Setting: Tian Xia (Zi Ha mountains)
Starting Year: -4845 AR or 448 AE (448 years after Earthfall)
Zhong Shen
Male human (Tian-Dan) sorcerer (stormblooded, wildblooded) 5
N Medium humanoid (human)
Init +6; Senses Perception +9
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Defense
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AC 15, touch 13, flat-footed 13 (+1 deflection, +2 Dex, +2 natural; +2 deflection vs. evil)
hp 38 (5d6+13)
Fort +3, Ref +4, Will +6; +2 resistance vs. evil
Resist electricity 5
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Offense
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Speed 30 ft.
Ranged light crossbow +4 (1d8/19-20)
Special Attacks claws (2, 1d6, treated as magic weapons, At will)
Spell-Like Abilities (CL 5th; concentration +5)
. . At will—swap
. . 1/day—cure light wounds
Sorcerer (Stormblooded, Wildblooded) Spells Known (CL 5th; concentration +9)
. . 2nd (5/day)—glitterdust (DC 16), invisibility, mirror image, resist energy
. . 1st (7/day)—burning hands (DC 16), comprehend languages, identify, mage armor, magic missile, protection from evil, shocking grasp
. . 0 (at will)—detect magic, ghost sound (DC 14), jolt[UM], light, message, read magic
. . Bloodline Draconic, Sage
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Statistics
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Str 9, Dex 14, Con 12, Int 18, Wis 12, Cha 10
Base Atk +2; CMB +1; CMD 14
Feats Eschew Materials, Improved Initiative, Reach Spell[APG], Spell Focus (evocation), Spell Specialization[UM]
Traits arcane flourish, claws of the dragon, mountain toughness, outcast's intuition, sky dragon (intellectual), trustworthy, zodiac: sky dragon
Skill Tricks Brilliancy, Collector of Stories (Arcana)
Skills Acrobatics +0, Appraise +2, Bluff +4 (+5 to fool others), Climb -3, Diplomacy +8, Disguise -2, Escape Artist +0, Fluency (Draconic) +1, Fluency (Tian-La) +1, Fluency (Tian-Min) +1, Fluency (Tian-Shu) +2, Fly +0, Gaming (Go) +12, Heal -1, Intimidate +4, Knowledge (arcana) +14 (+19 to ID creature or learn its powers or vulnerabilities.), Knowledge (culture) +8, Knowledge (dungeoneering) +8, Knowledge (geography) +5, Knowledge (history) +5, Knowledge (local) +5, Knowledge (nature) +5, Knowledge (nobility) +5, Knowledge (occult) +8, Knowledge (planes) +5, Knowledge (religion) +5, Linguistics +10, Perception +9, Philosophy +5, Ride +0, Sense Motive +10, Skill Tricks +4, Spellcraft +13, Stealth +0, Survival -1, Swim -3, Use Magic Device +4
Languages Catfolk, Draconic, Samsaran, Sylvan, Tengu, Tian-dan, Tian-la, Tian-min, Tian-shu
SQ bloodline arcana (energy spells that match bloodline energy deal +1 damage per die), brilliancy, collector of stories (arcana), metamagic adept (1/day), meticulous, stormbound
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Special Abilities
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Blood Havoc (Sorcerer Bloodline Power [1st]) +1 dam per die for spells belonging to bloodline or spell focus school.
Bloodline Arcana: Draconic (Ex) +1 damage per die for [Electricity] spells.
Brilliancy [Skill Trick, Go] (Ex) You make a brilliant and surprising play in a Gaming contest.
Collector of Stories (Arcana) [Skill Trick] (Ex) You've heard many tales of legendary monsters and remember all the details.
Energy Resistance, Electricity (5) You have the specified Energy Resistance against Electricity attacks.
Eschew Materials Cast spells without materials, if component cost is 1 gp or less.
Magic Claws (At will) (Su) As a free action, gain 2 claw attacks that bypass DR as magic weapons.
Metamagic Adept (1/day) (Ex) Apply a metamagic feat without increasing the casting time of the spell.
Meticulous -2 on all untrained skill checks
Reach Spell You can cast a spell with a range of touch, close, or medium as one range category higher.
Sage When a spell level is increased by a metamagic feat, it gains +1 DC.
Spell Focus (Evocation) Spells from one school of magic have +1 to their save DC.
Spell Specialization (Magic Missile) Pick one spell and cast it as if you were higher level
Stormbound You are fascinated by thunderstorms.
As a baby, Zhong Shen was abandoned at the doorstep of a Suttsuan magistrate's home. An official investigation was conducted, and it was determined he hadn't been born to any woman currently living in Suttsua. The magistrate and his wife decided to adopt him. The identity of his birth parents and the reason for his abandonment remain a mystery.
When he was 10 years old, Zhong was struck by lightning, putting him into a coma for several days. Upon recovering, he found that he could make sparks shoot from his fingertips. Ever since then, he has been fascinated by lightning and electricity. If there is a thunderstorm, he will walk out into it, arms outstretched and staring up at the sky. Thus far, he has not been struck by lightning a second time.
When he was 13, Zhong was enrolled in an arcane academy. Unfortunately, he never completed his studies. At the age of 15, financial ruin befell his adoptive family, leaving them unable to repay a large debt owed to Ganner Yami, Lord of Suttsua. Faced with exile or debtors' prison, the family agreed that Zhong would be taken out of the academy and indentured to Ganner Yami for a period of 20 years.
Because Yami would not abide a young, virile male in the presence of his growing daughters, Zhong was castrated before beginning his training as Ganner's manservant. While in Ganner's service, Zhong has not been permitted to continue his arcane studies. However, he still retains some of his previous learning and natural aptitude as a novice sorcerer. He practices his abilities when he can, away from prying eyes. Over time, Zhong has earned Ganner Yami's trust and become a valuable adviser to him.
