6: The Monastery

[Rex]

Kenta

Kenta will hand signal the others so they see it and to move to shore, he will then sneak up to the boat and baskets and check everything out.

[GreyWolfVT]

Osaru will move to shore and join Kenta in sneaking up to the boat and baskets to scout.

[Starbeard]

Awareness rolls:

Kenta's Awareness roll (3k3) vs TN 15:

Osaru's Awareness roll (2k2) vs TN 15:

You bring your boat over to the bank. Kenta and Osaru cautiously step out onto the frozen grass and sneak up to the boat. Looking around you see no one, and none of the strangely curious wolves amongst the trees. The baskets are shut tight…

…but as soon as you place a hand of the rim of the boat, it disappears! What was once a boat is now nothing more than a patch of icy mud slipping down into the river, and two kappa—small, horrific water sprites resembling turtle-shelled goblins, with sunken skulls full of water—"Tricked!" they hiss with sinister glee, pouncing with their razor sharp claws to drag the hulking monk and stoic ronin onto the slippery slope and down into the water!

Notes: the next round will play out normally, but to reflect their surprise the kappa will gain +2k1 to their initiative.

It's been awhile, so here is a combat refresher:

• Initiative is 1k1 and add your Air Ring rank.
• If you attack, the first round of combat uses Reflexes+Iaijutsu (keeping dice equal to Reflexes) as you draw your weapon. After that you use Agility+Kenjutsu (or whatever weapon skill) to attack. Bows always use Reflexes+Kyujutsu.
• The TN to hit is typically the opponent's Reflexes (or Air Ring, for monsters) x 5. You can make up to 2 raises to the TN (+5 each raise; only 2 raises because you all only have 2 Void). Each raise can deal +1k0 damage if you hit, or some other effect like grappling and tripping.
• You can always spend 1 Void Point to get +1k1 to any roll. Right now everyone is still blessed with extra Void Points, so you have 4 to spend instead of your usual 2.

If you feel too rusty on the combat, no worries: just state your action and I will roll for you.






登場人物

• Kenta, monk: TN10, Init +2, naginata 7k4 (DR 6k3) | Hnr 2;7, Wnds (6) 0;0 | Void Pts 4/2
• Matsumoto Senichi, Unicorn shugenja: TN10, Init +2, wakizashi 4k3 (DR 4k2) | Hnr 3;2, Wnds (4) 0;0 | Void Pts 4/2 | Spells: F3 - A2 - W2/3 - E2
  • Saburo (peasant retainer): 3E/3W/1F/1A/1V | TN5, Init +1, DR 1k1 | Hn 2;7 - Gl 0;0 - Wnds (6) 0;0 | Void Pts 3/1
• Mirumoto Aiko, Dragon bushi: no armor (TN20/5), Init +3, daisho 7k4/6k3 (DR 4k2) | Hnr 3;7, Wnds (4) 0;0 | Void Pts 4/2 (crippled left arm)
• Yoshida Osaru, ronin: no armor (TN15), Init +3, katana 6k3/6k3 (DR 5k2) | Hnr 2;7 Wnds (4) 0;0 | Void Pts 4/2

[Rex]

Kenta

Kenta attacks with his naginata.

Initiative [1d10+2]=2+2=4
Naginata 7k4 [_7d10]=(8+3+7+8+6+4+5)=41
29
Naginata damage 6k3 [_6d10]=(8+6+2+9+2+10)=37
Naginata damage [1d10]=6
33

[GreyWolfVT]

Osaru figuring it might be easier to attack with his Wakizashi does so.

Initiative [1d10+3]=2+3=5
Wakizashi 2k2 [1d10]=5 [1d10]=2
I'm sure there is more i am missing still....

[Starbeard]

Osaru figuring it might be easier to attack with his Wakizashi does so.

Initiative [1d10+3]=2+3=5
Wakizashi 2k2 [1d10]=5 [1d10]=2
I'm sure there is more i am missing still....

Looks good. Initiative roll is perfect, and wakizashi is a total of 6k3: Reflexes 3 (that makes 3k3) + Kenjutsu 3 (that makes 3k0). So 3k3 + 3k0 = 6k3, or "roll 6 dice, keep the 3 highest."

The 2k2 you rolled I think is the base damage for a wakizashi. Damage is the opposite of skills, you take Weapon and add your trait on top of that. So Wakizashi (2k2) + Strength 2 (that makes 2k0), for a total of 4k2 in damage.

If you look at the bottom of the GM posts, it will show your basic combat stats. With any sword or blade, Osaru rolls 6k3 for combat (both as first-round Iaijutsu and as continued skirmish Kenjutsu), and does 5k2 in damage with a katana (but your wakizashi here does only 4k2.

[GreyWolfVT]

Osaru figuring it might be easier to attack with his Wakizashi does so.

