I figured I would go ahead and create this thread and as players get their submissions in they can post here to solidify their positions. I'm officially saying first come first serve to five players and if by friday the 15th I don't have a full party we'll just level up the PC's we do have and start
Wonderful, that's really the only reason I set it up this early so that people would have plenty of time to dot it and be able to post when the time comes. If people would like to start basic roleplaying I'm not opposed but nothing complicated will real happen.
The slow rays of the sun graceful crest over each rock and stone this morning, this seventh day of the month of Izanagi. Fierce winds blow up the mountainside as each of you wake to the glorious day around you.
High above the cities of the world, Tai Zhu Temple sits, carved into the stone of the mountain like a great ornate cave. Pillars have been formed to reinforce the ceiling and lead out, all the way to the start of a stairway chiseled down to the base of the mountain. Figuratively known as The Thousand Steps, only those capable of great endurance are able to walk these magical steps, and few make it to the top in good spirits. Within the mountain the Temple unfolds and seems to be made of hundreds of rooms, each a shrine dedicated to another god of the Celestial Bureaucracy. In the center of them all and at the back of the massive open air chamber is the shrine to Susano-o, Lord and emperor of the Bureaucracy and greatest of the gods. All along the back wall are lined uncountable candles, each lit with the rising of the sun to signify the great loss of Amaterasu and the respect for the new way of life.
His fascination with the process of creation would lead Tetsushinzo Kikai to spend his time wherever the weapons and armor are made. If no such place exists, then the scriptorium would be his next choice of a place to be, and the scriptorium would likely be where he spends his nights pursuing restful reading while the others sleep. In the morning time, he spends his time practicing various weapons with the other monks. He will assist in tasks befitting his skills as requested as a courtesy to his hosts.
After uneventful evening ...
Ikari says to the young monk, "Go ahead and make breakfast while I meditate. I will save you from an early morning enlightenment. Just remember, not to eat too much. After 1,000 steps on a full stomach, you will find your food wanting to leave your body from which it came quite rapidly. Make sure the water jugs are filled, you will need to hydrate as we ascend. In addition, make sure to clean up the area."
A few minutes later ...
"Hurry up Kohai, enlightenment awaits!"
The next morning he keeps his eyes low and asks to make breakfast in shame, however after you agree a smile crosses his lips and he cheerily hums while he cooks and eats. He then rushes to the nearest spring and fills the water jugs, before hauling them behind you to Tai Zhu Temple.
Before you unfold the Thousand Steps, a long and straight path up the might mountainside. As Chen takes the first step you find despite his obvious health issues he is rather sturdy and seems comfortable with the steps. Upon taking the first step upon the stairs you can feel the Ki flow out of your body in all directions and realize you have lost your ability to fly or channel Ki energy.
"Master Kikai." A young monk you saw come in last night will approach you at some point in the morning. He drops to a knee, bowing his head as he continues, "I am unaware of the sustenance you survive on, however the Grand Abbot requests your presence in the main hall for the morning prayer."
He looks up to you upon finishing before jumping to his feet and gesturing to the door with one arm, intending to lead you there.
As you take each step you feel weight pile upon you. After about thirty minutes of walking up the steps the apprentice has slowed as the air around both of you seems to weigh down upon you. You move as though you were encumbered by a medium load at this point and will need to make a Fortitude save to continue.
Chen is obviously showing the wear of the steps strange magic, but he pushed on, trying to keep up at an almost crawl of a pace. "The steps shall not defeat us." He tries to smile before grimacing from the load of the steps. Looking up you are about of quarter of the way up the stairs.
Not sure if that made or not.
As you and your weary companion reach the top step you see a grand hall where some fifteen monks young monks sit on long rugs, each 10ft. wide and twenty feet long. Before them are bowls of rice and stone chopsticks and each man has a bowl of what appears to be milk and a single fruit. The hall is almost 80ft. wide, reinforced every fifteen feet by a stone column leading into the ceiling.
