Dramatis Personae
- Jian Wu aka Two (played by Christian G.): TBA. Tagline: TBA.
- Jiao Ting aka Eight (Played by Chris D): TBA. Tagline: TBA.
- Liang Jing Min aka Five (Played by Randy H.): TBA. Tagline: TBA.
- Nongmin Chushi aka Seven (played by Rory F.): TBA. Tagline: TBA.
- Sheng Yi aka One (Played by Calvin J): TBA. Tagline: TBA.
- He Bohai aka Eleven (NPC): TBA. Tagline: TBA.
- He Donghai aka Twelve (NPC): TBA. Tagline: TBA.
- He Qing aka Four (NPC): TBA. Tagline: TBA.
- Laoshu aka Three (NPC): TBA. Tagline: TBA.
- Meiyou Ren aka Six (NPC): TBA. Tagline: TBA.
- Rang Baozhai aka Ten (NPC): TBA. Tagline: TBA.
- Zhiyu Zhige aka Nine (NPC): TBA. Tagline: TBA.
Previously . . .
Previously the creche were moving up the mountainside, somehow in first place despite hiking up slowly, perhaps by taking more dangerous pathways, to retrieve a Jade Heart Flower. They move upwards, making sure to keep Nongmin alive as he’s the one that knows how to actually identify the blossom. Making their way into a minor depression on the mountainside, Nongmin describes the flower to the rest of the creche and says to alert him if they’ve got any questions.
The Harsh Path Upward
Jian Wu, Jiao Ting, Liang Jing Min, Nongmin Chushi, Sheng Yi
The Citadel of the August Order of the Black Jade Guard
Eighth Month 1st day, 998 Zao Dynasty, 2nd hour
Shidao Province
Jing Min and Nongmin immediately move out and start searching the nearby flora to find the Jade Heart Flower. Jing Min notices a large bush on a nearby hill that appears to be full of Jade Heart Flowers. The rest of the creche moves forwards, one of them pushing the others out of the way. Sheng Yi tries to keep an eye out for possible dangers while the pushy child keeps moving forwards past the rest of the creche.
Jing Min gets grabbed as something below erupts from below and entangles his legs causing him to scream with an echoing yell as he gets pulled towards a large bush. Nongmin gets pulled to the ground with a piece of wood sticking into his chest. Two of the creche, Mouse and He Qing, spring into action with He Qing running past the attacked Nongmin to get the flower. The remainder of the creche moves forwards.
They move forwards as Sheng Yi cries out that there’s things grabbing the rest of the group as Jing Min gets fought between the plant monster and Ren in a rather terrifying tug of war. Another plant strikes at the healer, throwing a frond towards her that gets dodged gracefully. Nongmin suffers a bit of toxic damage while He Qing climbs up the hillside. Sheng Yi attempts to aid Ren to pull Jing Min to safety. Nongmin gingerly feels the branch stuck in his chest, feeling it to be barbed and, deciding the discretion is the better part of valor, instead draws his knife. Jian Wu moves to light a torch. Unsure of the trouble, Jiao Ting turns and runs up the small hillock. Rang attempts to do something while Jing Min attempts to breakfree.
Ren lets go of Jing Min and instead draws his knife and slashes at the vine, cutting it in half. The healer runs towards Nongmin and rips out the barbed branch as she prepares to heal him. The rest of the creche move towards the opposing plants, dodging blows. Sheng Yi moves forwards defensively while Mouse rips at the northernmost plant. Nongmin is dealing with the aftereffects of getting the barbed seedpod ripped from his chest as he sits up waiting for the healer’s glowing hands. Jian Wu finishes lighting his torch. Jiao Ting runs off the cliff, right into the middle of the plant and dive bombs it, getting to see a mouth open into the center of the plant.
Ran comes up and manages to strike the plant in the middle of the mouth. The northernmost plant explodes one of its seed pods, with Mouse and the twins immune as the plant that Jiao Ting landed bites at him, chewing on Ting’s fist as he attempts to parry. He Qing taunts the rest as he runs away with the flower. Sheng Yi moves forwards. Mouse stabs at the plant as Nongmin gets to his feet and moves towards the battle. Jian Wu, with his lit torch, moves forwards. Ting moves to rip and tear, doing nothing effective. Jing Min holds out his own unlit torch towards Jian Wu.
