☠ Season of Ghosts w/ DM rainzax ☠

Game Master rainzax

Auntie Wu studiously avoids looking at Hai-Er, knowing that it's too late for anything but a shroud and a burial. She walks twenty feet away, sits down on the ground, and announces: "I'm going to meditate now, to calm myself down. You, abandoned Gimmy, deserve pity. Death will come to you in time, and the earth will have your power then. If you properly fulfill your end of the bargain, I will honor his."

With that, she closes her eyes, takes a deep breath, and mutters so only Mogu can hear: "Mogu, stomp on my head if any danger appears." She pretends to be meditating with her eyes closed, but she is acutely focused on the conversation that follows.

(Perception +5 for Mogu. Deception +4 for Auntie Wu's fake meditating if necessary.)

Of course, now that the adrenaline is leaving her system, the hangover and withdrawal symptoms are returning. What a horrid day. Karma sure owes her for this.

"Gimmy the Thing.... no... Gimmy the Terrible Thing... Okay okay!" though Sato didn't mean to give the gremlin a name, he takes it anyway!

Failure

Gimmy alternates between fear and hope at Lan's hot/cold threat/plea - he opens his eyes wider to regard him "I think Gimmy like/hate you - do not hurt Gimmy - Gimmy will listen to holy man - Okay okay!"

Two Successes

He looks over at Auntie Wu - rubs his electrical burns - and asks Lan (whom he likes/hates) "What is she doing!?"

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Vekka turns away and rolls his eyes at Gimmy's angling. He doesn't trust the creature and he detects a fast tongue on him.

I don't think it will be easy as you say some things to us and we set you free. You could send us directly into a trap as you walk off. No, you're going to lead us to your boss.

Intimidate (untrained): 1d20 ⇒ 13

If you take us safely to him, you may yet escape this situation not scathed any further with a chance to rethink who your friends are.

Diplomacy: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (11) + 3 = 14

While the party tries to reason with the gremlin, taking stock of their situation, some new realizations come to light!

Beyond where the corpse of Hai-Er Ha and the Blue Jinkin lay, another scene of expired carnage comes into view: four additional bodies - two more Eastern Tower guards, and two more Jinkins (not the Black Jinkin that fled either) - sprawled after what looks like the beginning of the skirmish that the party just interrupted - with a fifth (maybe sixth) set of tracks afoot. Ahead, it looks as though the Black Jinkin took the bridge over the Duyue River, and into the eastern entrance to Willowshore!

Finally, where once stood a stone statue of a guardian spider in a shrine next to the road (see "Spider Gate (W30)" in this alias's profile), now lies only an extinguished lantern which was once held in the spider's fangs...

PCs trained in Willowshore Lore or Society may roll a single check here - PCs trained in both can roll with their best skill and a +1 synergy bonus!

Oops! Forgot to roll the Diplomacy check with the last post. Here it is.

Diplomacy: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (9) + 4 = 13

"Oh, it's too hard to meditate with all you gabbing about!" Auntie Wu snaps. She glares at Gimmy and barks: "Start talking or I'll put my hat on your head and make it suck out all your knowledge and power!"

Decpetion: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (6) + 4 = 10

And with that, she trounces off to pay her respects to Hai-Er Ha and finally spots all the other carnage.

Survival to track, DC 5: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (19) + 7 = 26
Crit success
Nature: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (8) + 7 = 15

"There are tracks from two large snakes here! ... And here are their bodies!" Chills run down her spine.

Medicine, DC 13: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (16) + 7 = 23

"These two guards died of poison." She gives an angry glare at the snakes' corpses.

And to top it all off, the lantern is out! Auntie Wu wails in consternation and grief.

Auntie Wu knows these common snakes very well, and when she gets a moment, instructs her party members on how best to suck out the poison.

◆) Treat Poison

The tengu seems random - perhaps his anger sets him beside himself "Gimmy will take you to the Boss, Okay okay" and "Gimmy has no friends!"

Success and Failure

"Gimmy has no Power - but Gimmy take hat!" seeing through the old lady's trick, he tries to grab her hat from her...

Two Failures

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"Alright, alright." Kolphan gets on one knee. "We don't have too much time, Gimmy the Terrible Thing." Sigurd feels like he's talking to a child. A horribly violent twisted child, but a child nonetheless.

Diplomacy: 1d20 + 4 + 2 ⇒ (7) + 4 + 2 = 13
Hero Point: 1d20 + 4 + 2 ⇒ (19) + 4 + 2 = 25

"As promised. If you tell us everything about Gurglegut we will let you free. If you could lead us there, that would be even better. I am a man of my word, after all."

