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Diluvious gets a hold of Jianghong on the ledge. But the youth is able to wriggle away, he still he falls hard to the ground. Which allows Slaine to vault through the window closing the gap with Jianghong who attempts to zig zag between buildings. Wu-Tang rushes downstairs and alerts Archibald, and then begins to pick up the trail of which way he went. Archibald mounts up to be able to chase him down more quickly.
You spot Jianghong's bodyguard, Zheng looking around at what's is going on.
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Slaine picks up the trail, as Wu-Tang spots the lad and drops an Entangle spell in his path.
Diluvious catches Zheng off guard, as the bodyguard puts his hands in the air, Uh, uh, I don't know! But he doesn't need to make good on his promise; as Archibald further restrains Jianghong with a Glue Seal.
You've caught Jianghong, he has the orange map tucked under his arm and his pockets seem bulging.
Jianghong struggles to get free of the magical restraints, but there's no chance.
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Wu-Tang empties his pockets and finds a few other valuable trinkets, in addition to the map.
An embarrassed Jianghong, hems and hauls, Well, my family it's out of money. I want to stay here, but I got word I need to return home. I saw the way you were looking at the fake map downstairs. He trails off reluctant to say more.
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Slaine brandishes his musket, subtle but with a slight sneer. Ain't right to be steelin'. Against the law, see. Now yer going ter face justice. As he turns, he catches the bodyguard's eye with a look that says don't try anything and then goes to look for the schoolmaster or head of security to report this theft.
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As Slaine goes off to find the headmaster, Zheng hangs his head in shame at Jianghong admission.
The boy adds to his story, Look my father is a fool, he's lost all the family money. I never want to return to that disgrace! I want to stay here and finish my education, at least I did, now it's ruined, I'm as big a disgrace as my father now! The boy continues between sobs that are now growing heavier.
Don't look at me that way Zheng!
I saw an opportunity steal some things and sell them, get the money I needed, if anyone ever asked blame the weird strangers that came to visit the school!!! His sobs turning to anger.
THERE NOW YOU KNOW!
Slaine finds the headmaster and returns with him shortly there after.
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Being about as lawful as you can get, Jianghong's story does little to change Slaine's feelings. Here's the boy who tried and steal yer things, Headmaster. He's just a boy, but he did try'n take what weren't his. Don' know what yer laws are here, but we're turn'n him over ter you fer decision. As fer this map, here, we've got it under good report that invaders from Lingshen stole it from Shokuro and kept it as spoils 'o war. Now you might'n not care about such things, but THAT'S breaking the law too. How's about ye let us take this here map wit us and we'll call us even? I don't think we need ter be callin' in yer govn'rt if we kin jus return the map.
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The map would be returned to a museum where it can be studied for clues about our great land! Surely you can understand the importance of preserving history and knowledge...a calligraphy school does that exactly, passing along our ancient customs and traditions to a young batch of students like that boy Jianghong.
It's not my place to speak but I would pass on some observations from my study of nature if you would indulge me. Squirrels will steal nuts from each other as they lay up food for the winter. The mighty lion is fierce when looking to fill its belly. All creatures will do what they must for their survival including things our society might look down on. I expect that boy is bright and wouldn't be here if he wasn't...perhaps he could work off his debt to you, gaining knowledge and thereby creating a debt of gratitude to you, his savior?
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The headmaster considers Slaine and Wu-Tang's words carefully, and is impressed by Wu-Tang's knowledge of nature. After some more negotiation he eventually relents and allows you to take the map. As for the boy he won't commit to any leniency.
When you arrive back you find Mai Chun deep in research, she is particularly pleased that you recovered the map, as she considers it returned to its rightful country at last. With it in place she continues her research into the location of the Summer Palace.
Now go and meet with Yue Xin and find what he knows.
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You reach Changdo without incident, enjoying the safety of the heavily patrolled roads of Po Li. As they approach the city, they take in the extraordinary sight of the Eternal Emperor, a colossal statue that has been under construction for over 3 centuries.
A busy trading yard just outside the city gates is populated by all manner of people from across Tian Xia. To one side of the yard stands a well encircled by a low stone wall. A young Tian-Shu man wearing a broad straw hat stands beside the well, the line of his bamboo fishing pole disappearing into its depths.
