1st Scroll - The Will of Nobles - 1st - 3rd Days

[Marullus]

Katsumi looks nearly as alarmed as Kentaro, but for entirely different reasons.

Kentaro harumphs as his hospitality is called into question. The large man nods his assent as Taisho proceeds to set out his herbs and start preparing a simple dish with some herbs, rice, and dried fish.

Would a yurei offer simple food? No, a yurei would offer something scrumptious to lure you.

The heavily-armored man's eyes widen in appreciation of this wisdom. He bows his head in deference as he replies to Taisho, "Your words are wise, Gakusho-san. I am grateful for your company should we encounter any such denizen of this forest."

Excellent to meet you Taisho-san. I have only dueled men but there are stories of the denizens of such places... maybe fear is misplaced? I guess time will tell but in the mean time your pot is smelling delightful.

Kentaro also sniffs, concurring with this logic. "There are tales of Kami who would lure with treats, and there are tales a plenty of the hungry ghosts of this particular forest - so many tales! But no tales I know tell of delectable treats and hungry ghosts at the same time, so I reckon we are safe." He nods solemnly, pleased with this logic, and lifts his Samisen from his lap.

He nods deferentially to Katsumi's suggestion. "Yes, perhaps I could tell the tales of this forest?" he says, tuning his strings. "No, no," he retracts, "That was the downfall of Hoichi the earless! We shall avoid telling the ghosts' own stories lest we invoke them." He looks to each of them and smiles broadly, seeming genuinely pleased to have a receptive audience as he places his thick fingers on the tiny strings. "Some happy music, then, to dispel any gloom." He nods firmly and plays his opening chord.

So, borrowing the "proper theological music" rule and applying it elsewhere, I'll average his skill in Music Instrument and Popular Dance (24+39/2=31.5, for a BCS of 6.
Playing a good dance number (6) [1d20]=11
So... not what we'd call good. Effect number is -5.

Sounds like a good time for Thriller more intriguing to the spirits of the forest than intended...

Kentaro launches abruptly into his musical intro, plucking a strange, minor key tune and syncopating with drum beats upon the skin-head of his banjo-like instrument. His thick fingers seem to mostly play what he intends, but the tune is strange to your ears, not quite danceable though you think it was intended to be, not quite fitting either courtly or popular dance steps.

He finishes, looking up proudly.

[ffilz]

Taisho wears a belt pouch, has a lantern and a furokishi slung over his shoulder, and uses a staff (bo) to steady himself while walking over uneven terrain. He has a look that he can use the bo to defend himself.

[spanningtree]

Ito tends to be formal most if not all of the time, a relaxed demeanor is not well understood by him. Wearing partial samurai armor with a family crest that looks like an outline of Micky Mouse's head, three intersecting spheres. Honor, service, and courage. He tries to relax but seems to catch himself in some reason he should not be.

[spanningtree]

Kentaro launches abruptly into his musical intro, plucking a strange, minor key tune and syncopating with drum beats upon the skin-head of his banjo-like instrument. His thick fingers seem to mostly play what he intends, but the tune is strange to your ears, not quite danceable though you think it was intended to be, not quite fitting either courtly or popular dance steps.

He finishes, looking up proudly.

Excellent Kentaro-san, excellent, the moon appreciates the... music. Tapping his bowl in one hand with the other as a form of clapping.... while thinking whatever is in the forest will definitely not come their way unless discord is appreciated.

[jemmus]

Some of the new associates around the cooking fire and warming fire jolt at the mentioning "Hoichi the Earless". While in the, no less. They momentarily listen for barks of foxes and watch for signs from the camp/cook fire. Everybody has a fine meal, and while they're digesting maybe whittling toothpick, the Moon arises. It's a glorious night. The maple tree have dropped their foliage. The moon rises through the clear black

Far, far away, the sound of a kitsune foxes fighting, crying out, or taking close watch of humans, in forests, in full or new Moons....

Sorry, only Marullus and I may know the reference to Hoichi the Earless, but the PCs would. It's from the 1960s Japanese film "Kwaidan" ("Ghost Stories").

[jemmus]

Drawn perhaps by the fire or perhaps by the sound the samisen, two peasants appear among the pines at the edge of the circle of firelight. Both are men in loincloths and happi shirts, with round straw hats, one middle-aged and one older. The gawk and gawp at the sight of the strangers, mouths hanging open. Some of the outsiders are obviously bushi, others obviously not farmers. Then hasten away into the dark woods, to southwest and toward the highway.

[Enoch]

Deleted- later posts clarified false assumptions I'd made. Rolls moved to later post.

[Marullus]

Perception of Hidden Things (4) [1d20]=12

Not noticing the peasants and finding nothing odd about Katsumi, Kentaro adds a log to the fire and rubs his hands to dispel the evening chill. The moon shines clear upon us and the dawn will come sooner than we think," he smiles to the others. "If you wish to rest, I will take a first watch. Ito-san, would you like to guard the second half? Taisho-san, if you could take the dawning, I would appreciate your skill and preparing our breakfast with your herbs."

[jemmus]

Everyone please also make a Perception of Hidden Things roll. (A d20 Wit saving throw ). Since the farmers aren't really hiding, add 3 to your Wit for this saving throw. In addition, ninja always add their level to the saving throw for Hidden Things.

