With Myth's arrow shooting quickly and true, it pierces the leftmost kanji.
As Boolar whips a missile of force toward rightmost burning kanji, it strikes a long stroke in the center, causing the entire symbol to collapse into the dust in a heap, before the cinders extinguish.
A cloud of acid coalesces around the shapes of the two fiery beasts, and the one remaining seems to flicker as the acidic mist eats away at it's form.
Yidric's first attack goes wide, the stairs causing a little bit of trouble for his short little legs, before the living flame tries to punch the would be attacker. Yidric tries to parry the blow away, but unfortunately underestimated the strength of the fiery rage. His jaunty clothes begin to smolder, as the forceful strike hits home.
Skaf
Kita Kyuichi
Mythrynder
Boolar Rejic
Abolt Greenseed
Yidric Belove (-5 and Reflex Save DC 11)
Fire Sigil (-6)
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"What does the year of the dog have to do with this?"
"We were told that a clue to the location would be writ in green fire. It appears we have found the clue we are looking for. Understanding the clue will probably require additional information. Perhaps there was something on that map that referenced years or astronomy or zodiacal imagery."
Kita strides forward, while drawing his katana. He salutes the fire beings, before gripping the katana in both hands and attacking.
"Guardians, we apologize for disturbing your slumber. We will be on our way presently and will not bother the waystation further. For now, consider your watch ended."
Kita's strike goes wide, as the rage incarnate quickly ducks the blow. Myth's arrow, aimed for the top of the beast, naturally whizzes past Kita, before piercing the ground with a TWANG!
Skaf
Kita Kyuichi
Mythrynder
Boolar Rejic
Abolt Greenseed
Yidric Belove (-5 and Reflex Save DC 11)
Fire Sigil (-8)
The electric shock from Skaf's fingertips is enough to burn out the remaining fire, as the empty watch station falls silent again.
The silence is short lived, as shrill whistle echoes in the night air.
Just beyond the treeline, Yue Xin is sitting on a folding stool, looking through a telescope at the night sky. Gesturing upward, Yue Xin says, “So the letters of green fire invoke the sign of the Dog, eh? Dogs may be vicious gluttons or friendly allies, and the wise know to be cautious until a cur’s true nature is revealed. But tell me, what does the Dog have to do with the lost palace?”
With a frown, Yue Xin looks back at Kita. "Ignorance and Choke-vines strangle the unwary, but True wisdom lies with the company they keep!" he replies, before looking expectantly at Abolt.
With a sidelong glare, Yue Xin glares at Abolt, before sighing and shrugging his shoulders. "You can lead a horse to water, but you cannot make them drink. May your travels be interesting, and your adventures safe."
Quickly packing up his telescope into a worn leather case, and folding the camp stool, he tucks them under his arm, and draws a scroll from his pack. A spectral Steed appears beneath him, as he rapidly rides off.
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"Thank all the gods! He is finally gone.
I swear, one more insult and I would not have been able to hold my anger any longer.
Back to camp!"
Kita matches his words and heads carefully back to camp, preparing a story about walking to the perimeter to investigate the loud bang if any of the guards should come to take a look.
-Posted with Wayfinder
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The journey back to Changdo is Uneventful, and Chie is waiting outside the main gate.
"It's getting pretty late, but I heard a loud BANG and saw fireworks! Was that you? While I was in the city, I received more information from Mai Chun. We can head out in the Morning to Quain!"
Early in the morning, after a hearty breakfast, Chie takes you all to Lanming, the capital city of Quain with a familiar walk through the clouds.
"Quain is known as the Land of a Thousand Heroes, Lanming especially. Apparently the local economy is almost entirely supported by carpentry and masonry, as all of the fighting tends to leave many of the establishments in poor shape. I'll see if I can find somewhere inside the city to stay, but I think camping outside might be a little safer."
After touching down, Chie hands you a map, with a note scrawled on the back. The map has marked roads, but no major landmarks, which is odd. An X marked with red ink, with "School of the Jade Ogre" written hastily underneath it.
The summer palace is lost, but not all who served there disappeared. I have a correspondent in Quain whose ancestor once lived in the palace. Travel to Lanming, that nation’s capital, and seek out the martial arts master Jiang Fei of the School of the Jade Ogre, who has been told to expect you. The young woman has a favor to ask of you in exchange for her family’s lore about the palace’s location.
– Mai Chun
A short walk leads to tall gates manned by tired looking guards. A newly built Guard house stands just inside the city gates. Bustling crowds and the sounds of combat come from almost every direction, as happy workmen head from building to building, offering their services to repair broken items.
Following the map to the Red X leads you to a slightly quieter section of town.
