GM Mindxing 03-15 The Haunting of Hinojai

Game Master MindXing

Unable to sense the creature nearby, Ki Chin slowly relaxes as no attack comes from any direction.
Once it is clear the creature has fled the magus takes a quick peek at the telescope, just to see if it is pointed at anything interesting.

A quick glance of the room shows that the only exits are through the doors to the west, neither of which are open, or the door from the bathing room. The north side is entirely open and provides an expansive view of the countryside.

Ki Chin steps up to the telescope and peers through it. He sees nothing extraordinary.

Kiyoko moves to open the door to the north of her, on the western wall. “Let us get away from here, lest that creature should return.”

"This is just a guess, but it seems that the creature used teleportation magic to flee. It may be gathering reinforcements or preparing traps. We should explore if any hiding spots remain in this mansion." Toto says

Kiyoko opens the door. Paper, brushes, and dried ink stains cover a monk’s writing desk; all are covered in a thin layer of dust. A chest containing
clothes and carefully folded bedding sits in the corner. A smear of rusty-brown dried blood runs from a door on the west side of the room to the center where it stops abruptly.

The Tian-Min samurai advances through the room, then opens the door out onto the veranda. She pokes her head outside and calls over her shoulder, "There is a chest in here."

Maybe there was something more valuable than clothing in there, but who knows?

Seeing nothing else of note through the telescope Ki Chin follows Kiyoko to the next room.
"The dust here is thin. Maybe the last people who came here are still here?" Looking around the room he notices the dried blood near the western door. "Blood!" the magus alerts the others as he draws his sword.

Aylanna tries to keep up with the group, keeping her eyes on them more then usual as she is still deafened.

To-to feels slightly more alert when Ki Chin points out blood "Is everyone ready? That witch might be close."

There's nothing of interest in this room really. There is a door to the west that my rendering of the map is making difficult to see. I'm sorry that I didn't point this out well enough earlier. The map in A3 is very confusing. Those stairs on both the north and south sides actually lead up to a balcony that overlooks the area A3. I remember when I played through this the first time, the GM also had to mention this. I should have remembered earlier...

Kiyoko steps out onto the veranda and follows it to the west and south before arriving in the garden (A3). She then heads to the door to the north of the garden and opens it.

Ki Chin looks to the others, checking their readiness before slowly opening the door on the west side of A7.

Kiyoko quickly makes her way around the house and back to the large open garden. She skips up the short flight of stairs to the lower raised walkway on the north side. She pauses for a second then pushes open the door. At the same time, Ki Chin opens the door to the west of where he and the rest of the group are. Both doors open to the same room.

The room is a moderately sized square room with a window offering an expansive view to the north. A few piles of rotted bedding and a empty storage chests, but no objects of significant interest value. Ancient bloodstains mar the floor and the smell in this room is rank and foul, but has faded over time.

Everyone who enters the room, please give me a perception check.

Aylanna will follow Ki Chin if he enters, but is uncomfortable going first with her lack of hearing.

Perception: 1d20 + 0 ⇒ (1) + 0 = 1 - situational penalties for deafness

To-to is running closely behind Kiyoko. He is grasping his sword as he enters the room.

Perception: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (18) + 7 = 25

Perception: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (13) + 2 = 15

Kiyoko steps into the room warily and looks around.

Almost as soon as he enters the room, To-to notices something strange about the west wall. His eyes focus on the chipped and curling lacquer. A moment later he perceives a barely visible vertical line. Following the line upwards, with his eyes, he sees that it makes a ninety degree turn and becomes horizontal. It's a hidden door!

"See that outline on wall? There's a door hidden." To-to points at spot in the wall

Ki Chin gives the room a once over as he sees Kiyoko coming in from the other door.
perception: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (4) + 6 = 10

Kiyoko looks over at where To-to is pointing, then moves to investigate further. Maybe there was a way to open the door, she thought, running her hands over the wall.