Zhong has formed a platonic friendship with a samsaran woman named Priya Ahana. They have been friends for a little over a year. When Zhong is able to get away from his duties, he will often meet with Priya to play games (usually Go) or discuss various intellectual pursuits.
Zhong yearns for the day he will be free of his servitude, so he may begin exploring and studying the mysteries of the world in earnest. He has a curiosity for history and old civilizations. If the conversation turns to the metaphysical, Zhong will speak of a great, mystical force that he believes gives shape to life and all of existence, perhaps governing even the gods. He saw a glimpse of it in the storm. "Lightning is a portal," he will say, with a faraway look in his eyes.
I've known Priya Ahana for over a year. She is perhaps my only true friend. A samsaran psychic, she has a generous soul and an inquisitive mind. I'm a eunuch and an indentured slave, so I've had little opportunity in my life to make friends. I found myself glad that she was away with me when the mountain exploded, as I feared the worst for Suttsua. As we neared the city, we were joined by four more survivors: Jiyu-Ni, a male catfolk swordsman; Meihua, a female catfolk monk; Momoko, a female kitsune healer, and Tomohiko, a male samsaran monk.
Suttsua was indeed destroyed, washed away in a river of lava. I can only assume my master, Lord Ganner Yami, perished. As we looked upon the devastation, Lord Yami’s bastard son, Hiroki Matsuko, came upon us. Berating me as if this calamity were somehow my fault, Hiroki made it clear he still clings to imagined slights. His relationship with his father was complicated. Is it my fault that Lord Yami valued my counsel over his? I could only stand silent and endure Hiroki's spite. An ill-tempered man with a talented sword arm, he could have cut us all down if he wished. Thankfully, he settled for cutting words. After a final insult, he turned and left.
Only then did I realize I was free. My indentured servitude ended with Lord Yami's life. Priya and I decided to band with our new companions. What else could we do? A charitable farmer whose home survived the destruction gave us shelter for the night. As a group, we decided we would set out for Lampurr Terrace on the morrow to find work.
In the morning, we left the farmer and his family behind. After a few perilous days, we found ourselves in a town called Home of the Resolute. The streets were strangely empty. Some of the buildings bore ribbons, some red, some black. We thought we heard the cry of a girl coming from the town square, but upon examination found nobody there. We did, however, find a strange medallion bearing the countenance of Fumeiyoshi, Lord of the Graves. I detected magic on it, but feared to touch it. Jiyu-Ni picked it up and tossed it to Momoko. She placed it in her pack.
We stayed at a tavern owned by a big-bellied man named Ghoa Pens. His daughter, Mei Ling, helps run the place. They have a precocious ferret named Jhing-Po. Tomohiko soon struck up a conversation with a well-dressed woman named Minwa Get over a game of Go. She was accompanied by three other women, named An Li, Fueng Chow, and Do Yi. They are dignitaries from City of Bears, traveling to Sky Dragon Temple under orders from Lord Gu Hanny.
Momoko asked Ghoa about the empty streets and the ribbons we had seen. He explained that in recent days there had been a series of attacks by undead. The red ribbons mark homes where the undead had forced their way in and slain the occupants. The black ribbons mark homes that have been warded against the undead by a local cleric of Abadar.
Ghoa went on to tell us that the cleric, a human named Bow Pham Phut, had holed himself up in the church and barricaded the doors a couple days ago. We offered to go check on him in the morning. Ghoa was thankful for the offer.
In the morning, we went to the temple. Outside, we found a large tree surrounded by nine stones, bearing the samsaran symbols for the following: Knowledge/Power, Love/Family, Dedication/Loyalty, Epiphany/Wisdom, Strength/Perseverance, Joy/Happiness, Harmony/Balance, Beauty/Life, and Time/Change. We also noticed that two stones were missing.
We climbed into the temple through a high window. Inside, we followed a trail of blood from the cleric's bedroom to the nave, where we found a ghoul in cleric's vestments. At the same moment, a flock of undead birds flew in through the window we had climbed through. I slammed the door shut, trapping them in the bedroom. After a fierce fight, we put the ghoul down.
Inside the cleric's office, we found some texts, magical scrolls, and notes penned by Bow. He had obviously been researching the undead attacks, theorizing they may be stemming from an old monastery where an extinguished order of monks known as the Way of the Open Hand was entombed.
In the temple cellar, we found a ley line. Later, Momoko and Tomohiko encountered a friendly kami there.
We left Home of the Resolute. Not far outside of town, we came upon an unfortunate scene. Some merchants I had briefly spoken to at Ghoa's tavern the night before were ambushed here. They had been butchered, wagons looted, horses slain, and all of it set ablaze. As we surveyed the carnage, we were attacked by the culprits. The bandits were led by a skilled archer who proved quite tough. Jiyu-Ni nearly perished in the battle, but we prevailed. Afterward, we searched the archer's corpse and recovered a detailed map of the region.
Over the following days, it has become apparent that the Fumeiyoshi medallion is cursed and has attached itself to Momoko. Each time she attempts to rid herself of it, it somehow returns to her pack. Also, she has been plagued by disturbing dreams since acquiring it.
One day, we came across a crying infant on the trail. Perhaps one year old, he was strapped into a carrier on the back of its mysteriously murdered parent. We approached warily, expecting an ambush, but no one was lying in wait for us. Priya took the child and comforted it as best she could.
The child changes things. A ragged band of adventurers on their way to a haunted monastery is no place for an infant. We must find him a home before we go do battle with the undead, never mind whatever perils we might encounter on the way.