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Tradin? Now this here is a town worth a visit. An that must be old WeeGin er whatever his face. Mai said he were a man o' fishin'. Slaine muses and then approaches the fisherman and says in a conspiratorial tone, Oi! Are ye WeeGin? We've been sent here by Mai Chen ter find out about yer Summer Palace. Sounds like ye need some back up? Well, me and these boys here are yer back up. What'cher need?
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What my good friend Mr. Larking is trying to say is, Hello, would you happen to be Yue Xin? We were sent by the honorable Mai Chun to try and help in your research of the Summer Palace.
Wu-Tang looks deep into the well, inspecting it from many angles.
Not to distract you but I'm very curious about fishing in a well. There are fish down there? Do they grow to any size? Any special varieties that are common to wells? Are there no lakes or streams to fish in the surrounding countryside?
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Yue Xin gives the pole a brief, quizzical glance and unceremoniously dumps it down the well. The clattering echoes of the falling pole are just audible above the sounds of the trading yard. The young man with the round hat approaches, hands outspread, and looks to Wu-Tang.
Sakana ga inai sakana wa chie o shiru kotodesu.
To fish where there are no fish is to know wisdom.
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The replies Kurēn wa kitakaze ni notte imasuga, tsubame wa aki no sekkin o s&~!te imasuga. Watashitachi wa koko de hanasu koto ga dekimasu.
Cranes fly on the north wind, but the swallow knows autumn approaches. As for us we can speak here.
He then switches to common, Yes I am Yue Xin, he nods absently and removes a bundle of poorly-preserved papers from his satchel and hands them to Wu-Tang. The pages are crowded with Tien characters, and Yue Xin elaborately gestures at one section outlined in red ink, saying, You see here why Mai Chun was so interested in my find.
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I actively look at the papers and try and get Archibald and Diluvious to look as well. My guess is Slaine is keeping an eye on the surroundings leaning up against the well with the brim of his hat tipped down and a big piece of grass hanging from his lip. Just a guess though....would be funnier if he was dancing a jig with one of the merchants wives :)
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After looking quizzically at the 2 Tian men talking, Slaine wanders off towards the trading stalls. He begins to look for some contacts for The Exchange, noting which vendors have the most organized presentation as well as those with the sharpest wit. Despite his interest in getting some far East trading routes established, he continually finds his mind drifting to dancing with a number of the women that he passes. Durn it. Do'n even like dancin'. Not sure where these thoughts 'o mine are comin' from. Gotta keep focused on the job. Then, as though driven by an unseen urge, he leans against a tree, a soft piece of grass between his teeth, he chews methodically as peers out from under his hat at the scene around him.
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As Slaine wanders off, Wu-Tang begins to look at the papers. Archibald pulls in close to do so as well; but before Archibald can get a good look and Wu-Tang just a glance, Yue Xin snatches the papers back from him.
The only thing Wu-Tang could make out quickly was the words words written in fire, written in Tien.
When Imperial Lung Wa controlled these lands, quick and accurate communication was of paramount concern to the Eternal Emperor and his servants. Relay stations formed a network covering much of the continent, speedily carrying imperial dictates to the farthest corners of the realm. In these dark days, those relay stations have fallen into ruin. Xin conveys, as if pulling away the papers was illustrative.
But into darkness comes light, as into memory comes charitable action. My researches indicate that some of the messages that passed through these redoubts were secretly recorded. A clue to the location of the palace Mai Chun seeks is certainly to be found in a ruined communications station just half a day’s walk to the west, down that road and left at the first crossroads you reach.
Directions to the palace are said to be ‘writ in letters of green fire.’ Surely heroes of your mettle will have no trouble traveling to the ruin, avoiding the soldiers who guard it by day, exploring it by night, and overcoming the ghosts said to haunt it. The restless dead offer no threat to he who sparks the tinder. The man continues.
Po Li’s obsession with the artifacts and practices of Lung Wa extends to jealously guarding any imperial ruins within its borders. Soldiers who guard these ruins are particularly diligent during the day, but known to be somewhat lax by night.
Ruins associated with Lung Wa are frequently said to be haunted, if not literally by undead then by mystically bound guardians of various types, such as creatures from the spirit world or from other planes.
Lung Wa’s Bureau of Communications made use of fireworks to send messages over great distances. Trained alchemists at relay stations would read messages outbound from the capital in the night skies, then prepare and fire rockets encoded with the same message so that watchers at the next station could repeat the process.
