2nd Scroll - The Holy Mountain

[jemmus]

Some housekeeping: At this point the PCs are in the second hour, so only the first two rolls for cold damage apply. The same for Power used for spells. You can retcon and change your spell use for hours 3, 4, and 5 later if you like. I shouldn't have had you do all five rolls yet. But keep your rolls, they'll apply later. Sorry for the kind of sloppy GMing lately, I'm still getting used to doing all of my PBP stuff in a window of time after work.

I'm going to say that a critical success on a cold damage roll means an automatic success for the next hour. Taisho got one in hour 2, so he can disregard his hour 3 roll.

For something like this I'm fine with rolling ahead and let the GM decide what applies and what doesn't. It will speed up things like this. If events interrupt the roll ahead, then the roll ahead might not happen, but if it DOES happen, use the rolls as already made.

Alright then, let's do it that way. Moving things along is always good. This crew is good at keeping track of things. All GMs and cat herders, after all.

[ffilz]

Grumble - forgot to do blessings. I’m not sure how to make them useful. Rolling for them every half-day is a pain and then we forget to use them if I do remember to roll for them. I wonder how they worked out in face to face play?

It’s a significant part of the Gakusho’s power and has dindd we almost nothing for us.

[jemmus]

think they'd be easier to remember in face to face play. The transition from night to a new morning would be more obvious to everyone. You can retcon and do them at today's dawn this time, if you like. This morning was kind of a deja vu of yesterday morning. Even I kind of lost track of what day we are on.

[ffilz]

think they'd be easier to remember in face to face play. The transition from night to a new morning would be more obvious to everyone. You can retcon and do them at today's dawn this time, if you like. This morning was kind of a deja vu of yesterday morning. Even I kind of lost track of what day we are on.

Taisho is down 2 subdual (lost in first hour). Did anyone need healing in the first hour?

Sounds good, can I have a refresh of who all is in the party at this point? I don't think I will do blessing on all (with 55 Karma Yoga and blessing being Yoga / 10 power and effect, I think that's 6 power and +6 BCS ). The good thing is that being level 2, each blessing is on two people and they run for 2d3 detailed turns once invoked. I think he'll just be doing 2 blessings, maybe three. Can you do lower power blessings?

I propose a house rule for blessings: Player states "standard procedure for blessing" and then we roll for actual success when an encounter happens that we might want to invoke the blessing during. My SOP is just to cast a single blessing attempt per character and not retry if they fail. At the current time, I see Taisho as giving blessing every morning. He will also give blessing in the evening when nighttime activities are expected (for example spending the night on Fuji-san). Oh, and what is all the timing of the pilgrimage again? I've lost track of the details...

[jemmus]

We're actually in the second hour. The ronin and Saburo both took damage, but the ronin's looks worse. But then again he looks more experienced (higher level) than Saburo. Here's who's in the party:
ronin - bushi
Saburo - budoka
Rumi - budoka
Haruto
Taisho

The plan is to spend the night on the mountain, see the sunrise from it in the morning, then hike back down the mountain and through the forest. So returning to the town tomorrow around early afternoon.

I think the proposed rule would work. You would just have to say who you cast Blessing on and the yoga in the morning (and evening, when applicable). Then when they want to use it, you can do the rolls.

Gnana-yoga: Acts as Hatha-yoga for a Mental Attribute.

Hatha-yoga: Increase one Physical Attribute (recipient’s choice at time of using Blessing) by Knowledge/5. This raises the current Attribute score and all other scores Based on current value.
Prana-yoga: Increases all Saving Throws by Knowledge/lO

Karma-yoga: Increases all BCS scores by Knowledge/lO.

Raja-yoga: Increase Hit Points by a percentage equal to the Knowledge in this Yoga. For example, a character having 20 Hit Points is Blessed by a Gakusho having 80 in Raja-yoga. He receives an 80% increase in Hit Points when using the Blessing for a bonus of (20 x .a), or 16. No damage is suffered by the character until this bonus is eliminated or until the Blessing ends, when any remaining bonus goes away.

[ffilz]

Can you confirm the roundup of 55/10 to 6?

I wasn't sure if we had time to do healing for the 2nd hour before encountering the Oni.

Hmm, party of 5, I'll have to ruminate on doing 2 vs 3 blessings. Do we also have the guide, or is the guide on of those listed?

Also, can Taisho do reduced power blessings, or is it an all or nothing?

[jemmus]

The oni's form, with its great ridged and studded iron tetsubo, is dimly lit by Haruto's small pool of magical light in the vast darkness of night on Fuji. A frigid breeze blows across the mountain's face and stirs the mists. The ronin bushi draws his katana and raises it to guard-strike position over his shoulder. He runs up the slope toward the oni's right. The quicker budoka Saburo runs to its left, and as he draws abreast, and pivots to face it. His companion Rumi runs past him, at full speed up the slope and into the black darkness. The oni waves a clawed hand across its face and grumbles in a deep bass voice that carries across the mountain slope. It is language not of Nippon, and probably not of this Earth. Dabiyog rom e guiyeg!