Near where we found the infant, we took a side path down to a Sky Dragon shrine we had spotted from the trail. The shrine had obviously been disturbed by vandals. We spent the afternoon restoring it, working together to move the heavy stones back into their proper positions. Afterward, Priya and I took some time to meditate at the sacred location. There was a jade bowl, and a nook at the base of the shrine where it went. It is said that the Sky Dragon covets gold, so a few of us dropped gold coins into the bowl and placed it in its nook. The coins disappeared, and those that had tithed were granted a boon (+1 bonus to all d20 rolls for 48 hours).
We camped there for the night. In the morning, as we were leaving, we were suddenly attacked by the angry spirit of a girl. She shrieked at us, then seemed to briefly possess Jiyu-Ni. She was almost incoherent with anger and despair, only screaming such things as "It's mine!" and "Give it back!" before vanishing as suddenly as she had appeared. We guessed she must be after the Fumeiyoshi medallion. At one point during the terrifying encounter, Momoko threw the medallion on the ground and told the girl to take it. Only afterward did we realize that, of course, she can't take the medallion. She's a spirit. We must find her grave, wherever that may be, and place the medallion with her remains. Only then may she be at rest.
Further along the trail, we came across another small child, crying and seemingly stranded. Less warily than we should have, we approached it, thinking we had found another orphan. Not so. The "child" revealed its true nature, transforming into some sort of horrific monster. It sprang at us, and we were forced to kill it.
A bit shaken but intact, we continued on. We were not far from Ping Ko Pai. There, perhaps, we might find a home for the infant we rescued.
On the road to Ping Ko Pai, we encountered a heavily guarded caravan. We quickly discerned that they were slavers. The leader was a pink-skinned man from the far western lands. He mentioned they were on their way to Daimyo. Spying the human infant Priya was carrying, he asked if she would be willing to part with the boy for a price. She declined, of course. As the conversation continued, things became more tense. Under the guise of telling us our "fortunes," he began issuing thinly-veiled warnings. The underlying message was clear: mind your own business and don't cause any trouble. I think he may have tried to cast some sort of compulsion on Meihua as he was "reading her palm."
Though we found the slavers quite detestable, we could tell they were beyond our capability to defeat in combat. Parting as amicably as we could, we left them behind. We continued to Ping Ko Pai, thinking to perhaps give the authorities there warning that the caravan would soon be passing through their town.
Upon arriving in Ping Ko Pai, we learned that the "authorities" consisted of one old ex-samurai. He told us the caravan regularly passed through town, and advised us to stay out of their way. Later that night, the caravan passed through. As the old samurai advised, we stayed clear. We spent the night at a tavern, where we met a gregarious yellow-haired gnome named Gum Doe.
The next morning, Priya found an orphanage in town. After some initial reluctance, followed by some due diligence, she gave the child over to their care. We then left town, thinking to continue on to the monastery of the dead. After a day of travel, we made camp. However, we were soon visited once again by the spirit girl, who angrily made it clear we were not traveling in the direction she desired.
Between Momoko's nightmares and a psychometric reading that Priya did, we've been able to piece together that the girl died after being brutally attacked and violated by orcs, and that this took place on a "scarred mountainside." So far, we have not been able to identify this mountain.
Clearly, we need to deal with the matter of the Fumeiyoshi medallion and the spirit girl before going to the monastery of the dead. And so, in the morning, we traveled back to Ping Ko Pai.
After returning to Ping Ko Pai and spending another night there, we left, taking the road toward Tam. Along the way, we spotted the scarred mountain of Priya's vision. In Tam, we found a delightful tavern, where we once again found ourselves in the exuberant company of Gum Doe.
Also present in the tavern was a half-orc who referred to himself simply as "Hunter." After hearing of our intended destination, Hunter offered his services as a guide, as he had some familiarity with the area. Before we could even broach the topic of payment, Gum Doe produced two platinum pieces, gave them to the half-orc, and invited himself along. We didn't argue.
After an enjoyable evening of delicious food, drink, and conversation, we all retired to plush beds. In the morning, we set out for the scarred mountain. At Hunter's suggestion, we left our horse and cart behind at the tavern, as the trail he intended to take would be too tricky for them. We brought along only our donkey and what we could carry on our backs.
True to his word, Hunter led us up the mountain through some thick foliage, until we came to a road surrounded by rice paddies. We believed we were in the right area, but we still did not know precisely where to find the girl's grave.
We tried to go up a side path to a farm, but Momoko found that taking the path gave her a surpassing feeling of strong nausea. We took this to be the medallion or the spirit girl letting us know the path was not the correct way to the girl's remains.
Still, we thought the local human farmers might be able to point us in the right direction. So Priya, Gum Doe, and I went up the path, while Momoko and the others waited on the main trail. Some children at play spotted us, then ran off to fetch an adult. We waited where we were until a man came out to greet us.
After describing what we knew of the girl and the circumstances of her death, the farmer advised us that orcs were known to have been seen on the far side of the valley, about a day's travel away. We thanked him and went on our way.
On the far side of the valley, we followed a plume of smoke to a burned, pillaged home. In some nearby woods, we found a group of ten orcs. There was a pitched battle, and we slew all the orcs. Afterward, we found a shrine to Fumeiyoshi in the area. The spirit girl appeared a short distance away. As we approached, she disappeared. In the spot where we had seen her, we found evidence of several shallow graves--the girl and her family.
We exhumed their bodies, then deepened their graves and returned them to the ground. We placed the medallion in the girl's grave, then covered them all with soil once again. Momoko gave each of them the proper rites according to the ways of Fumeiyoshi, and felt the curse lift from her.
Our mission complete, Hunter and Gum Doe decided to part from our company and continue on to a half-orc encampment together. Meanwhile, we decided to make our way back to Tam.