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Ok, whenever we can I think we should head towards the site of the ruins and plan to approach at night. We need to be as ready as we can be for maybe an undead guardian.
Or could bribe someone to deliver some high test booze as a thank you or birthday present or something like that, making them more likely to be asleep when we arrive.
thoughts?
ps. he who sparks the tinder? I have flint and steel and fire spells?
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With a little help from Archibald, Diluvious finds out some more information, he finds a crusty looking librarian and finds out; Lung Wa’s Bureau of Communications made use of fireworks to send messages over great distances. Trained alchemists at relay stations would read messages outbound from the capital in the night skies, then prepare and fire rockets encoded with the same message so that watchers at the next station could repeat the process.
Following Slaine's plan you depart after lunch and arrive around dusk. You easily find the ruins and enter after nightfall. A number of crumbling buildings make up this compound. Lit only by the stars in the cloudless night sky above, the ruins take on an empty, haunted aspect. An eerie silence pervades the ancient buildings—even the wind has died away to nothing.
At night, exterior areas in the ruin are dimly lit; building interiors are dark. Despite the ruin’s reputation, you find it is only abandoned and forlorn, not haunted.
Just off the central courtyard, a curious stone structure resembling an exterior hearth with narrow, twinned chimneys rises into the sky. These chimneys are far better preserved than the surrounding buildings.
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Seein' as how you fellers have gotten this all figured out, I reckon I've got to pull my weight an' check this place out. Slaine whispers to the other 3. He then takes a careful look around the area and then approaches the hearth-like structure and inspects it carefully with his knowledge of alchemy, searching for signs of fire rockets.
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Wu-Tang realizes the structure was designed to facilitate the launch of
fireworks for communication purposes. Two fireworks can be launched from the twinned chimney simultaneously.
He begins to try to move heavy lid and it starts to budge a bit. Slaine joins in on the effort and it is soon open, revealing a large space beneath the lid contains a cache of a dozen skyrockets. The tubes of which are brightly colored despite their age. There are two each of red, blue, orange, yellow, white, and violet skyrockets.
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Ok, he said, "Directions to the palace are said to be ‘writ in letters of green fire.’", so wondering if we are to shoot off a green firework, but no greens. So two fireworks can be launched at same time, yellow and blue make green. What do you guys think? Shooting them would surely draw attention that we don't really want. Are their any other clues around that maybe impart a magical direction to the physical firework?
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Slaine uses his alchemical skills to simultaneously launch a yellow and blue skyrocket at the same time.
Smoke billows out from the stone tubes and the two rockets roar into the sky, trailing sparks of blue and yellow. At a surprisingly low altitude, they simultaneously explode, blue and yellow flashes combining into sizzling green. The green sparks coalesce and twist in the dark, forming enormous words written in Tien.
The words reference the Dragon Empires Zodiacal symbol of the Dog.
The letters linger in the air for a good 20 seconds and then the fiery words break apart and settle to the ground. As they do so, some of the individual characters unexpectedly retain their form. Upon coming to rest on the nearby flagstones, the burning green characters roar and charge at you.
Initiative
Round 1
map
Slaine
Archibald
Wu-Tang
Fireworks
Diluvious
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I ain't never seen no thing like them! Away with ye, ye verdant varmints!
Slaine slides 5 feet forward while taking aim at the distant mad firework and lets loose with a firework of his own.
BLAMMO!
Then using Rapid Reload feat/Fast Musket ability and alchemical cartridge he reloads as a move action and with Rapid Shot feat fires a second shot (at the distance one if it's still up, otherwise at the closer one.
DOUBLE BLAMMO!!
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Reading the symbol in the air written in Tien, Wu-Tang mumbles under his breath about the symbol of the dog.
Magical fireworks attacking us was the last thing I expected!
I charge forward and attack with my club, thinking fireworky spirits might not respond to pokes with a scimitar as much as a woosh thru with a club
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Slaine takes aim and hits with his first shot, it does seem to hurt the firework...but with his second shot, well, BLAMMO! The firework explodes in a shower of sparks before dissipating.
Archibald's magic missiles hits it as well; and Wu-Tang's club sends sparks of green light flying. The firework glows softer than before.
The firework throws it's at Wu-Tang in attack. but the druid easily sidesteps the attack.
Round 1
map
Slaine
Archibald
Wu-Tang
Firework 9 dmg
Diluvious
Round 2
Slaine
Archibald
Wu-Tang