Ran stabs into the mouth again while the healer kicks He Qing in the nuts with a rather powerful blow, causing his nuts to undescend, before spitting on him. The twins strike at the northern plant while they strike back. The plant somehow managing to miss Ting in the middle of them. Sheng Yi tries to shout out encouragement as Mouse stabs the northern plant in the mouth. Nongmin runs towards the northern plant shrugging off the spores. Jian Wu lights Jing Min’s torch as he passes by to start a fire on the plant. Jiao Ting grapples onto the plant desperately as Jing Min stands up behind him.
Ran stabs at the plant again as the healer dismissively walks away from He Qing after kicking him in the ribs. Mouse stabs the plant in the mouth again. The northern plant whips a frond at one of the twins, He Donghai, and stabs him. The southern plant attempts to attack Ren and tears one of its own fronds as Ren dodges. He Qing still cries like a baby after the hit to the ribs and the nuts. Sheng Yi kicks at the plant, it dodging the blow like a leaf on the wind. Nongmin stabs at the plant, managing to slice it lightly. Jian Wu swipes at it with his torch while Jiao Ting rips at the plant in his hands. Rang cries out that she finally remembers what they are and that they’re flammable. Jing Min runs forwards to follow her advice and swipes at the southern plant, missing.
The twins fail their attacks on the plants as the Healer moves towards the battles. The plants attack with the grappled one biting into Ting, nearly knocking him unconscious from the pain. Nongmin strikes at the plant. The pain too much, Ting passes out while Jing Min swipes with his torch.
Ran and the rest attacks the plants with everything they’ve got as the healer moves to pull Ting out of the plant as the plants fight back, hitting Jian Wu. Sheng Yi runs towards the northern plant, ignoring the spores that ignite on contact with the torch he is holding. Everyone gets hit by the spore cloud explosion and the plant dies. Mouse and Nongmin run away from the burning bush. Jian Wu sets the plant, and Jiao Ting, on fire, killing it. They pull Jiao Ting from the burning bush where the healer spends the last of her energy healing him.
Nongmin climbs the rock to get the flower and spots a cave off to the north with Jing Min coming from behind. Jing Min tosses the torch up and climbs up behind Nongmin to allow him more ease with the trial of cutting the flowers without damaging the plant. Nongmin hands out the flowers before heading for the cave and ignoring the warnings of bears, he wants to investigate.
Aftermath
The area is already lit with the burning plants with the rest of the group looking at the cave. They leave behind the injured and the Healer to recover her energy and Jian Wu resting. Jing Min and Nongmin move into the cave with lit torches.
The first thing they notice is that it’s wet with water dripping from the mountain. Despite the snow outside, the water dripping is mildly warm. There’s lichen growing everywhere making it slippery. Nongmin moves in slowly, and since there’s no screaming Jing Min follows behind, finding a hole in the ceiling that allows for light to come down from within. They find a White Jade Heart Plant within the beam of light. It’s a mythical plant with several blossoms which Nongmin speaks with but there’s no response despite multiple attempts at conversation.
Nongmin carefully picks eleven blossoms from the plant and places them in his bag. A quick look around, they don’t find anything else of interest and exit the cave. Nongmin and Jing Min return the rest of the PCs and the team make their way down back to the Valley and then back to the Citadel where their masters are most pleased with them finding the White Jade Heart Plant which only blossoms once every hundred years.
After Action Report (GM)
A much better session then the previous one. The PCs had their first combat (against ambulatory plants to boot) and did fairly well as a team. My favorite moment was Ting doing a flying tackle to one of the plants and being an utter badass (even if he didn’t do a lot of damage). Overall, the team stuck together, did their parts, and made it out alive and with their mission more than completed.
Other Notes
Bonus report here.
Soundtrack
None.