After returning to Tam, we stayed the night at the tavern once again, then spent the next day retracing our path back up toward the monastery of the dead. As we made our way up the mountain path, the weather turned dour, and the air increasingly frigid.
On the second day, we were attacked by a large boreal wolf. Immediately upon dispatching the wolf, we were beset by a swarm of flaming skeletons. The skeletons proved particularly difficult to deal with, as we quickly discovered they explode when destroyed! Hemmed in by deep snow on one side, a cliff on the other, and the pack animals and cart behind us, we had no choice but to endure being repeatedly blasted by explosions as we struck down the skeletons. I fear it may take weeks for my eyebrows to grow back.
As we destroyed the last skeleton, a large shadow passed over us. I glanced up to see an Imperial Sky Dragon peering down at us at it passed. I know not what kind of omen this might be.
As we continued along the path to the monastery, we came across a yeti. The powerful stench gave it away before we ever set eyes on it. Hoping to avoid a fight, Tomohiko approached it and offered it a pile of orc rations from our cart. That did the trick. Pacified, the yeti let us pass without incident, though my nostrils might complain they were assaulted.
On the third day of Arodus, we arrived at the monastery. It was surrounded by high, magically warded walls, but the front gate was open. One of the doors had been battered down from the inside. A kami was trapped under the fallen door, and it cried out for our help. After we freed it, the kami told us it had been stuck there for a week, watching helplessly as numerous monsters escaped. When the kami realized the gate was not immediately fixable, it became disconsolate and left.
We entered the monastery through the open gate. Immediately, we were attacked by a group of ninjas and an undead hill giant they had captured and chained there. We won the battle, but one of the ninjas managed to escape, taking our horse in the process. Tomohiko went after him, only to find the yeti we previously encountered feasting on the unfortunate horse. The ninja had abandoned it to distract the yeti, and fled on foot. Tomohiko gave up the chase and returned to the monastery.
In the meantime, we questioned a captured ninja and learned that six more ninjas had gone further into the monastery two days ago. They had not yet returned. Meihua then ended the captured ninja's life. I'm not sure I'm entirely comfortable with the glee she took in doing so. "I like the sound it makes!" she exclaimed as she snapped his neck.
I recovered a set of magical jade claw covers from the body of one of the ninjas. I manifested my dragon claws and slipped the covers on, one by one. My claws now crackle with electricity on command! I find this quite pleasing.
In the courtyard, we found a building with a locked jade door that radiated magic. On it was a series of pictographs illustrating a parable about the spiritual necessity of helping the needy. Nearby we found a jade bowl. Remembering the tithing bowl at the Sky Dragon shrine, I tried putting a gold coin in the bowl and placing it before the door. Nothing happened. Then we tried filling the bowl with food. That worked. The food vanished, and the door opened. Within, we found three lengthy scrolls: Ley Lines of the Vault Builders, The Cycle of Life (Jade Key of Beauty and Life), and Ki-Ma-Sutra (Journey of the Qinggong Monk).
We rested there for the night, taking the opportunity to enjoy a natural hot springs pool in the corner of the courtyard. In the morning, we began exploring the rest of the monastery.
In the first area we came to, we could see the corpses of three ninjas. Spread across the room were several strange puddles, connected by thin trails of fluid. Someone recognized the puddles as being composed of ectoplasm. We tried to sneak past, thinking we might be able get across the room without disturbing them. No such luck. We were quickly detected by one of the "puddles." As it animated, a pulse went out through the tendrils, waking all the others.
Fortunately, it was not a particularly taxing battle. Afterward, we investigated the bodies of the ninjas and determined they had not been killed by the ectoplasmic creatures. Something corporeal had mortally wounded them and placed the bodies there.
Against the far wall was a large statue of an oni with glinting red eyes. As we continued on, we found a secret room immediately behind the statue, where one could look through the statue's eyes and issue amplified proclamations through its mouth. I confess, I couldn't resist trying it out. Being a good sport, Jiyu-Ni ran back to the statue room to be my subject. "Kneel before me, mortal!" I thundered at him, peering through oni eyes. He did not. Impudent mortal.
Further on, we dispatched another undead creature, then another, before coming to the lavish tomb of a samurai general. This general must have been an honored protector of the order. Arranged about the tomb was the general's sarcophagus and an array of carefully displayed treasures, including a few that radiated magic.
Eyes wide with avarice, Jiyu-Ni took a magical katana from where it was displayed. When he did so, two empty suits of samurai armor stirred into motion.
The animated suits of samurai armor (which we later determined to be a type of golem) proved difficult to defeat. They seemed immune to magic and were not easily damaged by swords. Once I realized my magic was ineffectual, I manifested my dragon claws and spent the rest of the fight strategically placing myself in such a way as to give tactical advantage to my companions. Eventually, we prevailed. Afterward, we looted the room, taking care to leave the sarcophagus undisturbed. Afterward, we retreated to the secret room we found earlier and rested for the night.
The next morning we retraced our path back to the samurai general's tomb, dispatching two wights along the way. We went through an unopened door into the next area. Here we found the three remaining ninjas, all dead and piled in a corner. Upon inspection, they appeared to have been battered to death. On either side of the room were four coffins. Momoko detected a powerful undead presence in one of them. I detected magic radiating from another.
Bracing ourselves for a likely attack, we approached the magic-radiating coffin and slid it open. Sure enough, the lid to the other coffen stirred, and we quickly found ourselves confronted by a fearsome mummy. Striking it fierce and hard, we took it down as quickly as we could, but not before it struck me a blow.
