Oriental Adventures Game 2



Game Master: Adam
Game Edition: 1st Ed. AD&D
Players: Jeff, Andrew, Dave, Elijah
Starting Level: 1
Current Level: 1

Quote of the Evening:
"NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!"

Introduction

This game marks a couple of firsts for JADE. The first guest DM, The first time all for us were on the same side, and the first 1st Edition game that most of us had played.

To help get everyone in the mood we toasted our victory with a bottle of sake, and discussed who would be the leader of the party. Everyone agreed that, as a Monk, Elijah's character Jo-on would be best suited to role, which he accepted graciously. With that, we plunged right into Adam's adventure in medieval Japan.

He opened with a Haiku:

Summer Grasses,
all that remains
of soldier dreams


Let's get it on!

Scene 1 Make New Friends and Keep the Old.

The Sohei Hiroyuki Yamashita (Andrew), and his twin Brother the Monk Hiroyuki Jo-on (Elijah) were now full grown and pledged members of their orders. They had learned to work together over the years, but the rivalry they nutured in their youth was still strong between them.

They' re just two brothers.
Just like before, they had been summoned to the Grand Master's study; the instructions were vague, telling them little but his need for their presence.
 
It was an ominous request, as the day before the pair had been caught stealing sake from the cellar. With the Festival of the Dead happening that evening, the precious liquor would be in high demand and the monastery had little enough supply as it was. Yamashita, being a Sohei, and defender of the monastery was expected to have such lapses in judgment; after all he was a warrior and only 18 years old, but his twin Jo-on was held to a higher standard. As a monk, he was expected to show more restraint and thus had spent the past day in troubled meditation; apprehensive about what punishment would befall him. And yet, none had come.

And there really wasn't that much sake.
The note from the Grand Master was the only news the two had heard since the incident and the twins walked slowly towards the Grand master's Study, finding him waiting outside. Both of them bowed to the Grand Master as he returned the courtesy, and issued them inside. A strangely dressed man stood in the study, which the Grand Master introduced as the Wu Jen Suzaki Hitoro (Jeff).

He looked pretty cool.
The old village Wu Jen Nakiri had died two days earlier. She had fallen ill some time ago and was deeply missed through out the village. With her passing, the title of Wu Jen was given to her apprentice Hitoro, and he had come to the monastery with a request.

He explained that he normally wouldn't make a fuss, but several people in the village had been having nightmares, and he was in search for an herb that would help him trace the source of the magic causing the dreams. He felt that protection was needed as dark forces would certainly try to stop them. The wizard seemed a little paranoid, as he went on about growing evils in the village, but Yamashita and Jo-on had a penance to pay, and soon realized it would begin by preforming the pointless task of escorting the Wizard.

Hitoro thanked them, and the Grand Master smiled a knowing smile as the three left to visit the tea house in Kibou Village.

And two became three.
On the road into Kibou, Yamashita, Jo-on and Hitoro were stopped by a young boy named Aki, he had lost his cat a couple days ago and asked if they would help him find it. Jo-on smiled and said they would keep their eyes open, but they were on important business from the Grand Master and couldn't help him now. Aki thanked him and ran off calling for his cat. The boy lost the creature often and Jo-on was certain he would find it again.

After breif walk, The party reached the Tea House and were greeted by its small and ancient owner, Kenji. The old man asked if they would stay for tea, while he expectantly placed a cup for each in the trio on the table before them. No one refuses Kenji.

The three drank their tea in peace, only to be startled when Kenji filled the cup of a man they noticed sitting at the table with them. He was dressed in dark clothes, but his hood was pulled back revealing his face. Yamashita immediately recognized him as their childhood friend Kira!

Always nice to catch up with an old ninja... I mean friend.
Kira had left the village many years ago, but Yamashita wasted no time in grabbing his friend in a tight embrace. Both the twins were delighted to see him, but Kira seemed to grow darker as they told them about how their lives had went. He didn't say much and told the twins barely anything of where he had been the past few years, other than he had been in the city of Oka.

As Jo-on, Yamashita and Kira caught up, Hitoro asked to Kenji about the herbs he needed to help people with their nightmares. Kenji provided him with a small pouch of herbs that he claimed would help, but asked a favour in exchange.. He told Hitoro that the sake they had ordered from the brewery town of Goruko had not arrived yet! The Festival of the Dead tonight and he didn't know what to do. He had sent payment days ago and he asked if the party could investigate its where abouts. No one refuses Kenji.

