Scroll 1 - The Master Craftsman's Tea Vessel

[ffilz]

I think it makes sense for Minoru to sneak in concert with the others.

I forget, does his role include being sort of the lookout?

[ffilz]

As to the dog, Minoru has fast level 5 narcotic, and fast level 3 paralytic.

I'm not sure what the strength or speed of a dog would be as to how fast that would work.

Minoru is not great with a blowgun (BCS 5) and is better with shuriken (BCS 9).

[jemmus]

Minoru's role is to be responsible for deciding whether, under changing situations, to continue to try to achieve the mission, or to call it off. Taken into account the extreme need for maintaining the clan's secrecy. He's also responsible for making sure that any members who are captured-- who will surely be tortured for information-- are executed before talking.

[Grognardsw]

I agree the dog out would help. Perhaps our best blow gunner waits for the dog to come around, hopefully takes it out, then we proceed in from multiple points.

If Kaida can grant nightvision to us (or one) that would be helpful.

The smoke distraction as well. Ideally the dog is taken out, entry is attempted, a signal of some sort given for smoke diversion at the most opportune time judged the others. Kaida could be in a position in the north alley ready to catch the tossed boxed teacup upon hearing a night bird whistle.

I think this is coming together.

[Rex]

Agreed, I think the plan is sound.

[jemmus]

The rules on poison seem kind of complicated, but they actually aren't. Basically there are strong poisons and weak ones, injected and ingested ones, fast ones and slower ones, and then four types. Whatever the type is, they all have the same effect of disabling or killing a character. I suppose the slower poisons are useful as a kind of time bomb that allows the character to escape before the poisoning is detected.

A dog has 7-12 HP (i.e. Health 7-12). Strength should be around 5-8 and Speed around 11-13.

1095.4 POISON
Level: This is the intensity of the Poison, the rate [strength] at which it attacks its victim.
Mode: This is the manner in which the Poison is introduced into the victim’s system. These means include Injection, Ingestion, Inhalation, or Contact.
Speed: These are Slow, Fast, and Lightning. They set up general time scales under which the Poison will work, which can be varied by the Poison’s maker or the Gamesmaster.
Type: This can be Lethal, Narcotic, Paralytic, or Disabling. Each attacks different Attributes and has different effects.

1095.4d Poison Types
Lethal Poison directly attacks the current Health Attribute of the victim. If this is reduced to 0, the victim receives a final Saving Throw on his Raw Permanent Health ST. If this succeeds, the victim is alive, but in coma, with his Health at 0. Otherwise he is dead.

Narcotic Poisons attack the victim’s current Strength Attribute. If this is reduced to 0, the victim will pass out, remaining unconscious for 1d3 hours per current Level of the Poison.

Paralytic Poison attack the current Speed Attribute. If this is reduced to 0, the victim is paralyzed. The effect is similar to that described above for Narcotic Poison.

Disabling Poisons cause Distractions to the victim. They do not attack an Attribute, but rather cause disorientation and confusion, as with certain modern riot control gasses. In any Detailed Turn in which the victim does not save against the current number of Distractions, he suffers their effects for that Turn. If the Distractions exceed the victim’s current Will Attribute, he will be totally disoriented, unable to function at all. This latter effect lasts for 1d1O minutes per Level of the Poison.

[Marullus]

The dog having hit points of 6+1d6 infers that it has a Health score of 6. The poison affects the health score, not the hit points. I am not sure how to reverse out what it's Strength score is, but assuredly less than the Common Man (10).

More detailed summary was here. Lightning causes a save/damage every action in in a detailed turn (so 12-16 for dogs and fast ninjas) where Fast tests once each detailed turn. A Lightning poison may knock out the dog before it barks, while a Fast poison likely has it barking six turns before it drops.

[jemmus]

HP aren't equal to Health? I'm a little rusty on my Bushido.

[Marullus]

Poisons do Attribute damage. Health is an Attribute. Hit Points are Xd6 plus Health.

[Marullus]

Kaida could be in a position in the north alley ready to catch the tossed boxed teacup upon hearing a night bird whistle. .

Kaida proposes to loiter just south of the east gate to cause the distraction. She can make the smoke come from the guards' house to lure them away from master bedroom.

Along the north alley, the only place she can target is the master bedroom itself (and the ninjas have a real firebomb if that is necessary).

