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Prudence isn't able to get any traction on the chase, but Gene is able to make up a bit of ground despite not getting the drop on the kid! Gwydion talks some sense into Jiangjong which slows him down a little. Amestri's spells also slow him down a little bit, but he is able to shake them off, and makes for the final hedgerow that will lead to his escape...
When suddenly his guard, Zheng, catches Jianghong in a very deft (and decidedly non-lethal) martial arts move, bringing the lad to the ground just as you all arrive, out of breath.
Under Zheng's stern gaze, Jianghong stays silent and doesn't look at any of you. The grizzled veteran guard reaches into the sack of stolen goods his ward had taken from the school and fishes out the map you were after, holding it out towards you.
"这是你外国出生的兴趣吗？拿起来，开始。离开我的病房和这个地方立即。"
How do you respond?
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No one stops Prudence from taking the map. Once she does, Zheng makes shooing hand motions, clearly indicating that you should leave the school.
Leaving the area is easily done, and you return to Mai Chun. She is particularly pleased that you recovered the actual map, as she considers it returned to its rightful country at last. She assures you that she will be able to continue her research into the location of the Summer Palace while you track down more clues.
The next quest, Tea House, will begin shortly. One of our players will be offline from October 20-29, so I'd love it if we could get this one going before he leaves!
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After reviewing your instructions from Mai Chun, you arrive in Lanming without difficulty and seek out you contact, Jiang Fei. Locals asked about the School of the Jade Ogre initially look quizzical, then reply, “Oh, the Dumpling House!” and provide directions to a small shop in a slow, shabby section of Lanming.
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.”
is a Tian-Shu woman on the young side of middle age, with bright eyes and a demure smile. Once you introduce yourselves, she closes up shop and welcomes you into her home so you can discuss the favor she seeks of you. She tells you about the Scorpion martial arts School, whose students are known as loud bullies and braggarts.
She wants to teach you the basics of her Jade Ogre style in a small park behind her apartment an then have you pick a fight with the Scorpion School students the next day at a local tea house. Her hope is that, by being there and describing the moves you're performing during the brawl to the onlookers, that your help will garner her enough students that she can stop selling dumplings and focus solely on the Jade Ogre School!
The save DC of each of these moves is equal to 10 + Half your level + your Wisdom modifier:
- 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.
Jiang Fei cautions you against using overt magic or lethal attacks during the brawl, and feeds you nice hearty dumplings before taking you to the tea house!
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Gwydion does not exactly exhibit the strength and power normally associated with an ogre, but he is quick and his mental discipline shows through during the training. He stays focused and does not become discouraged when his bigger companions best him in a spar. Soon enough his black-and-white robes are flowing about with grace as his small bare feet stomp and kick.
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After your day of training (montage), Jiang Fei gives you a hearty breakfast of delicious dumplings, then leads you to your upcoming confrontation, reminding you to not use lethal force.
The Wang Li Fa Teahouse is well lit and nicely decorated, with elaborate murals painted on the walls displaying 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.
She gets you a table near the door, and points out the Scorpion School students, telling you that she is going up to the overlooking balcony to talk up your skills to locals and try to drum up support for her Jade Ogre school while you fight. As you take some sips of tea , Jiang Fei sends over a pot of very weak tea to the Scorpion School table, the server pointing to you and saying that it's a gift from your table to theirs.
All four of the Scorpion School students slam back a potion as one of them jumps up from her table and shouts in slightly broken Common, “That’s it! You are going to regret insulting the Scorpion Style!” Her fellow students follow her lead and leap to their feet as well, sending teacups and other dishes crashing to the floor.
The Blue monk enters Scorpion Style and hops up on a table...
Then readies an action to kick whoever comes adjacent to him first!
(Nonlethal, if the above hits)
Round 1!
Chewyy
Ellie
Red Scorpion Monk
Yellow Scorpion Monk
Green Scorpion Monk
Gene
Gwydion
Prudence
Amestri
Round 2!