The shouts of merchants hawking wares and students practicing their forms are quieter in this part of the city, but the streets still bustle with activity. Rows of old and run-down dwellings line the streets. One small apartment has been converted into a food stall, where a handsome woman with dark hair chats with a few customers. The sign above the shop reads “Jiang Fei’s Dumpling House and School of the Jade Ogre Style.”
The woman behind the counter smiles at Myth, before wiping her hands on the black apron worn over a deep green uniform. "Give me just a moment, and I will be right with you!"
Her smile instantly turning to a grimace, she shouts before kicking the counter vertically off of the boxes that it was stacked on, flinging dumplings and paper trays, and scattering the few customers at her stall. With a practiced grab, she catches the makeshift counter in one hand, before hanging it over the existing sign. The bottom has painted in large green letters "JADE OGRE DOJO"
Carelessly whipping the black apron off and into a corner (filled with similar aprons waiting to be washed) to reveal a deep green martial arts uniform, the older woman stares at Myth. "I am Jiang Fei, master of this dojo! Here at the Jade Ogre Dojo, I teach Jade Ogre style, named after an old family heirloom. Students of the Scorpion School have been vandalizing my shop, scaring away my customers and generally being disruptive to the teaching of the Jade Ogre style. Tomorrow, we will show them who is in control of this street! I need you to show off the Awesome Power of Jade Ogre style, and beat the Scorpions to the punch! Your training starts NOW!"
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Yidric, these ruffians have spit upon the honor of the school. This is a direct challenge that must be answered.
To not answer the challenge would be an admission that Jade Ogre is somehow inferior.
I will say that such a challenge should normally be answered by the students of Jade Ogre, not by outsiders. I suppose that is why we are receiving an education first."
Although, that really does seem to be stretching the definition of a student to an extreme.
Jiang Fei takes a practiced stance, and begins to lecture, while demonstrating some of the different moves in Jade Ogre Style. "Now remember, the Most Important part of any fighting style is Shouting the name of the move as you use it! How do you expect to impress others without a show of force? Like This: " Jiang Fei throws a Powerful punch, aiming for center of mass.
For the next few hours, Jiang Fei teaches you the basics of the Jade Ogre fighting style. She is a stern teacher, but you all manage to pick up a few moves.
Ogre Scares the Foe: A hard strike with the knee aimed at the lower body. A target damaged by Ogre Scares the Foe must succeed at a Will save or lose any Strength bonus to attack and damage rolls for 1 round.
Ogre Smashes Rock: A straight-line punch designed to rock a foe backward. A target damaged by Ogre Smashes Rock must succeed at a Fortitude save or be pushed back 5 feet.
Ogre Stomps Around: A fast, jabbing kick that distracts a foe. A target damaged by Ogre Stomps Around must succeed at a Reflex save or lose its Dexterity bonus to AC for 1 round.
Ogre Swings the Club: A strong side kick. Apply 1-1/2 times the character’s Strength modifier to damage rolls when using Ogre Swings the Club.
"Defeating the Scorpion School with Jade Ogre style would certainly prove the excellence of my school! Perhaps I would have more students than Dumplings! Meet me Tomorrow morning at the Wang Li Fa Teahouse! It is deep in Scorpion School Territory, but it would be Exciting to beat them in their own house!" After giving you instructions to reach the teahouse, Jiang Fei begins to unroll a futon in the middle of the small Dojo, and prepare herself for the fight tomorrow.
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Outside the Dojo, Chie is waiting. "I've been watching you practice for a little bit, and it looks like you have learned some interesting fighting styles! I was able to secure some lodgings at a trade partner's inn just a few blocs from here. I am beginning to really like this city, there is so much excitement all the time! Maybe I'll see if I can set up my own inn in the future... Travelers seem to be plentiful, and pay well!"
After a nights rest, Chie comes along the the Wang Li Teahouse. Touching the comb in her hair, her outfit changes to one of the waitstaff at the teahouse. "This looks like it could be exciting! I'll be right here so we can get out of here quickly if we need to!"
Jaing Fei is waiting at a small table in the corner of this well lit and nicely decorated teahouse. Elaborate murals painted on the walls display the feats of local heroes. The furniture and serving dishes of the place are somewhat at odds with the decor though, and seem to be of cheap, rough make. The numerous patrons of the teahouse don’t seem to mind, and the place bustles with servers moving around and patrons chatting.
Waving you toward her (in a cloak covering her normal green uniform) she begins to whisper. "We need to find a way to pick a fight with them, but make it look like they started it. We will show them that Our Style is better than Scorpion Style! And take the high road for not instigating a fight!"
Chie chuckles, as she brings tea service for 7 to Jiang Fei's table, before walking back toward the kitchen with her tray.