Also, better to have the speediest ninja escape with the teacup than risk tossing it.

[Grognardsw]

Yes that is good for positioning. My north wall thought was if there was alarm or pursuit, and we needed to get the cup out fast, it gets tossed over the wall at a predetermined spot (eg the middle of north wall, closest to master bedroom), in the protective box. The cup gets out even if one of us doesn’t.

After Kaida’s east diversion, she could move around to north.

I’d like to have a signal to give Kaida for perfect timing of the diversion. Not sure what signal that wouldn’t alert others. Maybe a relay where a thrown pebble to Fuma, who passes it to Minoru, who in turn alerts Kaida.

I ’d like to collect our various thoughts here and write down plan A and plan B sequences.

[jemmus]

Poisons do Attribute damage. Health is an Attribute. Hit Points are Xd6 plus Health.

Right, I was trying to get the figure for Health based on the HP figure. Bushido doesn't give Attribute scores for NPCd (other than averages for humans in Professions). For once it spares us the gory details, though actually they would be useful when it comes to Detailed Time Scale encounters.

[jemmus]

Minoru?

[jemmus]

Please continue any discussion of plans for the evening's action and firming up any details while we wait for Minoru.

[Grognardsw]

Sorry popping in quick - work project draining- should post this weekend with definitive plan - going to bed

[ffilz]

Did we establish likely stats for dogs re: poisons?

I think Minoru should be in a position of lookout, he probably has the highest Wit save for Perception of Hidden Things.

[jemmus]

The rulebooks give these stats for Dog. If we apply the rules for characters and there attribute scores, we can deduce the below.
-BAP 16. So Deftness is at least 32(!) For this dog, I'll say 31-33.
-BMA 6. So Speed is around 18. I'll say 17-19.
-But, MNA 1. Per the rules, Speed should not be higher than 15, or it would go to MNA 2. Many dogs can run fast (BMA), but not take actions correspondingly as quickly (MNA).
-HP 6 + 1d6. So Health is 6.
-Damage 1d6. No sure if we can deduce anything about Strength from that. Comparing to the average human's 10, I'm going to say it's 6-8.

[Rex]

Looks reasonable.

[Grognardsw]

Sorry for the delay. As for strategies, looking over our collective notes, how does this look?

Phase One: Good doggie

Time: 9:30 pm. People are relaxing, but not yet in bed. Stealing tea cup from assumed closet spot in bedroom with someone in there seems much riskier than if empty.

K casts night vision on J or F (whoever can stealth better).

J & F & M stealth over north wall behind house.

F keeps watch, perhaps on roof edge or top, while…

Blow gunners J & M: 1) wait for dog to eventually reach them, assuming it makes patrol; 2) seek out dog on grounds (riskier) 3) poison/dispatch, hide body.

M goes watchman on roof (master bedroom?) with 360 view. Alert J and F to trouble with different whistles: 1) approaching danger; 2) mission abort / retreat.

J & F move to phase two.

Phase Two: Breaking and Entering

Time: 10:15. It could be sooner or later depending on how fast dog appears.

J & F break into master bedroom by 1) window, if one; 2) through thatched roof, if that is a thing; 3) from under floor up. Bring a few candles to use flame to ward off night critters under there. Need to visually confirm one of these methods is possible. This process will taken 10-30 minutes, possibly longer, but we’ll esrimate 10:45.

At 10:45, M signals K (a small rock thrown from roof over east wall where K is?). At this point, K casts smoke spell to fake fire at guard post. We don’t want it to go off too early.

During “fire” diversion, J & F who are now inside search bedroom closets, etc.

If we find teacup, it goes in box. J & M
escape from fastest route possible. If chased, split up to divert enemy and cause confusion. M could help if necessary.

Agreed upon tactic: Goal is get teacup out, even if its placing on top of wall and continuing on so if caught we don’t lose cup. It could be searched for later by another ninja.

Hiding spots during escape: 1) roofs; 2) along stream / pond bottoms with bamboo breather stick

GM question: In reviewing J sheet, there are some Ki Powers including the Stalking Shadow. Does he have those, or is that at higher level?

[Marullus]

Kaida thinks the dog is tied under the Roofed Columns on the east side ( saw it - was that true?).

You have the Ki powers, but only 1 Ki point to spend. (Kaida has more Ki, but no cool powers like you.)