Dramatis Personae
- An Rang (Played by Chris D): Genius doctor, decent artist, escaped fugitive. Tagline: “They’re still alive if they aren’t dead yet.”
- Gushou Miren (played by Rory F.): Chains of lightning, drums like thunder, refreshing as a gentle rain, swift like the wind, bring on the Storm! Tagline: “It is better to have less thunder in the mouth and more lightning in the hands.”
- Shen Feng (played by Christian G.): This white haired warrior’s calm hides the fury of a thousand winds. Tagline: “The ground is your pillow and the sky your blanket.”
- Xhai Kiyun (Played by Calvin J): Stands head and shoulders over others. Solider, horseman, Swordmaster, merchant, leader, and he very tall. Tagline: “Let your plans be dark and impenetrable as night, and when you move, fall like a thunderbolt..”
Previously . . .
When last left off, the foursome are headed South towards a mystical mountain following Gushou’s mighty arm when they stumble across a giant demon attempting to break into a small shrine. Gushou and Xhai immediately move forwards towards the lightning spitting demon, with Xhai trying to identify why the demon is actually there. Apparently whoever summoned it could easily have just set it off on its own to make trouble. An Rang stares at it, trying to figure out what sort of demon it is, apparently a sky demon that Xhai exclaims is opposed by element X.
Roadside Shrine and a Thunder Demon
An Rang, Gushou Miren, Shen Feng, Xhai Kiyun
Shrine of the Fallen Princess
Sixth Month 26th day, 975 Zao Dynasty, 11th hour
Tengzou Province
The exclamation draws the attention of the demon that immediately moves to attack the group with electricity. Shen Feng uses his shenshou to parry and then redirect the lightning back at the sky demon that only gets larger from the attack. Xhai charges forwards on his horse, trying for the sky demon’s neck that dodges the blow. Gushou and Shen Feng moves forwards into the sky demon’s attacks as An Rang does a forwards cartwheel from his driving position on the wagon to come to a stand on the back of one of his horses.
The sky demon slices forth, nearly killing Xhai’s horse and crippling Xhai’s leg. Xhai’s retaliatory attack hits the sky demon’s neck twice, but barely causes a trickle of blood. Gushou moves forwards and unleashes a flurry of blows on the demon, foregoing his shenshou’s normal lightning damage. But deals no appreciable damage on the demon. Shen Feng slices forwards, getting two solid hits on the demon to no real effect while An Rang does a summersault off the front of the horse and moves forwards.
The demon screams into Gushou’s face, stunning him, while clawing at Xhai’s torso trying to dismount the rider. The demon’s blow blocked, Xhai once again tries for the demon’s neck, slicing into it a bit more. Gushou breaks from the stun while Shen Feng slices at it once again. An Rang moves forwards to throw several shuriken into the demon’s eyes, missing with both thorns.
The sky demon screams at Gushou, stunning him again, before he slashes at Xhai’s horse again, to be defended against and then retaliated against with another slice to the neck. Gushou breaks from the stun while Shen Feng flanks the demon and slashes at the spine. An Rang’s next movement has him side step and throw another two thorns, hitting both eyes roundly and blinding the demon.
In anger, it turns to Xhai and roars, causing more pain to Xhai and Xhai’s horse, but little more. Xhai slashes at the demon’s neck again and Gushou unleashes another flurry of blows causing the armor plating to start breaking. Shen Feng manages to slice down the Sky Demon’s wings. An Rang steps forwards and throws another two thorns into the sky demon’s eyes, forcing the previous ones further into its brain, killing it. It falls over and leaves behind a puddle of goo and a demon heart.
The shrine keepers are scared after what has happened, but they accept the heart and bury it under the shrine respectfully, after An Rang carved a nice heart shaped box from heartwood. An Rang also commemorates the moment of the demon’s defeat with a lovely painting. They notice several weapons buried alongside the demon’s heart along with a bones wrapped inside cloth.
The Home of the Gentle Master
An Rang, Gushou Miren, Shen Feng, Xhai Kiyun
The Water Temple
Seventh Month 2nd day, 975 Zao Dynasty, 13th hour
Tengzou Province
Several days later, they reach the mountain, a near cylindrical plateau. The pathway is too narrow to allow for the horses or wagons to pass and while Xhai, Shen Feng, and Gushou and ready to go, An Rang is rather less enthusiastic and keeps asking who’ll be carrying the tent or his mattress because who knows what sort of accommodations are up at the top of the mountain. He’s finally convinced to narrow down his belongings under the possibility of there being ghosts around if he decides to stay with his luxuries.
They meet an old man at the top of the mountain who greets them and asks for the map bearer. Gushou presents himself and they are shown into the area with a small shrine and a resting area where the man resides. They’re told to meditate for the night with An Rang failing miserably. Despite the fancy blanket, pillow, and sheets, he slept fitfully with roots in his back all night. It’s not too thrilling to watch the others come to, rather refreshed and then watch as the tea that An Rang makes for comfort come out only to be lukewarm leaf juice.
Disappointments galore as the man explains that they have to pass 4 tests, a contest of mind, body, will, and a duel. Gushou takes the duel, Shen Feng takes the contest of will, Xhai takes the contest of body. The first up is An Rang with the contest of Mind, led to a stone circle with footprints inside and a line of text saying “What is the most important step a man can take.”. An Rang takes a step forwards and gets struck by lightning. He takes a second to realize that there’s a different answer and has to run through the test, but thanks to the lightning, he’s already limping through and is struck by lightning again halfway through knocking him to the ground, barely passing the test.
The next test is simple, they just have to lift up a statue. Xhai moves forwards and lifts it with ease. After he lowers the statue to the ground, the mouth opens up and the old man tells Shen Feng that he must put his hand within. Placing his hand inside, Shen Fend experiences some moderate pain and then terrible pain and then agony which he also passes with ease which the master acknowledges and then leads Gushou to his duel.
Aftermath
Being led to the river, the old man disrobes and faces Gushou who does the same in return. It will be an unarmed duel to three points. Each tag is a point. If someone falls into the water, they forfeit. If Gushou fails, he forfeits his life, but if he wins then they gain the compass.
After Action Report (GM)
We finally had a full game session with few interruptions and chewed through some plot. Morbo is pleased. That said, this one was pretty straightforward. The PCs dealt with the Thunder demon handily and when the trails came for the magic compass they did ok. I thought I was going to kill An Rang because he wasn’t fast enough nor was he capable enough of guessing the riddle I tossed out for the Trial of the Mind. Shen Feng passed the Trial of Will handily and Xhai Kiyun did the Trial of Body just as easily. We’ll find out how well Gushou Miren does next week in his Trial of Souls (the duel). Honestly, his character could die and if that happens we’ll need to roll up another so hopefully it won’t. Ah well. We’ll see.
Other Notes
None.
Soundtrack
None.