Please make Perception of Hidden Things (Wit) STs. On a failed ST, the oni cannot be seen. Then please state your actions. Both PCS have MNA 1, so only one action per turn. Taisho's BAP is first, then Haruto's. You may want to post in that order, because the results of Taisho's action might influence Haruto's decision about his action.

The char's positions are shown by the text. The arrows beside indicate facing. I'm going to say attacks by the NPCs are at a -2 BCS penalty because they're attacking in dim light. The characters don't know whether or not the oni is similarly affected.

(Haruto's rolls and healing noted and recorded, BTW. Only 4 Permanent HP.... )

[ffilz]

OK, blessing rolls, I will do 3 (18 power if they all work), the third will include a 2nd attempt on Haruto or Taisho if the 1st blessing on them failed (Haruto if both 1st and 2nd blessing fails):



So Taisho, Ronin, Rumi, and Haruto all have blessing +6 to all BCS for 2d3 detailed turns.

[ffilz]

Taisho sees the Oni



Taisho will invoke his blessing for 4 turns.

Exorcism on Oni:



Affects as long as spirit rank is 5 or less, if so, spirit rank is reduced by 4. Cost 2 power.

Remaing Power 31, less any healing that has been necessary for cold effects so far.

[jemmus]

Taisho, Ronin, Rumi, and Haruto all have blessing +6 to all BCS for 2d3 detailed turns.+6 to BCS. Taisho is using his blessing during Turns 1-5.

What level was the exorcism spell?

Saburo and the ronin took cold damage in the first two hours. 10 and 7 HP, respectively.

[ffilz]

Exorcism is level 2 which gets full religious power of 4.

I’ll check off the healing when I get in front of my computer again.

[Marullus]

Give me the woman! She'll fetch wood and make fires, cook for me, and keep me warm at night. She's pretty, I won't torment her or eat her.

...what woman? I don't see that we have one on the party list?

Please make Perception of Hidden Things (Wit) STs. On a failed ST, the oni cannot be seen. Then please state your actions. Both PCS have MNA 1, so only one action per turn. Taisho's BAP is first, then Haruto's. You may want to post in that order, because the results of Taisho's action might influence Haruto's decision about his action.

Haruto has an MNA 2; he acts with a Primary Action on 4 and a Secondary Action on 2.

Haruto regards the horned Oni, addressing him firmly and with a superior demeanor. "Turn and leave, before you bring the angry winds of Fuji-san. We will give you no one, and to shed blood on the mountain will invoke the greatest ire." Calmly performing a kata, tracing a pattern in the air with one hand while the other holds his bo, dragging his toe across the soft soil in front of him. A mist forms around the Oni's feet, sapping the very strength of life from his mortal form.

After the mist forms, he takes a ready position holding his wooden staff, prepared for the Oni to charge or hopefully to flee...


PoHT (BCS 10) [1d20]=7

PHase 4 - Primary Action - Cast Darts of Wood:
PoHT (BCS 11) [1d20]=5
PoHT (BCS 11) [1d20]=19
Expends 1 point of power for the miss and 3 points for the hit. Total of -4 power.
Since we're after the roll for the second hour, he's at 28 / 39. He now is at 24 / 39.

The Oni makes a Strength ST and on failure is affected by a Level 1 Lightning Narcotic Strength Poison that saps his strength attribute.

Phase 2 - Secondary Action - Parry (holding Bo staff):
Parry with Bo Staff (BCS 9) [1d20]=3
That's actually a +2 to AC, for a total of 5.

Taisho: ...Haruto needs to be healed every hour. If you can cast the healing instead of him healing himself, it might be the difference between life and death by morning. He's very likely to freeze to death in the night with his frail health.

[jemmus]

Taisho, Ronin, Rumi, and Haruto all have blessing +6 to all BCS for 2d3 detailed turns.
Taisho - Using his 4 blessing turns during Turns 1-5.
Haruto – Has 5 of 5 blessing turns.
Rumi is a female budoka and her friend Saburo is a male budoka.

Taisho channels the power of sacred pure Nippon and directs it onto the beastly thing in the dim distance. A guttural wheezing gasp is heard, then a snort of malevolence. Haruto drags a toe across the earth and energy from the element of the plants and trees darts from his hand and strikes the magical beast. He quickly performs the rite again, but the elusive energy cannot be realized and gathered. The ronin bushi in pilgrim's garb stops, turns, and faces the oni's right hand side. The budoka Saburo stands in the stance of the beginning of an atemi-waza, seemingly scanning and searching for his foe. The running Rumi disappears into the blackness of the slopes of Fuji. Haruto raises his bo, ready for defense of his thin and frail body.

Don't forget that actions against the oni are at -2 to BCS, due to the dim light and the mist. It's currently a hazy figure at the edge of light, seen through a thin fog.