Stretching back 95 ft. the back of the open chamber has hundreds of lit candles sitting each on their own stand with a massive stone statue that is immediately recognizable as Susano-o, lord of winds and emperor of the Celestial Bureaucracy. At the back of the chamber, knelt in prayer are the remaining monks, nearly fifty mean, all silent as the grave. No man eats nor speaks as a single aged monk walks out of a back room behind the shrine. He walks slowly, a flowing golden robe draped upon his shoulders with only one arm coming out of his right sleeve. A long gray beard hangs from his chin, thin and fluid like water, but his head is bare. In it he grips a Bo staff of fine steel which he uses as a walking stick. He takes a position at the front to begin the morning ceremony.
Ikari and Chen bow to the aged monk in unison. Ikari leaves his hood up for now so not to draw attention away from the grand master. Since Ikari and Chen are slightly late, they both sit to the side of the door awaiting for a barely detectable gesture or nod to take seats at the rug according to station (rank).
You are given a seat almost immediately upon entering at the back, one of the other monks actually moving from his spot for you to take his place. With your knowledge the morning prayer is a preface before the monk's eat and they are currently awaiting all guests to begin as to show proper hospitality in accordance with one of the laws of the Mandate of Heaven. The monk who rises, a younger man with a long silver braid and matching silver eyes leaves after bowing to you, entering a side room and disappearing from sight.
Jhal stifles a belch, coughing quietly. The big simple-looking bearded villager looks red in the face, though judging from his breath that may just be from the sake.
"Anythin' to go with the rice?" Jhal asks Saiko. His attempt at a whisper may as well have been a horse running through the serene temple. He crosses his arms and goes as silent as he's able, unhappy and out of place, clearly better suited for a flea-ridden tavern.
+1 INT, +2 Know(Religion)
"I may be able to get you some dried yak and fruit if you'd like. Wait here and try to keep your voice down for now." Jugo chuckles and shakes his head as he walks off. He'll then bring back a plate of meat with a strange orange/red fruit you haven't seen before. It appears to have small spikes in it's skin and he hands you a small knife with it.
"The skin is no good, you'll be sick if you eat it."
"Yak?" Jhal looks skeptical until he sees the meat, wolfing it down with grunts and lip smacking. He takes the knife in a huge thick hand, making it look even smaller, and turns his attention to the strange fruit, brow furrowed in concentration, beard littered with yak-bits.
The meat is well enough, under-seasoned but they are ascetics after all. Next to you sits a ornately robed monk, hooded and eagerly watching the events unfold at the end of the hall. You also notice that in a room of 60 or so people you are the only one who has begun eating (though if that gives you no pause no one will stop you.) The rest all wait, watching the old man at the end of the hall to begin the morning ritual. Jugo then leaves after rising from his seat for the old man and making his way out of the room.
T.K. looks up from the books and listens to the young monk's words.
"No need to bow so lowly before me, young monk," he says, closing the thick book and rolling up the scroll he was cross-referencing, "I am but a servant of the bureaucracy. I require no sustenance, but I shall follow you to the main hall."
"Of course Master, this way." This monk is Saika Jugo you know, he's the son of the Grand Abbot and a Rishi (see the description Knowledge Religion above). He leads you into the hall to a place on the rugs and then walks up to attend his father. Next to you are the other PC's
Grand Abbot Fu Wen is the highest holy figure in the land. As each of you become seated the monks say a phrase in Celestial at once.
In response he calls out to the assembled monks as he hands his staff to the Silver haired monk, Saika Jugo, and casts off his robes. Underneath he is missing his left arm at the shoulder and is bare chested, a surprising amount of muscle underneath. He addresses the gathering in celestial.
The silver haired monk walks to him and the Master illustrates a great circle in the air before him. Green energy flows from his fingertips and he draws a circle, dissected by a river. He then touches his sons head and the energy flies across Jugo, like being bathed in a stream. He then continues in Common, "Next I shall bless the mighty archer, a farmer by trade who protects this Bureaucracy. Jhal Kim, come forth my son."