That might be enough, but Sigurd doesn't know that.
Diplomacy: 1d20 + 4 + 2 ⇒ (2) + 4 + 2 = 8

"Why did you attack the village? Why did Gurglegut turn his ire against us? Where is Gurglegut?"

---

Survival: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (6) + 5 = 11
Society: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (4) + 5 = 9

It's so exhausting talking to such a malicious child. Sigurd is barely able to focus on the town guards. He keeps his katana and shield at the ready.

"Onward."

Darius. Sheela. Please be safe.

"Gimmy knows all" he assures the cleric "But all your friends threaten Gimmy" a glimmer in his eye seems to recognize that his knowledge has value to the PCs - he leverages it! "Gimmy make New Deal. Gimmy Tell All, then, Gimmy can Go Free!" he looks around, then asks "Okay okay?"

He kneels down to loot the corpse of Hai-Er Ha "Look! Gimmy give you these too!" he sweetens the pot.

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Willowshore Lore: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (17) + 4 = 21

"Someone put out the lantern." Unless contraindicated by whatever check the roll was for, Lan tries to re-light the latern.

"A deal is a deal. Give us your information and we will let you go."

Sigurd lets Ho Lan light the lantern. He's not certain of how much combat Ho Lan has seen- honestly, how much battle have then seen? How much has Sigurd seen? Vivid dreams at the most. Watching his Foremother fight fiends with fervor, her glaive dicing the damned.

"Ah, I see. Yes, I will... I will take what we need." He puts out a hand to stop Gimmy from ransacking Hai-Er Ha's remains. She needs to be put to rest. But as the danger is still active, Sigurd knows they need all the help they can get.

Sigurd was interested in the ladder feather token and the sap. The sap would be useful for capturing suspects.

My apologies, Hai-Er Ha. When this is over, we shall give you your proper burial and rights.

He needed answers.

Ho Lan goes to re-light the lantern while Sigurd Kolphan watches, and realizes that fire isn't the problem (he can make fire!) - it's fuel...

Failure to Light Lantern

Also see Slide #4

Kazuki scowls when Gimmy offers the group Hai-Er's weapons and personal items.
"We're not taking those. They belong to her family now. If they wish to gift the items to us, then I will happily take them. But, for now..."
Kazuki stops in mid sentence when he notices the lantern oil in the pile of Hai-Er's equipment.

"The oil! She must have came here to relight the lantern but suddenly got attacked. Use that oil to light the lantern, Mr. Lan."

"New New Deal. Gimmy Goes Free. Or kill Gimmy. Boss will kill you anyway!"

And with that, Gimmy, and whatever info he tried to cut a deal with, are gone. He doesn't even bother to defend himself on his way out, and would be an easy target.

Skill Challenge Failed

Sato hands Lan the lantern oil - and the lantern is once again alight!

Success to Light Lantern

The party enters Willowshore - only to discover that it is completely overrun!

Monsters and mayhem abound, sounds of: children running in the streets screaming, the smouldering sound of buildings on fire, villagers fighting tooth and nail thither and yon, maniacal laughing, crying, praying, dying… and what worse, in just this instant, another, thicker gust of Red Mirage Mist floods the immediate area, locking the horrible sounds behind crimson veils!

Fortunately, as locals, the party, each individual member, knows exactly where they are, and where everything else is (if it still stands…), thus, the Red Mirage Mist invites the party to rediscover their own home town building by building, block by block, and as this new reality dawns upon them, they decide where to go first!

"Ooohhhhh!" Auntie Wu wails. There isn't time to go home to get drunk and have a smoke. "We need to follow it before the trail runs cold! And warn the town! And--and--and--" She begins hyperventilating, catches herself doing so, and forces herself to take deep, slow breaths. Mogu rocks back and forth on her head, massaging her scalp to comfort her.

Mr. Lan

Ho Lan would be Mr. Ho, or Lan. =)

---

"I recall an old children's rhyme that my teachers and elders used to say to me all the time:

Lazy Adou took a break, and
did not light the lamp that day.
This proved to be a big mistake, for
then the ghosts came out to play!
Hazy mist and moon of blood,
all because he just gave up."

Lan ponders on the significance of this rhyme. Is Lazy Adou a historical figure?

---

Voting, in descending order, 3: Go to where Hai-Er Ha’s husband and daughter live (but first pass a Willowshore Lore or Society check to Recall where); 8. Follow Black Jinkin Beastie; 5: Head Downtown.