In a moment, Kiyoko finds a hidden latch that she is sure will open the secret door. It doesn't appear to be locked.

“Ready yourselves,” Kiyoko says, glancing over her shoulder. After a moment’s pause, she throws the latch and opens the secret door.

Ki Chin nods at Kiyoko as he tenses, ready to attack at a moment's notice.

The door swings open and reveals piles of bedding and storage chests filling the room, as well as a low table and several cushions, and a writing desk with a shelf of books above it. The room hasn’t seen use in many years but otherwise appears to be in good repair.

This room has stuff for Silver Crusade or Grand Lodge factions only. Kinda a waste. The remaining areas are in the southeast and then up the stairs from A3. More and more I'm remembering why I didn't really like this scenario. Lots and lots of going from room to room with nothing happening. The instructions to the GM are to make it seem creepy and tense. Maybe at a table that would come across. In PbP it is just tedious. There is still the main encounter to deal with and you guys will eventually get there.

Aylanna is Silver Crusade, and unless she has to hear something to investigate she'd take a look if she notices.

Perception: 1d20 ⇒ 10 - but deaf if it matters

yeah room to room crawls really slow down in the pbp format

Honestly, I think in a PbP format, the 'creepy and tense' part would definitely rely on elaborate descriptions of the eerieness of the place from the GM.

Kiyoko steps into the room and takes a look around. "Mmn....Several chests." She takes a step closer to investigate the nearest chest, motioning over her shoulder with one hand for the others to join her.

Perception: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (13) + 2 = 15

Sadly, I'm not a good enough writer to pull it off... Especially not in the horror genre.

Kiyoko opens the first chest and is immediately inundated with a moldy, must smell. The chest contains several neatly folded sets of clothing -- some with a military bearing and some rather plain and mundane. At the bottom of the chest are several pairs of well used sandals.

The second chest is much like the first while the third chest contains personal affects such as rusted razors, hair brushes, handheld mirrors, and dried out containers of hair wax.

It's clear that this room was used as a hideout. But the occupants have been long gone.

On the desk and bookshelf there are quite a few documents related to the Way of Kirin.

Grand Lodge or Silver Crusader factions can do some extra checks for potential prestige points. Is anyone here interested in that?

Aylanna is Silver Crusade, was set to looking for Way of the Kirin stuff I believe. She may be deaf, but she can still read!

Aylana is drawn to some of the a book of military history. She thumbs through it and a few pages seem to be particularly interesting.

Knowledge (history) or Sense Motive

Sense Motive + Guidance: 1d20 + 8 + 1 ⇒ (7) + 8 + 1 = 16

After spending a few minutes looking through the book, Aylanna decides that maybe it isn't all that interesting afterall.

Do you guys want to go to the area in the southeast or upstairs from A3?

To-to voices his intention to proceed upstairs.

Kiyoko glances at To-to and moves to follow him upstairs.

Ki Chin looks curiously at the book Aylanna is reading but pays it no mind and silently follows Kiyoko up the stairs.

I'm assuming that all of you are going upstairs (from area A3). We are on slide 8 now. Please place yourselves along the stairs and the start of the balcony in the order you want to be. Please don't pass the red line. Aylanna can give me a Perception check. We'll continue once everyone has put themselves on the map where they want to be.

The group leaves the secret alcove and makes their way back to the open atrium. Steps on the north and south sides of the atrium lead up to a balcony that overhangs the atrium on the east side.

As the party ascends the steps they start to feel an oppressive air. Something doesn't feel right.

"Either I'm just paranoid or there is something sinister up there. Do you feel it?" To-to stands at the base of stairs feeling anxious

My Shield spell is no longer active if more than 6 minutes have passed since last fight.

Kiyoko nods grimly as the party ascends the stairs. She keeps her hand near the hilt of her katana. "It may be like the bath-house again," she says, thinking of the blast of cold from the phantasm downstairs.