Jo-on, Yamashita and Hitoro agreed to help, and rushed out the door. This was the chance they needed to redeem themselves! Rather than the thieves of sake, they would be the champions of it!

Kira thought about staying, perhaps moving on to another village, but instead finished his tea, and muttered "for old times" before following his childhood companions. Before he left Kenji stopped Kira and warned him that their were rumours of a Kappa in the river. Perhaps it had attacked his messenger and taken the money?

Kira thanked the old man and ran after the trio. Kenji watched with a warm smile on his face as memories of youthful adventures filled his mind, but only for a moment. The vigour of youth was a distant memory, and his shop needed to be cleaned.

Scene 2 The Accusation of Lady Maru.

The road to Goruko lay to the East, but before the companions could leave the tea house, they were stopped by Lady Maru. None of the four knew her well as she was a recent arrival in the village and had used her money to force her will on others.

Seeing the party leave the shop Lady Maru marched right over to them, with a scowl on her face. In a voice loud and shrill, she demanded to know what happened to the sake. Jo-on responded that they had just learned of its disappearance and were heading to Goruko to find out what happened, but she didn't believe him. She shouted that the four of them had stolen the sake and that they had better get it back or she would report them to the magistrate!

Google Translate everybody!
Jo-on shrugged off the accusations and lead the party on. Impressed by his cool, the others followed him frowning at Lady Maru as they passed.

Despite his calm Jo-on was pretty shaken with the whole encounter. His quest for sake would have meant his redemption, but now the price of failure would be his acceptance in this village. Worried, but feigning strength for the others, Jo-on lead them on. He first headed to the storehouse for some rice, and then onward to Goruko.

Before they left the village Kira told everyone about the Kappa who supposedly lived in the East river, and that Kenji had told him to be careful not to enter it, lest they provoke they it's wrath.

Scene 3 The Bridge and the Kappa. The Traveler.

Jo-on, Yamashita, Hitoro and Kira traveled along the eastern road towards Goruko until they reached the River. A small wooden bridge stretched across it, but it looked as though one of the wooden supports was broken.

They figured that they could cross the bridge without it breaking, but it was pointed out that they would have trouble bringing a cart of sake back, and no one wanted to be responsible for loosing it all in the river.

As picturesque as that river may be.
Hitoro, volunteered that he had a Warp Wood spell prepared and could probably fix the split beam. But Kira again warned the party of the Kappa.
Here is what a Kappa looks like.
Boasting his strength, Yamashita claimed he wasn't afraid of any Kappa and would defend the Wu Jen while he worked his magic. Hitoro agreed and both of them rushed into the water followed by Jo-on. 

Kira was caught up in his own thoughts and didn't realize what was happening when an positively ancient Kappa rose from the water, and attacked Yamashita from behind, scaring a deep slash in his back.

And... No Kappa Mini. Good thing we have that ogre.
Seeing the monster rise form the deep Kira sprung into action as Yamashita and Jo-on battled the creature in the rushing river.

Though his swings were powerful,Yamashita's enthusiasm clouded his judgment and his aim, landing his tetsubo splashing in the water with each blow. Jo-on on the other used his training and with a sharp jab of his fist, knocked the Kappas head to the side, spilling all of the water from the bowl on top. Normally such a beast would regenerate it's power from the water as it fell back into the river, but the shock of the blow and the emptying of its bowl were enough to kill the ancient Kappa on the spot. It was dead before it hit the water.

Yamashita cried in victory, but Jo-on soured his mood by commenting that the beast must have been very old or it would have slain them easily. Yamashita scoffed at his brother, and wished he would have delivered the blow. Only a warrior could truly appreciate such things.

With the threat out of the way, Hitoro used his spell to repair the bridge. He bent the broken beam back into a shape that could support itself, and pleased with a job well done, crossed the river with the party.

The sun was high in the sky, and with the feeling that they had earned it, the four then sat on the east bank of the river, and shared some rice to recuperate their strength.