.

The party enters Willowshore - only to discover that it is completely overrun!

Monsters and mayhem abound, sounds of: children running in the streets screaming, the smouldering sound of buildings on fire, villagers fighting tooth and nail thither and yon, maniacal laughing, crying, praying, dying… and what worse, in just this instant, another, thicker gust of Red Mirage Mist floods the immediate area, locking the horrible sounds behind crimson veils!

Fortunately, as locals, the party, each individual member, knows exactly where they are, and where everything else is (if it still stands…), thus, the Red Mirage Mist invites the party to rediscover their own home town building by building, block by block, and as this new reality dawns upon them, they decide where to go first!

"I recall an old children's rhyme that my teachers and elders used to say to me all the time:

Lazy Adou took a break, and
did not light the lamp that day.
This proved to be a big mistake, for
then the ghosts came out to play!
Hazy mist and moon of blood,
all because he just gave up."

Lan ponders on the significance of this rhyme. Is Lazy Adou a historical figure?

Lan remembers that this poem is as old as "Ugly Cute" and the "Eternal Lantern" themselves.

Hint: Check the Settlement alias (or your Player's Guide) - locations W11 and W30 - for more info on these structures!

Alright, Gimmy... Sigurd watches Gimmy run off.

He turns to his allies. "So much chaos... we need to restore order."

6: Check up on the Village Leaders (“Granny” Hu and “Old” Matsuki) at their homes
"The village leaders- we must check on them."

4: Check out the Fire that Sato saw earlier from further out (but first pass one final Society or Survival check to Sense Direction where)
"Sato, you said there was a fire? Quelling it may reduce damage to our home and reduce panic."

10: Go to the Constablery
"Or perhaps we need reinforcements.."

Kazuki holds Auntie Wu to keep her from falling over in despair as they rush into Willowshore.
"It's okay, Auntie. We need to help the town. Keep it together."

"We should hurry to the village elders. They'll know what to do and how we can help..."

"Although, there's that fire I saw when we were in the woods." he glances about at the town's landmarks and buildings as he gets his bearings straight...
Survival (T): 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (6) + 5 = 11
"I think it's that way," he points in the direction he thinks it is.

"If Granny Hu and Ol' Matsuki can't help us, I agree with Sigurd... We head to the Constabulary."

Kazuki assumes his home has been spared, due to it being on the outskirts of town.
"I'll check on my family and home if there's time."

Dice-bot hates me making skill checks.

Hrm, didn't really like "the new deal" as Vekka stated Gimmy can lie, send us into a trap, and waltz off safely. It appears that ship has sailed.

Before they return to Willowshore...

Seeing that the previously escaped jinkins was heading off towards the village, Vekka wonders out loud Is the "boss" a member of the village that we know? Could it be?

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Vekka is amazed by the utter chaos.

Already this bad...

He first thinks of Jubei, but he suspects Sigurd is right.

Starting with the village leaders is a good idea. Either they're already working with a plan that we can help with, or else we can help them branch out and ensure the safety of all the villagers.

Still, as they go along he keeps looking out for signs of his friend.

Although now is not a time for politics, indeed, the party debates which of the Leaders to visit first.

"Granny" Hu, representative of the Northridge faction, herald of Progress?

Or "Old" Matsuki, representative of the Southbank faction, herald of Tradition?

Art of Slide #5

↺↺↺↺↺

↺↺↺↺↺

Willowshore Lore: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (6) + 4 = 10 vs DC 8 (Granny Hu)
Willowshore Lore: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (12) + 4 = 16 vs DC 8 (Old Matsuki)

Spoilers open. There are Critical Success sub-spoilers that Lan didn't hit.

"Of course the village elders are on opposite sides of the river..."

Society about Granny Hu: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (5) + 4 = 9

Society about Old Matsuki: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (11) + 4 = 15
With little time to think, Sigurd is unable to focus on Granny Hu.

"Old Matsuki lives a simple life selling shirts and shorts. He may have seen early warning signs of the attack. Let us seek him out first."

"Nah, let's visit Granny Hu. Northridge is more important."

Oh, snap! Not sure where everyone is from, but let's create a little Northside-Southside drama.

Earlier...

After Gimmy takes off running and the rest of the group turns away to start heading back to town, Kazuki quickly turns and takes a potshot at the fleeing jinkin.
Longbow: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (6) + 7 = 13
piercing: 1d8 ⇒ 8
When the group turns after hearing the snap of his bow string, Kazuki snarls,
"Dammit. I missed the little bastard."