Aylanna follows the others, squinting a few moments as Kiyoko and To-to's mouths move hoping she can discern what they are saying. But it's hopeless, and she turns her attention to her surroundings.

Perception: 1d20 + 0 ⇒ (18) + 0 = 18 but deaf

Ki Chin follows Kiyoko, sword drawn and ready to rush to her aid. He concentrates his senses, alert for enemies.perception: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (6) + 6 = 12

Kiyoko, Ki Chin, and To-to make their way up the stairs onto a balcony that overlooks the atrium and stone garden below. Aylanna and Eltran bring up the rear but are still on the stairs when To-to goes stiff. His eyes take on a distant look. He moves slowly towards the center of the balcony, gently pushing Ki Chin and Kiyoko to the side.

What To-to sees
To-to's eyes go dark for a moment and then a scene unfolds. The spectral image of a Tian woman in a flowing nightgown dances and twirls on the balcony in front of you. Her dark hair swirls in the air as she tosses her head back in joy. She laughs and beckons to you forward -- teasing and suggestive and promising. You move to embrace her but she easily ducks your grasp, spinning away with another laugh. The thin gown ruffles and flairs in the air, opening to reveal secrets and intimacies that only propel you forward. You plead, "I love you! Why do you run from me." You rush forward and lunge toward your love and suddenly you find yourself falling."

What everyone else sees
To-to slides past Ki Chin and Kiyoko as in a trance. Then he starts walking around the balcony aimlessly with his arms stretched out before him. You hear him say "I love you! Why do you run from me?" and then he lunges towards the edge of the balcony and falls off.

To-to, I need a Will Save followed by a Fort Save.

Will Save: 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (4) + 11 = 15 +1 vs. fear, charm and compulsion effects
Fort Save: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (13) + 6 = 19

By the skin of your teeth! That +1 for fear saved you.

At the last moment, To-to comes to his senses and he sees through the haunting illusion. As he steps off the balcony, realizing what he's doing, he thrusts himself backwards. He hits his back against the edge of the balcony floor and that's enough to slow his fall. He twists and reaches out with his hands on the floor to keep from sliding off the edge.

Everyone hears the echoing giggle of a woman's voice and heavy footsteps. They last for only a few seconds then fade away.

Crisis avoided.

Kiyoko watches in alarm as To-to wanders past in a daze. “What are you—?!” she exclaims as he throws himself off of the balcony. The sword-saint rushes to snatch him back, narrowly missing as he falls. Fortunately, he is able to grab the edge himself, and she scrambles to hoist him back up onto the balcony with the rest of the group.

Taking a steadying breath, she moves to the doors ahead of them on the balcony. She opens the door and quickly looks around before stepping inside.

"To-to! Are you okay? What happened?" Ki Chin quickly moves forward to grab the tengu and help him up. Is To-to hanging on by the edge of the balcony?

I can't update the map right now (maybe later today) but we can move forward.

To-to is not hanging by his hands but is laying half on, half off the edge. It is a simple matter for him to pull himself up.

Kiyoko slides the east door open to reveal a stark room. Closed sliding doors are set in all four walls. The wood paneled floor is bare, but on the walls hang paintings depicting life and romance in the court of some great empire.

"I.. I'm fine, thanks for asking. I have to say I never believed a human female could have such strong impression on me, a tengu. Did you see her?" he says, still shocked, climbing back and following behind Kiyoko

Seeing To-to apparently uninjured and nothing else of interest in the room, Aylanna follows.

Kiyoko steps into the room cautiously and looks around for any visible threats. Once satisfied there are none, she looks over one of the paintings before moving to, and opening, the northern door.

Kiyoko takes gentle steps into the room, the floors begin to emit strange, bird-like twittering sounds.

Let's hold off on opening the door for a sec. Is anyone else entering the room? Knowledge(engineering) to understand where the sounds are coming from.