Rice!
It was a peaceful and restful time for all but Yamashita. The young Sohei had been more seriously injured by the Kappa then the others knew, but fearing they would think him weak he chose to hide it. To help keep his mind off of his pain, he decided to chat with Kira, and asked him where he had been the past few years.

Kira told them that he had moved to Oka and was being trained as a ninja. However his master had proved dishonourable and had murdered a man. Kira said he had felt so much remorse that he returned to his home village, and wanted to put that life behind him. A half truth.

As they finished their meal, a traveler with his son and mule passed by. Jo-on stopped to speak with them before they crossed the bridge. He was curious if the man had heard of their sake from Goruko.

The traveler didn't know anything about the missing sake, but he had heard that Goruko had been sacked by a party of samurai, and suggested that may be the cause of its disappearance. He was fleeing from the attackers, and recommended that they do the same. Jo-on thanked the traveler but was determined to continue his quest, and chose not to tell the others of the danger.


Scene 4 The Road to Goruko.

There were still many more hours before they reached Goruko, but the weather was warm and the road wound through the thick trees. Each of the four enjoyed the walk, taking in the beautiful country side around them. The hum insects and the singing of birds were only broken when Hitoro heard the thunder of hooves coming down the road. Guessing it was the samurai, the party began to panic and fled into the woods to hide, all except Jo-on. He stood calmly in the middle of the road and said that he would try to reason with the samurai, and learn what they knew of the land.

Yamashita, being a Sohei, knew that samurai were dangerous. They were a threat, not friends, and it would most likely cost them their lives for the trouble. He pleaded with his brother to come hide in the woods with the rest of them. Jo-on seemed annoyed, but seeing his brother's desperation he  agreed to follow him off the road.

Hearts pounded as more than thirty five Samurai rode by mere feet from the bushes where the party hid. Thankfully none of them noticed the four travelers hiding in the woods, and continued on without pause.

Adam (our DM) later told me that if we hadn't of hidden, the best case scenario was that the samurai would have taken all of our possessions. The worst case...

Death by Samurai.
The party crept out of the woods as the last samurai rode out of sight. Shaking the fear from them, they hurried down the road away from the samurai and towards Goruko.


Scene 5 Goruko's Administrator.

Goruko was a small village whose economy was dependent on revenue from their sake brewery. It was normally a busy place, but as the party approached, there wasn't a soul. Windows had been shut, doors had been locked, and there was not so much as a chicken walking the grounds. This was a village in a state of panic and fear.

The group sought out the administrator's office, and Yamashita banged on the door with his fist and demanded to see who was in charge. A small voice answered from behind the door, asking who was there.

Jo-on responded they were representatives from Kibou, here to inquire why their shipment of sake hadn't arrived. Timidly, the administrator opened his door and invited them inside. The administrator seem genuinely confused. He told them that a man named Jenka had come to collect the sake on behalf of Kibou a few days ago, and made the payment in full.

A minor argument ensued as to who was owed what here, but in the end the administrator made it clear that he was sorry, but the village did not have any more sake to give them. Feeling bad, he did mention that Jenka often camped in the forest around their town, and maybe he had returned there.

Jo-on thanked the man, and asked a favour: a letter certifying that the shipment had been picked up by Jenka. The Administrator happily obliged scrawling a note and giving it his seal. Jo-on read the page over quickly, and agreed that it would serve as a good defense against the accusations of Lady Maru. The four thanked the administrator again and left his home in search of Jenka's camp.

No idea if these say what I Google Translate claims they do.
A thick forest surrounded Goruko, and the party fretted about how they would ever find the thief Jenka, but Yamashita had a great idea. He scanned the tops of the trees for a trail of smoke, thinking that it would lead them to Jenka's camp, and there was a single line of smoke rising steadily to the South West. It was barely visible as the sun set, but it gave the four the heading they needed.

Scene 6 Jenka's Camp

Before they left to confront Jenka, Yamashita's pride finally gave out, and he asked if they could find a healer in the village.

Most of the townsfolk were still hiding, but at the sight of the Monk and the Sohei, their courgae slowly returned. Shutters opened and the townsfolk reunited with each other as the sun went down. Asking around, they found a man willing to heal the temple defender free of charge.

Feeling much better from the healer's talents, Yamshita stretched, adorned his armour and rejoined his companions waiting outside. Without a word to each other, the four headed into the dark forest, towards where they had seen the trail of smoke.