-----------------------

"We should definitely go to Granny Hu's." he suggests.

Crossing Dawnstep Bridge

Outvoted, Kolphan and the other Southbankers cave to the pressure of their rivaled teammates, Ho Lan and Kazuki Sato, who insist that Granny Hu's military experience would be the best consult right now, which, quite frankly, may prove to be rightfully so...

...in any case, the Red Mirage Mist makes it hard to navigate to the precipice between the two geographies - Dawnstep Bridge! (see location W11 using this Alias) - and with monsters afoot, the way there is perilous: The party risks another attack, lest they wind around their once-familiar hometown with new eyes!

One character needs to Sense Direction using either Society or Survival to navigate the village - and roll a DC 10 check to minimize the risk of having to deal with Roving Threats!

Sigurd hopes the team is correct in their judgement. Without more information he felt so helpless.

Society +3, Survival +5. I believe Auntie Wu has +7 Survival?

His home seems so different, with the red mist active. It's easy to get lost. And the attack isn't over. "We should consider checking on the other town lanterns afterward- it can serve as a rallying cry for the townsfolk. Or maybe we can light our way through this blasted fog!"

Kazuki's default Exploration Mode will always be Search until changed. It's noted in PC header.

With all of the chaos about and the cloying red mist, Kazuki has been quite off at times with trying to get his bearings straight. It's a wonder his companions haven't given him the moniker "Wrong Way" Kazuki. Only time will tell, however.

He takes note of a few shops and buildings, along with notable trees in their yards.
Survival/Sense Direction (T): 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (7) + 5 = 12
+1 in forest terrain. Is Willowshore considered urban terrain?
"This way, everyone. I'm positive Dawnstep Bridge is this way." He begins to hustle towards the bridge.

Sato's comforting presence eventually (finally!) restores some measure of self-composure to Auntie Wu. She calms enough to be quiet, but her mind flickers between sense and sensibility.

Society, untrained, DC 10: Granny Hu: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (15) + 1 = 16
Society, untrained, DC 10: Old Matsuki: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (7) + 1 = 8

She's never been much of a fan of Granny Hu, but perhaps now's a good time for an overly enthusiastic hammer-and-squeeze approach anyway. "Oh, I think this is the best way to the Constabulary. Over here!"

Survival to Sense Direction DC 10: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (11) + 7 = 18

Edit: Ninja'd by Sato!

As they pass the Dawnstep Bridge, Auntie Wu checks to see if the lantern is lit. If not, she'll pause to light it with her flint and steel. Either way, she throws in a couple of copper coins for good luck. They need all they can get.

Perception (is the lamp lit): 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (2) + 7 = 9

Crossing Dawnstep Bridge

Sato leads the way under Auntie Wu's guidance...

Wandering Village Threats (25%): 1d100 ⇒ 51

...the party makes it to Dawnstep Bridge... ...the Eternal Lantern in dark... ...but you see a familiar face!

Black Jinkin Beastie (the one that got away - and still with an arrow sticking out of his butt!) seems to be explaining something to a... couple?... few?... other Jinkins, waving his hands and jumping and pointing at the lodged arrow and pointing from the direction he came.

He looks angry.

The party, not quite close enough to see more, nor be seen (the Mist works both ways!) - decides what to do!

Sigurd slowly sheathes katana, raises three fingers, and points his crossbow at the lead Jinkin.

An ambush will help clear the crowd and keep the village safe. If it can prevent another loss...

Kazuki nudges Sigurd lightly, nods in the affirmative that an ambush is in order, and quietly alerts the others. He quietly draws his bow, hunkers down low, and sneaks to a hiding spot closer to the jinkins. Probably need a tactical map.

Ambush to Avenge Hai-Er Ha!

Kolphan and Sato give the signals, and the party scouts a best location to focus fire from cover, while remaining within a decent range of their best weapons, in an attempt to sneakily kill the arguing Jinkins on the bridge without having to physically engage!

If the party wins this Skill Challenge, I will let you place your Tokens on the Map (see Slide #1) after knowing where the Jinkins will be (already set this up - please place your Token immediately!), and then roll Initiative with a circumstance bonus (double-check your Macros, please), and, a single player (choose who) gets to "trigger" the combat with a ↺ Readied attack!

If the party loses this Skill Challenge, I will place your Tokens for you (probably back them up into the "open"...), and then roll Initiative with the Jinkins getting a circumstance bonus!