After the fight, it soon become obvious that I had been afflicted with a rotting disease. My flesh took on a sickly grey pallor, and everything itched like mad. It was nearly unbearable. When I gave in to the temptation to scratch, great flakes of skin peeled away, leaving open, oozing sores. There was some talk of abandoning the mission to seek immediate treatment for my condition, but I insisted on pushing through. I had confidence that Momoko could ward off the worst symptoms until we could find a temple where I could be properly healed.
Continuing on, we eventually came to the final room in the monastery. A ley line radiated through the floor, and the ancient corpses of plague victims were piled on either side. Here we found the source of the recent explosion of undead attacks. A powerful artifact, apparently entombed here with its previous owner, came into direct contact with the ley line after being dislodged from its dead owner's grasp by the eruption.
The artifact is a cat-sized jade statue fashioned in the form of a sky dragon. Along its tail are the teeth of a key. Through our reading of one of the scrolls we recovered in the courtyard, we determined it to be the Jade Key of Life and Beauty. We are not certain of this artifact's purpose or what it might open, but we decided we should take it with us.
We left the monastery. On our way back to Ping Ko Pai, we came across a clutch of untended dinosaur eggs near a spot where we had previously camped. We knew they would fetch quite a good price with the right buyer, but we decided to leave them alone. The mother was certain to come looking for them and we were not in the mood to do battle with a large, angry, maternal reptile.
Back in Ping Ko Pai, we found an old priestess who was able to cure me of the mummy's rot. Thank the Sky Dragon and all the many gods for that! We stayed for a few days to take care of some other mundane matters, including buying a second donkey to replace our lost horse. When discussing our next course of action, Tomo recalled that the four female dignitaries from City of Bears had mentioned they would await our return in Home of the Resolute. They were hoping we might accompany them to Sky Dragon Temple after we dealt with the undead monastery. We made up our minds to return there to help them. They had certainly looked as if they were capable of paying. Also, I have always wanted to go to Sky Dragon Temple.
On the road, we were confronted one night by a young black dragon. Hissing at it in draconic, I tried to convince it to leave us alone. Circling above, visible only by the stars it blotted out, the serpentine creature demanded our donkeys as payment for our lives. When I refused, it attacked. After a violent skirmish, it fled into the night. I believe we nearly killed it.
In the morning, as we were breaking camp, Priya had a frightening episode. At first I was concerned that she was unwell and having a seizure, but it turned out she was communicating with one of her ancestral incarnations. Priya has told me something of samsaran reincarnation, but I confess that the life/death/rebirth cycle of samsarans still mystifies me.
An "incarnation" spoke to us through Priya, imploring us to undertake a quest. She spoke of being unable to pass into "the Great Beyond," as samsarans normally do when they achieve spiritual perfection. She laid the blame at the feet of the xiomorn, also known as the Vault Builders. She claimed that the ancient Vault Builders, through their twisted experiments, blocked the passage to the Great Beyond eons ago. She said we would need to unlock the node to their ascension path, but first we must find the keys that have been hidden away in Vaults.
I did not understand the part about unlocking nodes and ascension paths, but I have read a little of the Vault Builders and their famed Vaults. I wonder if the jade dragon key we just recovered opens one of those vaults? And if so, what wonders might we find there?
We made it back to Home of the Resolute, where we found a reinvigorated town no longer gripped by fear. The undead attacks had ceased. The market had reopened, and a sizable trade caravan was in town. The four City of Bears diplomats were indeed still at the inn, awaiting our return.
We spent that night in revelry. Well, most of us did. Meihua was despondent and retired to her room early. Priya and Tomohiko went to see what was wrong. Apparently she was feeling guilty about the bloodlust she had recently been experiencing in battle. They gave her counsel, and her mood seemed to improve somewhat.
Ghoa seemed concerned when we mentioned that we left the gate to the monastery in a state of disrepair. In retrospect, perhaps we did leave a bit too hastily. Then again, fixing the gate would not have been a simple task, and I was deathly ill at the time. Ghoa said not to worry, he would make arrangements. One of the old cleric's journals mentioned a cloud giant woman that Ghoa thought might be able help fix the gate as well as renew the magical protections on the monastery.
The following day was given to preparation and a bit more leisure. We spoke to the traders in town. They indicated they would soon be heading down to Suttsua. Apparently, Suttsua is being rebuilt, which came as a surprise to me. Hiroki Mattsua has claimed the land and his father's title, and is building a fort. The traders say about 200 people are settling down there. Remembering the farmer who gave us shelter in the aftermath of the eruption, I penned a thank you letter and asked the traders to deliver it for me. I also enclosed a box of cantrip papers as a gift.
The next morning, we set out for the long journey. Sky Dragon Temple looked to be about three weeks away, according to our map. After about two and a half days, we arrived at Parrot Town, where we dropped off some mail for Ghoa before hitting the road again.
As we approached Bangko, we came across a strangely abandoned farm. The livestock were starving in their pens, so we let them out. We looked around, but found no evidence of human occupants. Someone made the observation that all the metal farm implements one might normally expect to find on a farm were missing.
The next day we found another abandoned farm. There was a dead child in her bed. She appeared to have starved to death. Otherwise the farm was in a similar state to the first one. What became of these people?
We continued on in the morning. The fog was thick as split pea soup that day. In the road, we found a dead farmer next to a bloody rake. He had been cut down. A bit further on, we found another body, then another. Meihua heard noises up ahead. We moved forward with apprehension.
We came upon strangers. Farmers by the dozen, wielding rakes and hoes as weapons, whispering to each other in the fog as they fell upon us. We tried to speak calming words to them, but they seemed beyond reasoning. I do not think they were in their right minds.
The farmers seemed to finally realize that we were not the enemy, if only after we rendered a number of them unconscious. As the rest of them ran past us, a few paused just long enough to scream at us to run for our lives. It quickly became apparent why.