Blue Scorpion Monk
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The Red monk circles around to attack Ellie, while the Yellow and Green monks move into the center of the room to try and attack Chewyy!
Nonlethal
Nonlethal
Round 1!
Gene
Gwydion
Prudence
Amestri
Round 2!
Blue Scorpion Monk
Chewyy (-3 Nonlethal)
Ellie (-3 Nonlethal)
Red Scorpion Monk
Yellow Scorpion Monk
Green Scorpion Monk
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Amestri misses while Prudence and Gwydion get into position.
Gene, however, lands a hit on the Red monk with Ogre Smashes Rock!
Being knocked into the table causes it to break, eliciting a cheer from the onlookers who Jiang Fei is talking to about the Jade Ogre style that Gene just used!
Extra damage from the breaking furniture
or fall prone
The Blue monk stays on top of his half of the table and tries to kick Chewyy in the face!
...but misses!
Chewyy (-3 Nonlethal)
Ellie (-3 Nonlethal)
Red Scorpion Monk (-4 Nonlethal)
Yellow Scorpion Monk
Green Scorpion Monk
Gene
Gwydion
Prudence
Amestri
Round 3!
Blue Scorpion Monk
GM Note: 2
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Your GM forgot that since part of the table the Blue monk is standing on is broken, that monk is currently flat-footed. Ellie forgot to add the +2 flanking bonus to her attack. Result? Hit!
Ellie sweeps the leg and knocks the Blue monk unconscious!
Chewyy performs the Ogre Stomps Around on the Yellow monk!
Nonlethal
Chewyy staggers his target, but he doesn't go down just yet!
The Yellow monk will try to use Acrobatics to get away from Chewyy and Gwydion!
DC 20
DC 10
The Red monk tries a Stunning Fist attack on Ellie!
When he misses, he takes a five foot step back then draws a potion from his belt.
The Green monk takes a five foot step between the two ladies, attempting a Flurry of blows against Amestri and Prudence!
Nonlethal
Gene
Gwydion
Prudence
Amestri (-5 Nonlethal)
Blue Scorpion Monk (-10 Nonlethal, KO)
Chewyy (-3 Nonlethal)
Ellie (-3 Nonlethal)
Red Scorpion Monk (-4 Nonlethal)
Yellow Scorpion Monk (-9 Nonlethal, Staggered and Disabled)
Green Scorpion Monk
GM Note: 4
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As the red monk 5 foot adjusts to draw his potion, Ellie follows his steps (Step Up) and, provided the monk still draws his potion, places a fast, stabbing kick into his solar plexus, hoping to knock him off guard for her next attack.
For her action the following round, she uses Ogre Smashes Rock to try and force the monk further into the corner.
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Prudence misses her stomping attack, as does Ellie on her attack of opportunity. Her smashing rock, however, lands squarely in the monk's chest, knocking him backwards into the seat behind him and unconscious as the chair breaks his fall with a crash, followed by laughter and cheers from the onlookers!
Gene's jump is a bit clumsy, but Ellie's take-down of the Red monk clears the path. He also stomps around and knocks the Yellow monk unconscious as well!
Amestri's attack misses, though it was relatively close to connecting!
Gwydion (botted by request) will double-move to get around in a position to set up a flank for Chewyy, trying to acrobatically duck and roll under a table for some added flair...
...which makes the crowd cheer a bit more!
Chewyy (botted by request) takes a five-foot step into flank and will attempt to Ogre Smash Rock the Green monk!
Nonlethal + DC 13 Fort Save
The Green monk is knocked into a bench next to another table and it breaks under him!
DC 14 or fall prone
The Green monk, the last one representing the Scorpion School, will attempt a Flurry of Blows against Amestri and Prudence again, making the attack vs Amestri a Stunning Fist attempt!
