Fellow role-players, here are my notes for “Vanished Lands” Session 40.46, which was held on Sunday, 5 July 2015:
Long ago in a distant land, spirits and men directly traded bamboo, silk, and steel. Wars to the west, twisted monsters, and power-hungry sorcerers threatened the eastern kingdoms, so the call went out for new heroes of honor and tact….
Player Character Party 40 in Gene D.’s “Vanished Lands: A New Dawn” Asian-style telecom campaign, using AD&D1/D&D3.0 Oriental Adventures, Pathfinder, and FATE 3e Legends of Anglerre, plus house rules and an online dice roller, as of summer 2015:
- “Moon Jung-Mo” [Dexter V.H.]-male Nannuattan Ninja (Msamaki; eastern Dark Elf Assassin) who has left the Shadow’s Claw clan and is posing as a River Spirit Folk (eastern Grey Elf) merchant; with a young wyvern Niruth; LNg, Lvl. 10
- “Souji Nobuto ‘Sonny’ Yoshimitsu” [Beruk A.]-male Shengtese Tian Kensai (eastern human weapon master) from a dishonored house in the Lion Clan, specializing in chain weapons; with talking horse Yip; LNg, Lvl. 10
- “Toshiharu ‘Toshi’ Sembutsu” [Byron V.O.]-male Shan Sao Wu Jen (eastern Halfling Wizard) with tiger companion Amaya and a destiny; NGc, Lvl. 10
- “Ember Talon” [Sara F.]-female Crane Hengeyokai Wu (shapeshifting Druid), actually a young gold dragon banished from the Celestial Court; NGl, Lvl. 10
- “Soske’ Tiatoshe” [Geoff C./absent]-male Shengtese Tian Shukenja (eastern human Cleric), priest and animist from the Phoenix Clan, prophesied to do great things but plagued by family and ancestor spirits; LNg, Lvl. 10
- “Saigo Kasugi” [Bruce K.]-male Bamboo Spirit Folk Samurai (eastern Sylvan Elf Cavalier) discreetly serving his daimyo; LNg, Lvl. 10
- “Tokoro Gawa” [Drew S./departed]-male carp Hengeyokai Hulinyuan (amphibious shapeshifting Ranger) seeking to protect streams; with otter companion Mala; CGn, Lvl. 10
“21 August 1227 B.C.E.:” At Hei Kuan, the wanderers prevented Spirit Folk and Shan Sao villagers from unwittingly becoming sacrifices. They fought six reptilian Zukojin and a large demon in a pagoda.
Sonny gets Saigo, who was escorting people back to the village. The Samurai politely bows to the demonic Yao-Mor, which swings at him with hooked swords. Saigo then readies a potion of Cure Serious Wounds. Ember casts Protection From Fire on Saigo, while Jung-Mo sneaks around the burning pagoda.
Toshi and Soske’ fall back, and Sonny lashes at the three-eyed demon with his Vorpal whip. Lung Jua (“Claw of the Dragon”) taunts Saigo, who initially misses with “Thundering Blade,” an enchanted katana (+3 Outsider Bane long sword).
Druid Ember casts Lightning, and Jung-Mo pelts the four-armed Yao-Mor with arrows. Soske’ heals himself. Saigo slashes at Lung Jua, and his sword resists the monster’s Rust spell.
In a step toward fulfilling his prophesied destiny, Wu Jen Toshi turns the greater Oni into a nasty puddle with Sound Lance. Jung-Mo and Kensai Sonny carefully place the “Dragon Talons,” Lung Jua’s two swords, on Toshi’s floating disc.
Soske’s Detect Curse doesn’t register the hooked blades (1d10 + 2), but the Shukenja does sense something evil shifting within them. Toshi later determines that they can each create copies that steal life to heal the wielder.
Jung-Mo also finds and claims a ring of Stone Shape with eight charges from one of the Zukojin. Soske’ heals his companions. The warriors return to Hei Kuan, the last outpost before the Dragon Pass in the eastern Bamor Mountains, but they are unable to find mayor Kenmotsu Masashi.