Marullus, with the +3 I think you made the saving throw. You can keep your post or revise it, either way is fine.

[Marullus]

Marullus, with the +3 I think you made the saving throw. You can keep your post or revise it, either way is fine.

Alas, 4+3 still is not 12. He will remain oblivious.

[ffilz]

Taisho perceives whatever is hidden: Perception of hidden [1d20]=4 is <= 8+3

[spanningtree]

[1d20]=19 Ito stares at the ground like an oaf.

Yes, Kentaro I would be honored with the second watch. Let me know when are ready to switch. Thank you for having me.... Ito says as he stretches out, getting ready to sleep.

[ffilz]

Decided on Karma Yoga.

[jemmus]

Marullus, with the +3 I think you made the saving throw. You can keep your post or revise it, either way is fine.

Alas, 4+3 still is not 12. He will remain oblivious.

Oops, I completely forgot that attribute saving throw figures are the Attribute divided by 3 (Raw Saving Throw). The rules don't specify that you have to round down. So our house rule about rounding to the nearest whole number apply. The add the PC's level to get the Base Saving Throw.

(After Marullus made the first roll of the game, I decided to have everybody do it so we can get some practice. At something not very momentous or dangerous, such as trying to notice a couple of gawking farmers. It's a good thing I did, because the first person to flub the rules was the GM....)

[jemmus]

[1d20]=19 Ito stares at the ground like an oaf.

Yes, Kentaro I would be honored with the second watch. Let me know when are ready to switch. Thank you for having me.... Ito says as he stretches out, getting ready to sleep.

That was dangerously close to a Critical Failure at noticing the farmers! One more point and... I guess he really, really wouldn't notice them.

[Enoch]

I'd like to see if I notice them. My Perception of Hidden Things is a 6.
Discover Hidden Things: [1d20]=5

"Your armor may make them think we're bandits," he mutters to no one in particular.   "Wait here; I'll find out." He moves with quick, light steps away from the fire until he disappears into the darkness between the boles of the trees, unwrapping the knife-handled rope from around his waist as he does so.

Once beyond the light of the fire, he slips into a half-crouch and begins stealthily trailing the peasants through the woods, listening for any incriminating conversation.

Ninjitsu (BCS 14): [1d20]=14
If they do seem to be planning on alerting authorities to the "bandits" in the woods, Katsumi will attempt to prevent them from reporting. Otherwise, they can go to sleep tonight blissfully unaware that death trailed them home.

[jemmus]

Katsumi leaves the fire and disappears into the forest. The Moon is gibbous, and although the pines and maples obstruct its light, the ninja can see well enough to smoothly move along the forest and it's dry leaves covered floor. He sees the older of the two peasants ahead put a rough and leathery finger, more like a tool than an aged tool than a body part, to his almost equally worn lips. He stares the the younger middle-aged one, gestures for him to follow. He seems to wait a moment to see if the younger one caught onto the meaning. Then he gestured "Come!" again, and they both stepped off of the little path animals and sometimes woodcutters follow, to the very fine place where the group of fellow travelers had set up camp.

Katsumi moved more quickly so as not to lose sight of the pair. They seem to have moved surprisingly quickly into and across the rugged contours, ups, downs, lefts and rights of hard way down the slope toward the highway. Then the young novice shinobi remembers his training. "A peasant spends most of his life outdoors, trying to make a living from what nature provides. If a peasant is outdoors, you must assume they as skilled and canny at as an animal of the fields or mountains. From a mouse to a bear, from a rabbit to monkey, and more intelligent and unpredictable than any of them. But when they're in their homes, they are docile as scolded dogs. They fear the bandits and the samurai. When threatened by peasants, threaten to invoke the power and trouble of either. Pretending to be either a bandit or a samurai or not is each ninja's on the the spot decision. The next few months, we will train on becoming simple mountain bandits. And then, road bandits. And then, about ashigaru, in partial ashigaru o-yoroi."

Katsumi quickens his step, his first time descending this particular terrain, while keeping an eye on the locals who know it and have a route they're slipping along as they let gravity draw them left and right, up and down the mountain, toward the highway in the valley. Sometimes the younger man stands on boulder, and gestures to the older one, "This way, come on." T

Katsumi-- You need a successful Ninjutsu roll to keep up with these highly adroit local farmers and overhear any discussions between them. Everyone else, Katsumi in the plain-spun kimono stood up, mumbled some kind of meaningful thing, and took with a purpose into the woods. That everybody around the quiet forest campfire noticed, with no die rolls needed. Even Ito. What do you do?

[Enoch]

I did roll a successful Ninjitsu roll earlier to silently follow them- does that count, or was that just to get to this point? I'm happy to try to make another if needed.

[Marullus]

"Katsumi!" the beefy warrior whispers loudly as his friend gets up and moves towards the forboding forest. "They're just foxes!
Do not chase them!" He sighs in exasperation.

[jemmus]

No, friend Enoch. Perception of Hidden Things is not at all like moving along the side of a mountain, in pursuit of the locals. You're going to need all of your 1st level Ninjutsu skill to intercept and get close enough to listening in on grandpa and peasant dad may be saying. On a rest. If you miss, more ninja trail-jumping, until dawn and the end of the hill. If you succeed, you can quietly listnen in, the ninja decide...