10+4; Longbow (Composite) 1d8; Wakizashi 1d6+3
Face\Reach: 5 ft. by 5 ft.\5
Special Qualities: Evasion,Honor 3 (2),Sneak Attack +2d6,Uncanny Dodge (Dex bonus to AC)
Saves: Fortitude: +10, Reflex: +9, Will: +7
Abilities: Str 17, Dex 16, Con 15, Int 14, Wis 13, Cha 11
Skills: Appraise 3; Balance 4; Battle 6; Bluff 2; Climb 5; Diplomacy 7; Disable Device 6; Disguise 3; Escape Artist 5; Game (Go) 3; Handle Animal 4; Hide 4; Iaijutsu Focus 5; Intimidate 4; Intuit Direction 3; Jump 7; Knowledge (Ancestors) 3; Knowledge (Etiquette) 3; Listen 3; Move Silently 4; Open Lock 6; Ride 11; Search 5; Sense Motive 7; Speak Language(High Rokugani, Rashemi) 2; Spot 6; Swim -6; Tea Ceremony 4; Tumble 7; Use Magic Device 3
Feats: Ambidexterity,Ancestral Daisho,Armor Proficiency (Heavy) (1x),Armor Proficiency (Light) (1x),Armor Proficiency (Medium) (1x),Exotic Weapon Proficiency,Improved Initiative,Martial Weapon Proficiency,Quick Draw,Shield Proficiency,Simple Weapon Proficiency,Two-Weapon Fighting,Void Use
Challenge Rating: 9
Alignment: Lawful Neutral
Region: Lion (Akodo)
Possessions: Arrows (50); Backpack; Bedroll; Bit and Bridle; Climber's Kit; Dagger; Flint and Steel; Fortune Coin of Longevity; Grappling Hook; Hair Clasp of Disguise; Horse (Light War); Jade Fang of Akodo; Lantern (Hooded); Lion Clan Amulet (Natural Armour +1); Lion Clan Kimono (Resistance +1); Longbow (Composite); Mithril Lamellar +1; Oil (1 Pt. Flask); Outfit (Cold Weather); Outfit (Noble's); Pouch (Belt); Rations (Trail/Per Day); Rokugani Style Western Scale Mail; Rope (Silk/50 Ft.); Saddle (Military); Saddlebags; Tent; Wakizashi; Waterskin
Here you go, if you're really interested. These are current, he was probably two levels lower at the point we're at in the story.
-----
Name: Akodo Verick
Sex/Race: Male Human (OA)
Class: Rogue(3), Fighter(3), Samurai(3)
Hit Dice: [(3d6)+(6d10)]+18
Hit Points: 62
Initiative: +7
Speed: Walk 30'
AC: 21
Attacks: *Dagger +11/+6; *Dagger (Thrown) +11/+6; *Jade Fang of Akodo +12/+7; Longbow (Composite) +11/+6; Wakizashi +12/+7
Damage: *Dagger 1d4+3; *Dagger (Thrown) 1d4+3; *Jade Fang of Akodo 1d10+4; Longbow (Composite) 1d8; Wakizashi 1d6+3
Face\Reach: 5 ft. by 5 ft.\5
Special Qualities: Evasion,Honor 3 (2),Sneak Attack +2d6,Uncanny Dodge (Dex bonus to AC)
Saves: Fortitude: +10, Reflex: +9, Will: +7
Abilities: Str 17, Dex 16, Con 15, Int 14, Wis 13, Cha 11
Skills: Appraise 3; Balance 4; Battle 6; Bluff 2; Climb 5; Diplomacy 7; Disable Device 6; Disguise 3; Escape Artist 5; Game (Go) 3; Handle Animal 4; Hide 4; Iaijutsu Focus 5; Intimidate 4; Intuit Direction 3; Jump 7; Knowledge (Ancestors) 3; Knowledge (Etiquette) 3; Listen 3; Move Silently 4; Open Lock 6; Ride 11; Search 5; Sense Motive 7; Speak Language(High Rokugani, Rashemi) 2; Spot 6; Swim -6; Tea Ceremony 4; Tumble 7; Use Magic Device 3
Feats: Ambidexterity,Ancestral Daisho,Armor Proficiency (Heavy) (1x),Armor Proficiency (Light) (1x),Armor Proficiency (Medium) (1x),Exotic Weapon Proficiency,Improved Initiative,Martial Weapon Proficiency,Quick Draw,Shield Proficiency,Simple Weapon Proficiency,Two-Weapon Fighting,Void Use
Challenge Rating: 9
Alignment: Lawful Neutral
Region: Lion (Akodo)
Possessions: Arrows (50); Backpack; Bedroll; Bit and Bridle; Climber's Kit; Dagger; Flint and Steel; Fortune Coin of Longevity; Grappling Hook; Hair Clasp of Disguise; Horse (Light War); Jade Fang of Akodo; Lantern (Hooded); Lion Clan Amulet (Natural Armour +1); Lion Clan Kimono (Resistance +1); Longbow (Composite); Mithril Lamellar +1; Oil (1 Pt. Flask); Outfit (Cold Weather); Outfit (Noble's); Pouch (Belt); Rations (Trail/Per Day); Rokugani Style Western Scale Mail; Rope (Silk/50 Ft.); Saddle (Military); Saddlebags; Tent; Wakizashi; Waterskin
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Black Omega
First Post
[Taking a break from typing up the next bit of the storyhour...]
The PC's started at 3rd level and that was nearly a year ago. The group now averages around 8th level. Three people are 9th, two of them spell casters so I'm getting to the point where magic really starts becoming interesting to handle.
Posting sheets I'll leave up to my players who read this board. The other's I'll ask about it. It's a fairly varied group, though only one PrC so far.
]The PC's started at 3rd level and that was nearly a year ago. The group now averages around 8th level. Three people are 9th, two of them spell casters so I'm getting to the point where magic really starts becoming interesting to handle.
Posting sheets I'll leave up to my players who read this board. The other's I'll ask about it. It's a fairly varied group, though only one PrC so far.
Yellow Sign
Explorer
LOL, Draken you posted everything but Verick's classes! 
I am guessing he is a 3rd level Rogue and 6th level Samurai?
I am guessing he is a 3rd level Rogue and 6th level Samurai?
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