Following behind the fleeing farmers was a troop of slavers. The fog obscured their numbers, but by the sound of it they outnumbered us greatly. They were led by an impressive samurai woman on horseback. One of her attendants held a banner declaring her to be Miyamoto Musashi of Daimyo. Also, we recognized one of the voices from the fog behind her to be that of the pale-skinned westerner we had encountered on the road to Ping Ko Pai.
It seemed clear that we were overmatched. Still, Jiyu-Ni rushed ahead to block the road. Always impulsive and often over-confident, Jiyu-Ni seems doubly so when confronted with slavers. Meihua followed, trying to dissuade Jiyu-Ni from taking this foolish stand. I also stayed close, in the hopes of finding a way to defuse the situation and get everyone away safely. I was still cloaked in abjuration magics from the encounter with the farmers, but I feared for my own life as well as Jiyu-Ni and Meihua's.
In the meantime, Tomo, Momo, Priya, and the diplomats were busily trying to clear the unconscious farmers out of the streets and retreat to safety. Fortunately, the same fog that obscured the slavers' numbers was also giving us cover.
Miyamoto dismounted her horse and approached Jiyu-Ni with a sneer on her face. Jiyu-Ni is a skilled swordsman, but in my bones I knew Miyamoto was too much for him. In a desperate bid to create a distraction, I turned and ran back into the fog with my arms outstretched, shouting as if urging an unseen group to come to a halt. As I did so, I cast Ghost Sound, creating the illusory sound of approaching cavalry.
I think Jiyu-Ni finally recognized the perilousness of his situation, but it was too late. Miyamoto declared she would make him her personal slave, then cut him down in two fierce strokes. Meihua tried to aid him, but she was quickly captured.
Continuing the Ghost Sound ruse and employing the cover of fog, I created the booming voice of "Grutok" and demanded the release of the catfolk. Miyamoto responded by sending a few of her men forward to seek out the voice in the fog. In the end, I only succeeded in buying the rest of us time to escape.
Safely away, we regrouped and came to grips with the realization that Jiyu-Ni and Meihua had been captured by slavers. We brainstormed ideas to rescue them. Ultimately, we decided the best course of action would be to go to Daimyo, and with the assistance of the City of Bears diplomats attempt to buy their freedom. Daimyo was 20 days away. We would need to get there ahead of Miyamoto and her caravan, which meant we would need to go off-road to bypass them.
Staying half a day or so behind the slaver caravan, we followed the road to Bangko. There, Minwa procured the services of a guide, as well as a mercenary named Zhang to provide us with some additional muscle until we could get our companions back.
The guide took us off-road. As we trekked through the wilderness, we discovered we were being tracked by a ninja. He had been following us since Bangko, after overhearing Minwa mention the slaver caravan while interviewing Zhang and the guide. He claimed to have his own interest in the slavers, though he was circumspect about saying exactly what his purpose was. With some wariness, we decided to let him travel with us.
Once back on the road, and now safely ahead of the caravan, the guide left our service. We came to Dunekai, a fortress tower at a fork in the road. The area seemed scorched, as if it had recently seen battle. Together, we pieced together what we knew of the place. It was occupied by a witch named Dunekai and a sorcerer named Lee, known for their fierce independence and having held this place for many years against the aggressive advancements of Daimyo. Thinking to perhaps gain some knowledge or assistance for our mission, we knocked on the door. A gargoyle animated, then wordlessly flew up and into the fortress. After a while, it returned and told us to go away. We decided to heed its words and move on.
Further along, we found an unmapped alternate path that we thought might shave a day off our journey. We decided to explore it for a bit. After a short distance, we realized the path led into a forest of truly enormous "integral trees." We briefly debated whether to return to the main path, but curiosity won out. We ventured into the forest. I had little time to reflect on how tiny and insignificant I felt among those trees before we came under attack.
The mercenery, Zhang, was quickly slain. The fight was going badly for us. I feared we were about to lose until an unexpected ally suddenly came to our aid. A grey-skinned man, towering at a full eight feet or more, charged into the fray and obliterated one of the grimstalkers with a single swing of his outsized greatsword. Like that, the tide of the battle instantly turned in our favor.
After the fight, the newcomer introduced himself as Kyojin Ogara. A half-giant, he is a warrior with psychic abilities that aid him in battle. He agreed to travel with us to Daimyo. Seeing as how we had just lost our mercenary, we were only too glad to have the muscle.
After burying Zhang, we moved on. Soon we found our way out of the trees and back to the main road. As dusk neared, we began to hear music and laughter. We followed the sounds to a group of humans and halflings. After Tomo made an introduction, they allowed us to make camp with them. We spent the evening dining and mingling. The humans said they were on their way back to Daimyo, while the halflings were headed south.
Over the course of the evening, we learned that Daimyo is controlled by the samurai caste. Miyamoto Musashi is the head of the samurai order, and third in line to the throne of Daimyo. Tomo tried inquiring about the slave trade there, but was rebuffed. "Slavery is not legal in Daimyo," the woman claimed. Tomo seemed to think she was hiding something. Perhaps Daimyo harbors a black market that traffics in slave flesh?
The ninja, Chishii, suggested abandoning our current plan in favor of circling back to Miyamoto's caravan and engaging the slavers in a series of guerrilla skirmishes. He was quite keen on this idea, but no one else shared his enthusiasm for it. We agreed to stick to the original plan, with the understanding that we would have to think on our feet in Daimyo. It no longer seemed likely that we would be able to simply purchase the freedom of our catfolk companions at an open auction.
In the morning, we woke to the realization that the halflings were long gone, along with several items from our cart. They had managed to pilfer our belongings despite our watch patrol. Among the items stolen were a magic sword, some masterwork bows, and Meihua's magic tea set. I lament the last most of all. Damnable halflings!