Initiative [1d10+3]=2+3=5
Wakizashi 2k2 [1d10]=5 [1d10]=2
I'm sure there is more i am missing still....

Looks good. Initiative is perfect, and wakizashi is a total of 6k3: Reflexes 3 (that makes 3k3) + Kenjutsu 3 (that makes 3k0). So 3k3 + 3k0 = 6k3, or "roll 6 dice, keep the 3 highest."

[1d10]=9 [1d10]=1 [1d10]=9 [1d10]=6 [1d10]=2 [1d10]=7

[Starbeard]

Osaru figuring it might be easier to attack with his Wakizashi does so.

Initiative [1d10+3]=2+3=5
Wakizashi 2k2 [1d10]=5 [1d10]=2
I'm sure there is more i am missing still....

Looks good. Initiative is perfect, and wakizashi is a total of 6k3: Reflexes 3 (that makes 3k3) + Kenjutsu 3 (that makes 3k0). So 3k3 + 3k0 = 6k3, or "roll 6 dice, keep the 3 highest."

[1d10]=9 [1d10]=1 [1d10]=9 [1d10]=6 [1d10]=2 [1d10]=7

Perfect! I will also give you free raise on the attack roll because drawing a wakizashi would be much easier while wrasslin' around than a katana.

[GreyWolfVT]

Looks good. Initiative is perfect, and wakizashi is a total of 6k3: Reflexes 3 (that makes 3k3) + Kenjutsu 3 (that makes 3k0). So 3k3 + 3k0 = 6k3, or "roll 6 dice, keep the 3 highest."

[1d10]=9 [1d10]=1 [1d10]=9 [1d10]=6 [1d10]=2 [1d10]=7

Perfect! I will also give you free raise on the attack roll because drawing a wakizashi would be much easier while wrasslin' around than a katana.

raise? as in additional die roll or something?

[Starbeard]

Raises are used to increase the TN by 5 (TN = target number, which is just L5R's way of saying DC). The difficulty is higher, but each raise gives you an extra die in damage (or some other effect: for example, striking at a specific hit location usually take 2 raises, but usually those sorts of raises are up to the GM). In this case, because you're being tackled and dragged down into slippery, icy mud on a steep bank, you will discover that your weapon attacks automatically require one raise just to hit normally.

A free raise gives you the benefit of making a raise without actually increasing the TN at all. So in this case, the free raise lets your wakizashi attack as normal, without being penalized. That's all.

[Captain Kinkajou]

Aiko

As soon as Aiko realises her friends are in danger, she leaps out of the boat up onto the bank and goes to aid them.

I figure this might need an Athletics roll, given the conditions.Athletics (4k3): [_4d10]=(7+7+6+8)=28 So, 22.

If she gets the opportunity to attack, she will target whichever creature is closest to dragging Kenta or Osaru down the slope into the water.

I've rolled initiative but assume Aiko would attack last, as she has to close the distance.Initiative [1d10+3]=3+3=6

Iaijutsu (7k4, no raises): [_7d10]=(9+8+9+9+9+9+2)=55 So, 36 to hit.

I didn't do any raises myself as I thought the difficulty of hitting one of the kappa while they are grappling with Osaru or Kenta might be increased. Hopefully, this is a good enough strike to do that without hitting her friends.

Damage (4k2) [_4d10]=(8+1+1+1)=11 So, that would be 9 damage.

[Starbeard]

Lake of Sorrows, Beiden Pass [map]
Noon (Hour of the Horse)
"Morning Day" in High Week, 7th of Long Month [calendar]
Weather is cold and cloudy but looking calm



Summary of round:

The kappas have hard shells with a Monster Armor rating of 10: all damage dice that roll less than 10 are treated as 1s instead!

Kenta slays one kappa with 18 damage (16+1+1).

Osaru and Aiko deal 4 damage to the other kappa (1+1 and 1+1), but it throws Osaru (1 damage) who failed his stamina check and is now floating stunned in the freezing river! He has dropped his wakizashi in the water as well.

Two more kappa emerge! One is trying to capsize the boat with Senichi in it, and the other is swimming over to help drag Osaru away to be drowned.

Kenta spent 1 of his 2 bonus Void points to avoid being thrown, and Osaru spent both of his bonus Void points.

Initiative rolls and Combat turn order

1st Kappa [1d10]=9 +3
2nd Kappa [1d10]=2 + 3

Combat Turn Order
Init. 12 - 1st kappa vs Kenta
Init. 5 - Osaru (wakizashi 25 with free raise, damage ?)
Init. 5 - 2nd kappa vs Osaru (wrestling 22)
Init. 4 - Kenta (naginata 29, damage 33)
Init. X - Aiko (athletics 22, katana 36, damage 9)
Init. X - other kappa

KENTA

One of the kappas grabs Kenta around the legs and hips, surprisingly strong for its size. Kenta attempts to reply with a defensive move… This is a Wrestling contest, the kappa rolls Strength 3k3 vs TN 10 + 5 (I'm allowing Kenta's Large advantage to count here) and Kenta rolls Strength+Jujutsu 4k2 vs 15 +5 (bad footing). It should be Wrestling not Jujutsu, but the book lists Wrestling as a sport skill and I think in real combat the defender should be allowed to defend with any any-to-hand, since presumably they all include defenses against being thrown.