After twenty minutes of walking through the bush, the light from a small fire could be seen flickering among the distant trees. Keeping their distance, the party held the postion, sending Kira in to survey the scene.

The ninja slipped silently through the trees. Right up until he reached the edge of the camp, where his left foot landed on a twig, snapping it in half. It sounded like a thunderous blast in the silence of the night, and a beast of a man stood up from his place around the camp fire. In A Druken Stupor the man began searching for the origin of the sound.

Kira Fails his sneak, and realizes the camp is on a cliff side.
The Jo-on, Yamashita and Hitoro, saw the light from the flames blocked as the huge silhouette of a man passed in front of it. Kira was in trouble and they needed to help him.

Jo-on and Hitoro wanted to lure the man out, but Yamashita was too worried about Kira to plan. He wanted action. Grabbing his tetsubo, he dashed across the forest towards the man.  With a cry he burst into the clearing around the man's camp, and swung as hard as he could. The blow crushed the man's skull, and he collapsed to a heap. He was still alive, but had been reduced to a vegetable.
 
Yamashita really wanted to hit something.
There was no one else around the camp, and the others joined Yamashita in the light of fire. Jo-on checked the man that they assumed was Jenka, and determined there was nothing they could do for him. Both he and his twin prayed for him, and he died several minutes later.

The camp was surrounded by barrels of sake and they even found a note on the Corpse. It was a letter from the Lady Maru addressed to Jenka. She had arranged for him to steal the sake and she was trying to pin it on them! This was all the proof they needed!

Scene 7 The Sacking of Kibou

With proof and sake in hand, the four discussed what they were going to do next. All agreed that they would load up the cart with the sake and return to Kibou as quickly as they could. The townsfolk would have their sake for the festival!

They were about to load everything into their carts and leave, when they noticed something in the distance.

Jenka's camp sat on the edge of a cliff and the glow of flames could be seen in the valley below. It looked like a village was on burning. It could only be one place: Kibou!

Your village; She burns.
And this is where our quote of the evening comes from. Realizing their homes were destroyed, the group lamented. Each member crying:

"NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!"

Scene 8 Survivors of Kibou.

Though tired, concern for their village burned strongly in each of them, and Jo-on, Yamashita, Hitoro and Kira ran as fast as they could back to their home.

Everyone was dead. The temple had been burned down and most of the houses had been looted and destroyed. The bodies of friends and family lay scattered everywhere. looks of pain and sorrow plastered on their cold faces. Even Aki, the little boy who was searching for his cat that morning, had been slain, his cat pawing at his body in a futile effort wake him. It was a horror to behold, and shocked each member of the party into silence.

They searched for any survivors, and found Kenji buried in the rubble of his tea house. He was barely alive, and told them that samurai had raided the village. They took everything and killed everyone, even the Grand Master! Everyone except Lady Maru: she and her possessions disappeared just before the samurai arrived.

Jo-on told Kenji about the letter they had found on Jenka implicating Lady Maru, and the old man shook his head; her guilt was clear. He told them that the samurai had headed towards the city of Oka. But they had left hours ago. He coughed and strained a little as he asked that the four claim vengeance for their village. No one Refuses Kenji.

Each of them swore they would make the samurai pay for what they had done! But first, they would celebrate the Festival of the Dead. They had much to do, and many friends to bury.

After the festival, no one could not bring themselves to rest. Driven by rage they continued on after the samurai.

They reached the fork in the road, and followed a sign pointing towards Oka. As the party passed, Jo-on stayed for a moment to examine a fly nailed to the sign post. It was wanted poster with a picture of a man who looked a lot like Kira on it. The man was wanted for murder. Jo-on ripped it from the post and stuffed it into his robes. Catching up with the party he told no one.

Conclusion

The village of their childhood had been destroyed, and the twin's mentor the Grand Master was most likely dead. It seemed like a nightmare, but I am sure the reality of their situation will set in next game.

Will they ever find Lady Maru and the Samurai who attacked their village? And why was Kira wanted by the authorities? And what will they do with their lives now that their home is gone?

We can only hope we will find out next time!



                          
Oriental Adventures Game 2 Oriental Adventures Game 2 Reviewed by JADE Gaming on 8/22/2014 12:45:00 pm Rating: 5

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