[jemmus]

Taisho, Ronin, Rumi, and Haruto all have blessing +6 to all BCS for 2d3 detailed turns.
Taisho - Using his 4 blessing turns during Turns 1-5.
Haruto – Has 4 of 5 blessing turns.

Turn 2
The oni saved the STR ST roll.
Taisho and Haruto see the vague shape of the ronin fall forward in the kenjutsu swift shuffle towards the dark form. A cry of Kiaaii! carries through the air and mists of the silent mountain. Immediately after, a vague form resembling Saburo's skips forward with two long, low strides to deliver a hard, penetrating fist strike to the oni's ribs. Instants later, Rumi's high girl's delivers an intense Kiaaii! and the sound of hard flesh being smitten is heard.

The now familiar voice booms out and rumbles along the slope. Little fools! I gave you a chance, you still have a chance to take it! Girl, you strike from behind. You might survive among the oni women. It mumbles, Surudog e tho and traces a claw in a circle out around it.

Next up is Taisho (need the level of the Turn 1 Exorcism spell please). Then Taisho's next turn actions, then Haruto's two Turn 2 actions.

[ffilz]

Next up is Taisho (need the level of the Turn 1 Exorcism spell please). Then Taisho's next turn actions, then Haruto's two Turn 2 actions.

Exorcism is at level 2 which gets Taisho his full religious power of 4 as spirit rank reduction. Is the exorcism also -2 BCS for vision? If so, the exorcism only succeeds if the Oni is Spirit Rank 3 or less...

Next turn exorcism:



Well THAT one's going to succeed...

Level will depend on what happened with the first exorcism. If it failed, then this one is level 2. If the -2 BCS penalty doesn't apply and the Oni was rank 5, then the 2nd will be at level 0 because there's only 1 spirit rank left... If the penalty applied and the exorcism succeeded, then the Oni's spirit rank was reduced to 0 and either I don't need a 2nd exorcism or I'm now exorcising the yurei, so level 2.

[ffilz]

Taisho, Ronin, Rumi, and Haruto all have blessing +6 to all BCS for 2d3 detailed turns.+6 to BCS. Taisho is using his blessing during Turns 1-5.

What level was the exorcism spell?

Saburo and the ronin took cold damage in the first two hours. 10 and 7 HP, respectively.

How was that divided, if Haruto NEEDS healing every hour, then two of the 3 successes were for Haruto.

[jemmus]

The first exorcism succeeded. No -2 penalty for darkness. The rules say that the caster just needs to see the target, at any distance. 4 shugendo for Taisho.
The oni groans a terrible groan. Damn you, nasty priest. Despite the dark, he gakusho and shugenja see an ash-gray animus depart the monster's body and dissipate from Nippon, into the kakuriyo. Or to hell? Which is said to be just a certain part of the kakuriyo.

Haruto is up.

[Marullus]

What does that mean? Is his spiritual form completely defeated and we only have the body to contend with? Or are we still needing more exorcism? If there is need for additional exorcism, Haruto will use his 1/day exorcism as a Gakusho (BCS 10) now, before we reach down. Otherwise, he retains his defensive stance to see how the warriors fare...

Haruto maintains his defensive stance, speaking loudly and clearly to the Oni. "You offend the mountain by forcing the shedding of blood... even you are not immune from Fuji-san's wrath."

Exorcism (BCS 10) [1d20]=1
(Dramatic!)
Parry with Bo (BCS 9) [1d20]=8
(+1 AC)

[jemmus]

The oni's spirit was exorcised before Haruto's spell. It's just a physical body now. It lost a lot of HP and AC when it went to Spirit Rank 0.

The ronin follows up his strike with another, but loses his grip on his katana. It flies from his hand. Saburo strikes at the oni from the side, but the ground has turned treacherously slick. His footing is off and his blow is weak. Rumi sidekicks the creature from behind, rocking it.

Turn 3
The ronin draws his wakizashi and strikes in one motion. Black blood spurts from the oni's side. Saburo's fist smashes into its other. The thing crashes heavily to the ground.

Rumi looks at it a moment. Unconscious.
Not dead.

It cast Traitor Ground, which helped a little (-4 to combat BCS), but not enough. Actions?

[jemmus]

(Temporary interruption, we may want to rewind).
Haruto has 2d3 turns of Blessings to use. He can use them to avoid some of the failed cold damage STs. Here's what would be needed:
Roll 2d3;
-Start the Blessings turns at the first cold ST turn;
-Apply the +6 to the ST rolls;
-Cancel any damage from failed rolls that are now successes; and
-Cancel any Power spent on unneeded Pure Flesh spells.

Then, on to your actions when the oni drops unconscious. Situation:
-No one was injured in the fight;
-The ronin and the male budoka Saburo have around 5-10 HP cold damage each;
-However Haruto ends up after the rewind, if he chooses to do one.