Jhal looks up, surprised. "Me?" He clears his throat and chuckles a little, trying to break the tension but only succeeding in making it more awkward. Gets to his feet, knocking the table a little with his keg-belly, and approaches warily, looking to Jugo for assurance.
Jugo nods calmly as Jhal makes his way before the Grandmaster. The master speaks strange tones and he casts a spell, creating the Green circle once more and this time allowing it to flow over Jhal. As the energy washes over you feel an immense strength, like you are warm and secure. The comfort lasts through the spell and follows your steps back to your seat once he excuses you.
The Grand Master projects his voice across the room, "It takes great strength to come from a simple background and become a hero, but you have taken your first step. You may relax now, and continue eating if you like." The old monk chuckles uncharacteristically while the rest of the hall remains silent.
Jhal resumes his battle with the spiky fruit.
Jhal while you don't notice the spoiler information above you do notice that there are three monks, dressed far more innately and covered almost entirely head to toe with hooded robes. They stand rather then kneel about 20 feet from the rugs and just behind the kneeling procession and haven't moved since you arrived. Each stands in the shade of the corners of the room.
The fruit isn't too difficult to open once you gain solid control of the knife and the fruit inside is sweet but leaves a bitter aftertaste in your mouth. If you eat the skin make a Fort Save.
You are given a seat almost immediately upon entering at the back, one of the other monks actually moving from his spot for you to take his place. With your knowledge the morning prayer is a preface before the monk's eat and they are currently awaiting all guests to begin as to show proper hospitality in accordance with one of the laws of the Mandate of Heaven. The monk who rises, a younger man with a long silver braid and matching silver eyes leaves after bowing to you, entering a side room and disappearing from sight.
Ikari bows in return and sits down at the sitting place setting.
Ikari also states and catches up with the other monks in stating ... "Hail Master Wen, he who speaks with the God emperor above."
Ikari quickly and gracefully arises from his sitting place bows to Grand Abbot Wen then those sitting around his sitting place and proceeds to the front gracefully and quickly, then bows low to Grand Abbot Wen as he stands before him in the proper place. Ikari does not remove his hood unless told otherwise. He does not want to take attention away from the Grand Abbot. In other words, it is out of respect and not disrespect,
He then creates a different symbol, six points connected like a star by waving lines. As his hand stops at each one a bright light appears. The first is Red, the second orange, the third yellow, then green, blue and finally purple. All dots are connected by white ethereal lines which suddenly burst forward.
Ikari you feel your veins run almost as if with fire and your each muscle flexes and relaxes what seems like hundreds of times in the few seconds you stand before the master. Suddenly the energy flushes it's way out of you, covering the floor and rising into small flowers of each color before fading away. As you rise the Master smiles and bows his head towards you ever so slightly.
The Master smiles and turns his head towards Kikai.
Will Save
Ikari drops his hood revealing a humanoid that looks like a creature from I am Legend with Wil Smith, excluding the sun burns and gnarly teeth. He replies while dropping his hood and bowing once more,
A younger pupil (a child by all counts) leads you back to your place on the rug. You feel the dread sweep over you as you take your seat and even as you fight it off and strengthen your will the pupil begins to flee, a look of sheer terror on his face gazing at an unknown entity at the back of the hall. For reference you are assumed to be walked back to your seat as Tetsushinzo (assumably) walks towards Master Wen.
Tetsushinzo as you step to the front of the order you can see in the eyes of each monk of the procession they feel the dread that has swept over you. Each of you begin to quiver and it becomes obvious to the Master almost immediately. He begins, "What is wrong, my son?" But as he finishes his sentiment a voice from the back of the room erupts across the room.