➤ Level: One (Base DC 15)
➤ Complexity: Two Rounds
➤ Timeframe: 1 minute
➤ Synergies: Terrain Stalker (rubble), Terrain Stalker (underbrush)
➤ List of Skills: Acrobatics (hard), Hunting Lore (easy), Perception (moderate), Scouting Lore (easy), Stealth (easy)

Round 1:
Before sneaking off, Kazuki signals to his teammates to listen for the twang of his bow, signalling the start of the ambush (only as a suggestion, of course).

He quickly scouts for a good position behind one of the bushes on the north side of the road as he skulks towards a spot.
Lore (Scouting, T): 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (5) + 4 = 9

Round 2:
Kazuki sneaks behind the bushes to get into position with a good line of sight across the bridge.
Stealth (T): 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (7) + 7 = 14

Seasonal Boon ◇: Trigger: You’re about to roll initiative; Effect: Something about the situation triggers your defenses, allowing you to react to sudden peril more quickly. You gain a status bonus to your initiative roll equal to the number of seasons since you’ve started Season of Ghosts (+1 during the first adventure, up to a maximum of +4 during the fourth and final adventure). If you can communicate a warning to other PCs, they gain this bonus to their initiative as well.

Initiative (Perception, Inc. Init., & Season Boon: 1d20 + 7 + 2 + 1 ⇒ (1) + 7 + 2 + 1 = 11

I don't think I've rolled higher than a 7 in any of my 4 games all week. :'(

Sigurd isn't one for ambushes. He likes to just come out into the open, declare the might of Shizuru, and hope that's enough to calm everyone down.

It usually isn't.

He tries to look for good places to approach.

Perception: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (11) + 5 = 16
Perception: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (16) + 5 = 21

He defers to his teammates to unleash an opening salvo- he'll fire a lucky shot before closing in.
Initiative: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (1) + 5 = 6

Maybe he waits too long...

Did Auntie Wu notice whether or not the Eternal Lantern is lit?

Knowing that she needs to be within 30 feet of these troublemakers to do any good, Auntie Wu sneaks forward to hide behind the pile of rubble at the entrance to the bridge.

Stealth: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (7) + 2 = 9

She then strains her ears and peeks through a tiny gap in the trash to try to ascertain what the jinkins are saying or what their immediate intention is.

Perception: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (17) + 7 = 24

Initiative (Perception): 1d20 + 7 + 1 ⇒ (11) + 7 + 1 = 19

Vekka will always Avoid Notice by default unless I state otherwise due to the situation.

"Nah, let's visit Granny Hu. Northridge is more important."

Oh, snap! Not sure where everyone is from, but let's create a little Northside-Southside drama.

Everyone in the village is important. We simply need to start with the leaders to save the whole.

Vekka shoots a sharp glance at Ho Lan.

He follows others through the red mist, still looking out for Jubei as they proceed. By now he has his katana drawn, just in case. There is certainly danger afoot. At the bridge he sees their signal up ahead and holds his breath for a moment.

It is time for the quiet approach...

He focuses on his training.

Round 1 Stealth: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (15) + 5 = 20

Having already approached fairly close, he pauses to see what path might be best to sneak along.

Better to think first, then act...

Round 2 Perception: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (7) + 3 = 10

Sigurd spots some excellent locations - bushes, carts, a pile of trash - where the party can hide, and Sato and Vekka sneaks up to them while Auntie Wu trips but catches herself...

...The party gets into position, and the Jinkins, still arguing, seem none-the-wiser...

...Meanwhile Lan struggles to get moving...

...

Unless Lan rolls very poorly, this is looking like an overall success:
1) Who will fire the opening salvo (a Strike action)?
2) Is everyone's Token placed where you want it on the Map?
3) If you didn't roll Initiative, please do so now!

Stealth: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (18) + 6 = 24

Lan doesn't like being so close, but some idiot forgot to give him spells with ranges greater than 30' and he stays close to the front-liners, hiding behind the Eternal Lantern (?).

Initiative (Stealth): 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (17) + 6 = 23

Ambush to Avenge Hai-Er Ha!

The party easily gets into position, sneaking behind bush, crate, garrbage pile, and the Eternal Lantern, and catch the Jinkins completely off-guard.

Sato fires the opening salvo!

I'll give you Hunt Prey as you got into position and thus Hunted Shot as your Readied Attack - then kick off Initiative orders after that!

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Using folks' Stealth checks for Initiative - at the end of the day, you are sneaking up on them, so honoring that investment. Kolphan, I will use your Initiative roll, and add your DX mod.