+ Stunning Fist
Gene
Gwydion
Prudence (-2 Nonlethal)
Amestri (-5 Nonlethal)
Blue Scorpion Monk (-10 Nonlethal, KO)
Chewyy (-3 Nonlethal)
Ellie (-3 Nonlethal)
Red Scorpion Monk (-13 Nonlethal, KO)
Yellow Scorpion Monk (-16 Nonlethal, KO)
Green Scorpion Monk (-7 Nonlethal)
GM Note: 10
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Amestri remembers the training montage and begins to stomp around the Green monk, catching him in both knees and then his solar plexus, taking him down, unconscious!
After the fight, Jiang Fei shoos you out of the teahouse to go and rest back at her apartment while she talks up her school to onlookers. She promises to meet back with you there in an hour. As you are heading out, you find 4 potions of Cure Light Wounds on the monks.
Jiang Fei arrives as promised, and shows you the Jade Ogre Comb from her hair, as promised. She says that you are welcome to handle the comb, and may draw its intricately-patterned landscape or write down a description, but you cannot take the comb with you.
Jiang Fei feels the demonstration went well and she is in very high spirits, as several onlookers expressed interest in becoming students or funding her school. She is very grateful to you for your help, and makes sure you are filled up with tasty dumplings before heading out to your next assignment.
The next quest, Constellation, will begin later tonight!
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After reviewing your instructions from Mei Chun once more, you reach Changdo without incident, enjoying the safety of the heavily patrolled roads of Po Li. As you approach the city, you 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 wearing a broad straw hat stands beside the well, the line of his bamboo fishing pole disappearing into its depths.
Once you approach, he 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.
"要鱼没有鱼是知道智慧的。"
When none of you respond in Tien, he sighs a little bit, his eyes rolling skyward, before he speaks in accented but otherwise perfect Taldane (Common), "To fish where there are no fish is to know wisdom."
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Gwydion takes a shallow bow after the combat, trying to play up the crowd a bit as it seems they really enjoyed his quick and agile style of distraction to allow the other Pathfinders to do the real damage.
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Gwydion pauses for a moment, his eyes moving up and to the left as he ponders the man's pseudoaphorism before smacking Gene in the arm and responding with his own. "And one who questions training only trains himself at asking questions."
Without much pause, Gwydion introduces himself. "Hello! I am Gwydion, servant of the Black and White. These are my companions. We are Pathfinders and friends of Mai Chun. We are looking for Yue Xin. Perhaps you can help us?"
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The man just inclines his head to you, speaking softly.
"当他们只能用野蛮的语言说话时，他们怎么会甚至开始假装是机智的？ I am Yue Xin."[/
He takes a step to join you as he removes a bundle of poorly-preserved papers from his satchel and hands them to Amestri and Gwydion. 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.”
When neither of the pair recognize anything on the page, the man sighs elaborately as he draws a wand from the folds of his robes. “The ruler who listens more closely to his fool than to his councilors knows only foolish counsel...If you cannot read words writ in black ink, how will you read words writ in green fire? Can one of you lot at least use a wand to Comprehend other Languages?”
With that out of the way, he continues:
“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.
“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.”
After Yue Xin's briefing but before departing, you can see if you recall anything helpful about Imperial Lung Wa or its communication protocols. NOTE -
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Ellie looks around at the group with an almost apologetic expression.
While the arts of stealth are not unknown to me, I am not exceptionally proficient in them. That being said, I would not want to put the lives of soldiers simply doing their jobs at risk just to gain information on a long dead empire. There is no honor and no good to be done wasting life to pilfer what would seem to them to be useless information. I say we take the night time approach and do our best to avoid contact with guard patrols.
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Gwydion accepts the wand with thanks and promises to put it to good use.
After asking around, Gwydion tells his companions a few things he's learned about what to expect. "We should certainly go at night; word on the street is that the guards tend to be a little more lax as they grow tired. We should expect guardians as well; either undead or visitors from another plane. Typically watchers also communicate with fireworks so we need to keep them from sending signals if they try to light anything."
*