Just one day out from Daimyo, we hit the road once again. Along the way, we came to an iron bridge, where we rescued a merchant and his pack elephant from a cliff giant. We slew the cliff giant, but the unfortunate merchant lost his son in the attack. We arrived too late to prevent that.
Finally, we arrived at Daimyo, where Dtang is the preferred language. Fortunately, the City of Bears diplomats all speak Dtang fluently, though the rest of us do not. We went into the Visitors Center, where Minwa made arrangements for us to stay at the Palace Hotel for 10 gold per night.
We estimate that we have three days until Miyamoto and her caravan arrive. Three days to do reconnaissance, make contacts, and come up with a plan to rescue our friends from the clutches of slavery.
Minwa, Priya, An Li, and I formed one group. It was agreed that I would pose as Minwa's servile "assistant," furthering her guise as a noblewoman in the market for slaves. As for Minwa's cover story, she is a City of Bears diplomat who lost several members of her detail when bandits ambushed them on the way to Sky Dragon Temple. She diverted to Daimyo, hoping to replace her lost personnel with "loyal servants." I would serve as an example to which she could point.
Minwa confidently took us into the affluent part of town, looking for a place to mingle with the local nobility. We ended up at the Amago Teahouse. An Li and Minwa were able to make a connection with a group of nobles, including the following:
Hisako Azmocivvi - field commander; first son of General Mitvi (the king or "oja" of Daimyo)
Amieyoto Uigjami - court physician
Kan Inao - 1st assistant physician to General Mitvi
Minwa quickly caught the eye of Kan and sat down with him. After a bit of polite banter, she skillfully inserted herself into a conversation with Hisako and Amieyoto. To my eye, she dazzled them all. Before the evening was over, she had procured an invitation to the upcoming slave auction on the 7th, as well as lodging for herself (plus three) at the Grand Hotel, on Kan's dime. She selected me, Momo, and An Li to stay with her.
In the meantime, Tomo and Chishii went to a brothel. I'm told that Chishii lay with a Shu woman, while Tomo spent the evening in the parlor, playing Go and conversing with other patrons. Tomo confirmed the existence of a slave market in Daimyo. Furthermore, he learned that while a few slaves are sold at private auctions, most are actually taken to the fields in Kaoling to replace laborers lost in hobgoblin raids.
Momo took human form and ventured into the "under mountain" district with Fueng Chow and Do Yi. There they found a bar, and spent the evening in the company of four working men. As the men vied for their affections, the ladies coaxed information out of them. They found out that the slaves are kept in the samurai area. They also learned that a half-orc named Jarg serves as auctioneer and torture-master for the slaves, and that the king's slavery administrator is named Amijuko Yemyko. One of the working men claimed to be a blacksmith who sells manacles to the king's slave market director, Umi Omigatti.
The next day we all met to compare notes and revisit our plans. After taking account of our funds, we felt confident we had enough to reacquire our catfolk companions at auction should the option present itself. Alternately, we might employ subterfuge and diversionary tactics to gain access to the slave pens and free our friends. Another option would be to simply come clean and petition the king (assuming we could gain an audience with him) to free our friends in the name of diplomacy.
In any case, the auction wasn't for another four days. The slave caravan itself was still a day or two away, by our estimation. Chishii volunteered to take up watch near the front gate, so we would know as soon as the caravan arrived. Tomo went with him to help find a good spot.
That afternoon, Minwa and I went back to the Amago Teahouse. Minwa chose to simply listen and observe, rather than mingle. There we observed the following individuals:
Miki Miki Wiki Tiki Ti - a gnome casting arcane spells for the amusement of others
Narma Visk - a well-manicured half-orc professor, perusing a stack of texts
Visinarri Yamakagi - elven woman; wife to Bokkai Yamakagi (an advisor to General Mitvi)
In the evening, Minwa shared a private dinner with Kan Inao. I watched from the far end of the room with a group of Kan's servants. Clearly, he was wooing her.
The next day, we all met again over brunch. On the way there, Minwa caught a glimpse of someone tailing us. Is Kan having us followed?
First, however, we were brought before General Mitvi. The opulence of his palace put even the late Lord Ganner Yami's estate to shame. We surrendered all our magical items immediately after entering the "Gate of Heaven." All weapons had been left behind at the hotel, of course. Next, we walked through the "Gate to the Underworld," traversing an area illuminated in such a way as to permit no shadows (it is said that the dead cast no shadow in the underworld). Clearly, this was all meant to inspire a level of awe bordering on deification. I cannot say I was unaffected. We went where we were told, and prostrated ourselves until General Mitvi arrived and told us to rise. He spoke to Minwa about the great bear-riding warriors of City of Bears. He expressed condolences to Tomohiko for the destruction of Suttsua. He addressed all of us briefly about our duties in the upcoming trial. Soon it was over, and we were dismissed.
We all understood, of course, that we were to rule in favor of the princess and punish the miners harshly. Any other outcome would displease General Mitvi and endanger our mission. The barrister let us know the general wanted a public spectacle to be made of killing one of the miners, and that he had singled out Kyojin for this task. Apparently, our new 8-foot tall companion had caught the general's eye.
The trial was held the next day. Minwa selected herself and Tomohiko as the "oyer" and the "terminer." They would be collectively responsibile for questioning the parties and rendering judgment. The rest of us would counsel them and partcipate in the deliberations. Tomo and Minwa took testimony from the princess first. Then the three miners were brought forward, one after another. Minwa soon got two of the miners to confess to their part in the event and implicate the third for having thrown the dung. At that point, the dung-thrower also confessed, listing poor work conditions and insufficient pay for his motives. He stood defiant as he admitted his crime.
