Dramatis Personae

• He Bohai aka Eleven (NPC): TBA. Tagline: TBA.
• He Donghai aka Twelve (NPC): TBA. Tagline: TBA.
• Ko Lenfan aka Four (NPC): TBA. Tagline: TBA.
• Laoshu aka Mouse aka Three (NPC): TBA. Tagline: TBA.
• Meiyou Ren aka Six (NPC): TBA. Tagline: TBA.
• Rang Baozhai aka Ten (NPC): TBA. Tagline: TBA.

Previously . . .

The last time we left off, we were in the Undercity looking for information on the Black Silk Rebellion. They were heading off towards the Merchant Prince with the aid of a map that Zhiyu got from the foxes. The Prince’s home is a typical courtyard house, but it being underground it looks rather strange in its current location. The fact that they’re in a volcano isn’t lost on Nongmin who wonders if he can wake up and speak with a volcano spirit much to most of the rest of the team’s dismay. At the house, they find it guarded properly by a large amount of actual decent looking guards.

A Late Night With Bunnies

Jian Wu, Jiao Ting, Liang Jing Min, Nongmin Chushi, Sheng Yi, and Zhiyu Zhige
Prince’s Siheyuan/Undercity
Ninth Month 16th day, 1006 Zao Dynasty, 21st hour
Jiangzihua, Ketuso Province

They have Nongmin speak with the guards who is trying to convince them to let them in to see the Prince only to be informed that he’s busy and to go away. They’re trying to appeal to the guard to let them in through various schemes. Nongmin manages to determine that they’re looking for a bribe, which seems about normal for an Undercity guard. Zhiyu manages to determine that the palace is magically fortified as Nongmin determines that $100 would do for a proper bribe. Of course, no one seems to have money on them and Ting doesn’t step forwards with his small fortune, so the guard also suggests 10 minutes alone with the girl, pointing at Zhiyu. They make a bet with the guard that he wouldn’t even last 10 minutes with her, both sides accept and when she leads him into an alleyway, the guard immediately gets hit with an Agony spell and acupressure, screams can be heard before the guard stumbles his way back, far short of the 10 minutes limits. He gives them the money they won and allows them in while Ren stares coldly at the guard.

The inner courtyard looks quite exquisite with a full garden, fountain, carp, various pieces of furniture, and a man laying back getting his hair brushed by someone. The man looks fairly normal except for the rather large rabbit ears coming from his head. Jing Min immediately moves behind Wu, remember the rabbit a little while ago. Nongmin moves forwards and bows to the man, but the man’s attention is drawn to Jing Min who is immediately being manhandled by the presumed prince. Jing Min isn’t happy with this, but he still keeps going and says that he was hoping that the Prince would be able to aid them. Trying to get information from him about the Black Silk cultists. The Prince calls them a cancer to his fair city and Jing Min says they could remove the cancer. The Prince isn’t going to say no, but he doesn’t know where they are exactly, though they are recruiting throughout the city.

They’re treated to a banquet, tables filled with food, aged plum wine, exquisite delicacies. Wu has gone from eating a small salad and instead taking a whole suckling pig. Jing Min keeps trying to quietly inquire about the cultist locations while trying to avoid the amorous advances of the Prince. Unfortunately, he just ends up making the Prince more interested in him. The Prince’s aide, Xin Qian Lo, is sitting next to Sheng Yi and tells him that they’ll get him whatever information they have. They have experienced some troubles with the Black Silk, dealings with their Thieves’ Guild and missing people. There’s one area that the aide knows for sure where they’ve been, an old underground temple complex where they’ve been performing blasphemous rites. She’s able to give them directions as the Prince already told her to support them while he played the “game”.

Halfway through dinner, another servant comes in to give the Aide a scroll who then gives it to Sheng Yi who passes it onto Nongmin. It’s a map of the Undercity, more towards the northern side of the city and towards the surface. The Prince keeps flirting with Jing Min who tries to let them down softly by explaining that he’s straight. A look of understanding comes over the Prince that Jing Min likes girls and that it wasn’t a problem as the Prince’s changes gender. Jing Min accepts this with grace and makes a promise to “speak” with the Prince later while Zhiyu helps the Prince along by telling them all about Jing Min who isn’t exactly spurning the Prince’s advances any longer.

Tunnels in the Deep

Jian Wu, Jiao Ting, Liang Jing Min, Nongmin Chushi, Sheng Yi, and Zhiyu Zhige
North of the Undercity
Ninth Month 17th day, 1006 Zao Dynasty, 1st hour
Jiangzihua, Ketuso Province

They’re going to have to do some heavy digging to get to the temple. Jing Min suggests that Nongmin uses his astral projection to investigate the tunnels, finding another entrance they can get to. Which is one of many thoughts that Nongmin had, others include speaking with earth spirits. They head out for the location of the cave-in where Nongmin mediates and goes into Astral Form where he notices a lot of black looking fungus is clinging to the walls along with black looking bugs crawling in and out of the mold. There’s nothing there preventing him from going through the boulder, so once on the other side, he finds more mold all over and a strange light of green-ish blue.

He manages to find his way down the path following the trail that he’d memorized from the map, getting to the old temple complex where the floors and ceilings are just covered with the black mold, some forming stalagmites with a portal going to the demon world. The only thing that Nongmin can think of is that a sacrifice would be required to close it. Bones are piled everywhere, the sacrifices to open the portal that is part physical and part spiritual. There’s demonic looking writing glowing with the green-blue light that he’d noticed before. He heads back towards the group, avoiding unwanted attention and staying away from the portal. He fills in the group on what he found.

Aftermath

They use the whistle to communicate with Rang about what they found and determines that they’ll either need to fight their way through the gate, destroy the anchors, and make it out. Or send in a willing sacrifice. They decide to head back towards the Headquarters, by way of the Prince’s manor, informing the Prince, the Aide, Green Seer, and Pai Mei on their way. The Prince supplies them with some guards to keep people away and gets mages to start opening the boulder. Pai Mei tells Zhiyu to not sacrifice herself as he’s already put too much effort in her, if anyone has to be sacrificed then let it be Jing Min. The Green Seer sends three fulu which Ni Tu is quite concerned, but lets them take what they need from the quartermaster, getting holy talismans and wards. Rang has produced quite a bit of information, lots of maps, lots of information on state of affairs, using the Order’s informants to get info on where the Black Silk may be in the city. Upon being informed about the portal being open she insists upon closing it immediately even if some of them may die in the process. The group generally takes a nap before venturing into hell.

After Action Report (GM)

We had to skip three weeks due to player problems, but this week we finally got together! The PCs were kind of led about by YT, but exposition is like that. Randy’s character’s interactions with Mingmei Ma was funny as hell. We all enjoyed that. One problem I’m having is that crosstalk is making it hard for my quieter players to actually get more involved in the campaign. I realize there are six players, but we need to come up with a system of some kind. Still thinking on what that might be. Ah well, a good session, if short.

Other Notes

Bonus report here.

Soundtrack

None.