Ho Lan 23
Vekka 20
Sato 17
Auntie Wu 10
Kolphan 3

Black Jinkin Beastie to Initiative (Perception): 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (1) + 7 = 8
Pink Jinkin Beastie to Initiative (Perception): 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (4) + 7 = 11
Yellow Jinkin Beastie to Initiative (Perception): 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (8) + 7 = 15
Garbage Pile (!?!) to Initiative (Perception): 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (13) + 7 = 20

Fully healthy Jinkins are AC 17 and 19 HPs - Black is still at 09/19 with that arrow sticking out of his butt!

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Sato (w/ Readied ◆) is Up!

Kazuki can't help to chuckle softly before letting two arrows loose at the sight of his arrow still sticking out of the jinkin's rear.

The group hears two twangs of Kazuki's bowstring from behind the northern bush...
Longbow & flurry: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (11) + 7 = 18
piercing: 1d8 ⇒ 2
Longbow, flurry & map: 1d20 + 7 - 3 ⇒ (16) + 7 - 3 = 20
piercing: 1d8 ⇒ 5

◆ Sneak behind bush.
◆ Hunt prey.
◆ Hunted Shot/Flurry vs. Prey (readied)

"YOU!!!"

Black Jinkin - now with three arrows sticking out of his butt - whirls on Sato, his face red and puffy and absolutely furious!

Black Jinkin @ 02/19 HPs!

The other Jinkins - Pink and Yellow - whirl as well "We are Ambushed!?" they yell excitedly, drawing pleasure from the tactics being employed despite the lethality of those same tactics against their own well being - then it dawns on them, and they panic!

"Boss, Boss, wake UP!"

The Garbage Pile begins to wriggle and shuffle...

Oh, now that you are all closer, Pink and Yellow Jinkins are wearing... Constable Uniforms! Which, of course, look very silly on small gremlins, designed for humans and human-proportioned persons. Sleaves extending past arms, waistcoats trailing like the train of a dress, oversized boots. Pink has one of his boots on his head. You get the picture...

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Ho Lan (w/ ◆◆◆) is Up!

Lan is going to Delay until something moves within 30' of him.

Ho Lan waits for the right moment.

Forgot to grant that bonus to Initiative I promised!

Vekka is the next to leverage the party's surprise!

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AMBUSH TO AVENGE HAI-ER HA!

Terrain: Bush, Pile of Garbage, Crate, Cart, Bridge Wall, or Eternal Lantern can be used to Take Cover
Weather: Mirage Mist present, no mechanical effect
Monster ID: Jinkins, plus ???

Ho Lan w/ empty (AC 16 or 17 shield, HP 15) @ Delay until enemy w/in 30-ft

Vekka Tchakon w/ katana (AC 17 or 18 shield, HP 15)

Garbage Pile (Seek DC 12)
Kazuki Sato w/ longbow (AC 18, HP 19)
Yellow Jinkin Beastie
Auntie Wu & Mogu w/ shield (AC 16 or 18 shield, HP 16, Mogu 5)
Pink Jinkin Beastie
Black Jinkin Beastie
Sigurd Kolphan w/ katana and shield (AC 18 or 20 shield, HP 17)

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Vekka is Up!

Wanting to quickly move on the ambushed jinkins, Vekka beats a familiar spell drum and points his talon at the original fled jinkin.

◆◆ Cast a spell (somatic, verbal) Ray of Frost (Range 120 ft) vs BLACK
Spell attack BLACK, cold damage: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (7) + 5 = 121d4 + 2 ⇒ (1) + 2 = 3
Critical Success The target takes double damage and takes a –10-foot status penalty to its Speeds for 1 round.

He does not feel confident in his aim.

After, his body is then again enveloped by ghostly wisps of blue flame.

◆ Enter stance: Arcane Cascade

Only arrows work on Black Jinkin Beastie, it seems. He says to his new collection of minions: "Kill that one first!" pointing at Sato, to which they both say in unison "Okay, okay!"

The Garbage pile stirs... two more Jinkins kick off some trash, one hiccups, the other barfs... are they sick?... and rising groggily, and with great lethargy, ask Black Jinkin Beastie "Where Boss?" to which he says "Me is Boss right now!" and "Kill that one" pointing to Sato again to which the response, again in unison, but with speech somewhat slurred, is "Okay okay!"

Two New Jinkins, Sick? Light Blue and White
◆) Slowed
◆) Stand
◆) Draw weapons

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Sato (w/ ◆◆◆) is Up!