In the end, we sentenced the first two miners to a 50% reduction in pay for three years. As for the dung-thrower, we gave him a choice: death to him and his family, or trial by combat. Make a good show of fighting against Kyojin in the arena, and his family would be spared. At the prospect of his family being executed, his defiance immediately washed away. He gladly agreed to trial by combat.
I should note that Priya objected strongly to the dung-thrower's sentence, but she was overruled. While none of us felt any of this was just or proportionate, we viewed this sham proceeding as a necessary step to rescuing Meihua and Jiyu-Ni. Tomohiko argued the miner sealed his own fate when he publicly besmirched the general's daughter-in-law. If we didn't hand down this judgment, someone else inevitably would.
We felt bad about asking Kyojin to act as our public executioner. I don't think he's had many friends in his life. He spoke of having always been regarded as a "beast" and an unthinking killer, but if this is what we needed of him, then he would provide it. He has not been with us for long, but I think there is more to him than that. He is a protector. I hope we can be more deserving of his friendship in the future.
The trial by combat took place that evening. Kyojin toyed with the miner for a short while before literally chopping him in half. I nearly vomited. The crowd roared their approval. Priya did not attend. Clearly upset over this scripted barbarism, she had gone back to the Palace Hotel. I think she is disappointed in me most of all.
The slave auction was held in the same stadium, shortly after the fight. As I stood there with Minwa, waiting for it to begin, I saw Miyamoto enter. At her side was Hiroki Matsuko! I hid behind Minwa, trying to wish myself invisible. Hiroki quickly spotted Tomo and approached. "Hello, Tomohiko," he said. "Where is my slave?"
As I feared, Hiroki means to claim the remaining years of my indenture. At this point, I told Minwa I had to leave, then exited the stadium as quickly and surreptitiously as I could. I returned to the Palace Hotel to find Priya and hide. What follows was recounted to me.
Tomo told Hiroki that he didn't know where I was. Furthermore, unless he could produce a contract, he had no valid claim on me. I must say that was quick thinking on Tomo's part. My indenture papers were likely destroyed in the eruption. On the other hand, Hiroki is a petty man, and unlikely to be deterred by the simple lack of a piece of paper. Let us just say that I do not wish to test the legality of Hiroki's claim. Justice is too often what powerful men say it is. The events of this very day stand as testament to that.
Hiroki only chuckled at Tomo's retort. "Tell Zhong he still owes me three years." With that, he turned and walked away. The first slave was being brought out for bidding.
Several slaves came and went. I'm told Hiroki bid on and won nearly all of them. Finally, Jiyu-Ni was brought out, slumped and quiet in his manacles. He had obviously been beaten. Hiroki deferred to Miyamoto, who opened the bidding at 100 gold. Apparently, she meant to make good on her promise of making him her personal slave.
Holding our scrip for 1,742 gold, Minwa entered the bidding at 200. Miyamoto bid 300. Minwa jumped to 500. I'm told this earned a withering look from Miyamoto. 500 was already an expensive bid, but the bids continued escalating until Miyamoto was in for 1,200 gold. The crowd was rapt. They had not expected such a showdown. Miyamoto glared at Minwa. After a long pause, Minwa raised her scrip and announced "one thousand, seven hundred and forty-two gold."
This drew gasps from the crowd. Furious, Miyamoto strode over to Minwa, hand on the hilt of her sword. "What is this?" she demanded. "Who are you? Who is this bedraggled cat to you?"
"I am Minwa Ghet from City of Bears-"
At this point, Kan put a hand on Minwa's arm and stepped forward. "If it pleases you, Mistress Miyamoto," he said. "Lady Minwa Ghet is here at my invitation. With your permission, I'd like a moment to speak with her. Perhaps I can help straighten this out."
"Very well," Miyamoto agreed gruffly.
With that, Minwa and Kan took a step back and began speaking in low whispers. Minwa confessed to our true purpose here, explaining the circumstances under which Jiyu-Ni and Meihua had been taken. Kan took particular note of the fact that we were travelers at the time, and that Miyamoto struck Jiyu-Ni first.
Armed with this information, Kan turned to confront Miyamoto. He declared that two of Minwa's companions, including the cat man, had been taken illegally, as the general's warrant forbid the abduction of travelers who were simply passing through. Only the farmers from that area were to have been rounded up.
Miyamoto then tried to claim that Jiyu-Ni had attacked her first, giving her the right to take him. Minwa denied the claim, recounting the scenario as I once described it to her: Miyamoto and Jiyu-Ni exchanged words. Then Miyamoto did a flying dismount from her horse and struck Jiyu-Ni. Meihua rushed in to try to give Jiyu-Ni aid, and was taken too.
At the mention of Meihua, Miyamoto said "Ah, yes, the sister. I'm afraid she didn't survive the trip. An accident befell her."
Jiyu-Ni raised his head and screamed "SHE'S LYING! SHE BEHEADED MY SISTER IN FRONT OF ME!!!"
Another collective gasp from the crowd. General Mitvi suddenly appeared, striding forward. "Are these claims against you true, Miyamoto?" His own hand was on the hilt of his sword now. Miyamoto's no longer was.
Miyamoto lowered her head slightly. "Yes, Oja," she said resignedly. "The cat man attacked me with his words, but it is as they say. I struck the first blow."
The general nodded slowly, relaxing his sword hand. "Very well." He turned to Minwa. "Your last bid will stand. Your friend, Jiyu-Ni is free, and his belongings will be returned to him."
And like that, it was over. Jiyu-Ni is back with us. Sadly, Meihua is dead. There was a feast that night at the palace. I did not attend, for fear of being spotted by Hiroki. The general awarded gold to my companions that did attend. We must leave in the morning. I cannot stay here any longer.