Saigo goes to the House of the Glowing Carp to ask Miyamoto Narumi about the duplicitous mayor’s whereabouts. The River Spirit Folk geisha (eastern Grey Elf courtesan) says that the Bamboo Spirit Folk (eastern Sylvan Elf) and his panther-headed lieutenant fled when villagers came back from the shrine and the Yao-Mor.
Miyamoto admits that she has heard of Gu Kyong Kim, another Oni (Ogre Mage), and Gwang Mi-Ja, a wyvern, as other servants of the chaos dragon. She pauses to write the dragon’s name on a silk scroll but gasps for air when she is poisoned by the ink.
Ember quickly Neutralizes Poison, and Miyamoto writes the names of Desc Soo-Ann and Kaosu Uirumu. Jung-Mo recognizes Desc Soo-Ann, or Desan, as a fellow Nannuattan Ninja encountered a few times in his travels. He says that Desan probably planted the poison and may still be lurking nearby.
Kaosu Uirumu is the Chole Lung, or chaos dragon, that Shengtese human Soske’ and company have been hunting for the Zedu kingdom in return for the promise of land and titles. Bamboo Spirit Folk Saigo thanks Miyamoto for her help.
The group goes to the house of Shiomi Romi, a Korobokuru (eastern Dwarf) alchemist and Shukenja of the Path of Order. On the way, crane Hengeyokai Ember recognizes Endo Mayumi, a Kitsune (fox Hengeyokai). The shapeshifter says that she is leaving town.
Saigo demands a look at Mayumi’s bags, but she is evasive and tosses them past him. The Kitsune tries to shift into vulpine form, but Shengtese human Sonny trips her with a flail. Saigo punches Mayumi, and Ember Wild Shapes into a wolf to subdue her.
Toshi notices that one of the woman’s bags is bleeding, so the Shan Sao opens it. He finds the head of Shiomi Romi and angrily threatens Mayumi with a Lightning Bolt until Jung-Mo and Ember can tie her up. Soske’ keeps watch as the people of Hei Kuan are confused in the wake of the Reaping Festival.
Mayumi admits killing the priestess on Desan’s orders. Jung-Mo beheads the assassin. In the other sack, the adventuring party finds 1,200 tael (600 gold pieces), and Saigo claims 1,000 (500 g.p.) of it.
Sonny takes a potion of Haste, and Toshi gets a scroll of Permancency. At Shiomi Romi’s temple, Jung-Mo finds a shuriken, and Soske’ gets a scroll of Remove Blindness. They also find trip wires left by Desan.
Jung-Mo narrowly dodges a falling axe. After some encouragement by Toshi and Ember, the scout disables poisoned darts and a trap that would crack the altar.
Meanwhile, Sonny and Saigo bury the bodies in the adjacent graveyard. They hear a tree branch creak beneath an unseen spy’s weight. Saigo drinks a potion of Flying and attacks, and Sonny discreetly climbs the tree.
Desan drops his Invisibility by tossing a powder grenade at Saigo and draws hisninja-to (short sword). Hearing a commotion outside, Toshi shifts into bird form, and Jung-Mo and Ember follow.
Jung-Mo drops his fellow Ninja with his own poisoned darts. He retrieves the (+ 3) ninja-to, studded leather armor (+ 2), a few eggshell grenades, and a masterwork disguise kit.
Sonny claims a signet ring stolen from one of Tong Sheng’s rulers, and Saigo takes a ring from the Zedu kingdom. Toshi studies a map of the dragon’s lair….
Geoff, I’m sorry that we missed you during our latest Google+ hangout! What does everyone think: Should we switch back to Skype?
Remember that we won’t be meeting virtually again until July 26, but in the meantime, I hope that you’re able to update your characters and finish creating or revising those for our upcoming D&D5e telecom game! -Gene
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