"What is wrong is that you each have come to the end of days. The rising of Amaterasu is at hand, and with your texts and the relics within each of you shall FALL!" The voice is terrible and deep and ends with malevolent laughter.
As it erupts each monk lets out a scream and flees to the back of the hall, heading into side rooms and some even fleeing down the Thousand Steps of Serenity in a disorganized clatter. All that remains are the three monks at the back of the room, each fully robed and concealed. They stand ten feet from Ikari and Jhal Kim and twenty feet from the master and Tetsushinzo. Each is twenty feet from his partner with the center member standing ten feet farther back. Suddenly they erupt into motion, each leaping forward and as claws unveil from beneath their sleeves and shrunken fly out. Two strike the master and he suddenly recoils. From the back, two shrunken strike out at Ikari and Jhal.
Ikari Damage if successful
Jhal Damage if successful
T.K. Damage if successful
Saika Damage if successful
Everyone hit needs a fort save versus poison and then roll initiative. Consider yourselves flat-footed for this attack.
..Ow. Fort Save
Initiative
He's hit, but immune to poison.
On his turn, T.K. will assume Leading the Charge stance and will activate his armor.
T.K.'s magically animated suit of full plate armor is created from ornate interlocking plates of metal. The plates are each in the shape of a different one of the hundreds of kami that make up the Celestial Bureaucracy. When the command word is spoken, the shapes stream from the box and flow over the wearer’s body, interlocking perfectly to create a single, smooth suit of full plate.
only 3 damage taken from that attack, if the 3d6 was sneak attack and not an exploding shuriken or something.
Yep, that sounds right all the way around. I'm going to go ahead and roll the villain's initiatives and Master Wen's.
Assassins
Ominous voice
Master Wen
-Will Save
-AC: 16 flat footed, no hit
-Init:
Ikari years of training has given him sort of a 6th sense. Even surprised, he is able to fluidly avoid the onslaught of shuriken flying towards him, just missing his skin in various locations. As his hands come out and clear his robes, a flaming monk spade made out of semi-solid ghostly energy is produce. After his weapon is produced, he let's out a loud, "Shiaaa!"
Alright I'm doing some research at present, however the current Initiative order is:
Ikari Chanbara
Saika Jugo
T.K
Master Wen
Jhal Kim
Bad guys
Fort Save for Ikari
Saika poison damage Con damage
Ikari throws his mind monk spade at the closest or the assassin in front of him with a loud, "Shiaaa!"
He forms a new monk mind spade as a free action.
The closest assassin would be the one who just attacked you, he manages to dodge the mind spade as it soars through the air ablaze, however as it goes it tears off his hood, revealing the head of a large rat underneath. His small clawed hands quickly move to check his face before he scowls back at you.
Saika, looks down upon the grievous injury across his neck and as he rallies his strength he raises the Bo staff his father handed him and will charge the assassin responsible for his injuries.
Damage
He is in Martial Spirit Stance as of now.
Master Wen will take his turn after T.K. dons his armor. The Master begins casting a spell when suddenly a massive club, five feet long appears behind him and crashes into his back. The same voice erupts across the room, this time made flesh by the giant looming at the back of the hall.
"I give you a choice, Steel Monk, you can face me in combat, or save your master from the Rats!" As he intones the Master is sent flying across the room, landing ten feet away prone. He completes his spell just before he lands and surges with holy energy.
The figure that struck him is an oni, eight feet tall at the shoulder with Shining copper skin. He has three eyes, two large eyes and a single smaller eye that sits between them on his forehead. Just above this he has a crown of ten horns, all pointing in asymmetrical directions, some out, some in, some up, some down, a few forward and a few back just above his eyes. All of you that failed your will save (T.K. and Jhal) immediately feel that source of your unsettling qualms has revealed itself.
Jhal struggles to keep his wits, knocking his chair over as he quickly stands and draws his bow, muscles straining before releasing an arrow at the ratman that attacked him.
To Hit:
Damage: + (Ranged Precision)