…that wasn’t a good roll, I will spend one of your extra Void points hoping for better.



Channeling his years of practicing the Three-Conflicts, Kenta braces his feet into an immovable stance and is like a mountain! The kappa simply cannot budge him! The monk adjusts his footing backward, flings his naginata around and hacks downward at the creature. The blade sinks through a thin segment of soft tissue between hard plates, and the creature is cut in two! You rolled 16, 9, 8 for your damage, but you dealt only 16, 1, 1 damage. This is because the kappa has a Monster Armor rating of 10, meaning that all dice rolling less than 10 are treated as 1. Your reduced total of 18 damage was still enough to slay the kappa, though.



OSARU

The other kappa hurls itself at Osaru, but the ronin is a little quicker on his feet—he draws his wakizashi and slashes down. The blade strikes the thick turtle shell with a violent spark! Attack roll of 25 vs TN 20 hits, now let's roll damage…



To Osaru’s great surprise, instead of slaying the creature as it should have, the blade simply bounces off the kappa’s hard shell, leaving little more than a hairline crack! The kappa has a Monster Armor rating of 10, meaning that any dice which roll less than 10 are treated as 1s. Instead of dealing 16 damage he deals only 2 damage. These kappa don’t have very many hit points, but you might need to rethink a combat strategy against them.

The kappa, practically unaffected by Osaru’s attack, manages to get his body underneath Osaru’s leg! As with Kenta, this is a contested Strength+Wrestling roll: the kappa rolls 3k3 vs TN15, Osaru rolls 3k3 vs TN 15 +5 (for bad footing).





…that wasn’t a very good roll, I will spend one of your extra Void points hoping for better.

…Still no luck.

Despite his best efforts, Osaru is thrown to the ground, sliding on his back down the icy mud and into the freezing river! Osaru will take 1k1 damage, and thrown opponents must pass a Stamina check against Strength x 5 (in this case Stamina 2 vs TN 15) or lose the next round of action.




…that’s no good. Another extra Void point!

…that still doesn’t quite make it.

The ronin hits the ground hard with the back of his head as he tumbles, and is stunned floating in the river for the next round. I will give Osaru an Honor Save (Honor Rank 2 vs TN 15) to see if he drops his wakizashi on land or in the river…



The dazed ronin’s prized family wakizashi slips out of his hand and sinks to the bottom of the river!



AIKO

From the boat, Aiko leaps onto the bank. At the moment of landing she has already released her katana against the kappa dragging Osaru down! Athletics roll is enough to make the leap safely without bad footing. That attack roll is amazing, and I will give you the benefit of the doubt for making 2 raises since we aren’t at a table to talk it out before you make the roll.

Aiko’s extra +2k0 damage for raising

Your damage (9 + 8) = 17 is reduced to (1 + 1) = 2 because of the kappa’s Armor Rating 10 shell. This kappa has now taken 4 hits.

As Aiko makes her strike, two more kappa come splashing up out of the water! One grabs hold of the front edge of the boat and attempts to capsize it with Senichi still aboard! The other is swimming toward Osaru to help the first drag him to a watery grave.

Actions!




登場人物

• Kenta, monk: TN10, Init +2, naginata 7k4 (DR 6k3) | Hnr 2;7, Wnds (6) 0;0 | Void Pts 3/2
• Matsumoto Senichi, Unicorn shugenja: TN10, Init +2, wakizashi 4k3 (DR 4k2) | Hnr 3;2, Wnds (4) 0;0 | Void Pts 4/2 | Spells: F3 - A2 - W2/3 - E2
  • Saburo (peasant retainer): 3E/3W/1F/1A/1V | TN5, Init +1, DR 1k1 | Hn 2;7 - Gl 0;0 - Wnds (6) 0;0 | Void Pts 3/1
• Mirumoto Aiko, Dragon bushi: no armor (TN20/5), Init +3, daisho 7k4/6k3 (DR 4k2) | Hnr 3;7, Wnds (4) 0;0 | Void Pts 4/2 (crippled left arm)
• Yoshida Osaru, ronin: no armor (TN15), Init +3, katana 6k3/6k3 (DR 5k2) | Hnr 2;7 Wnds (4) 0;1 | Void Pts 2/2

[ffilz]

If Senichi can strike at one of the Kappa trying to tip the boat without tipping it himself, he will do so with his wakizashi.

[Rex]

Kenta

Kenta will grab Osaru and drag him out of the river.

Not sure what to roll here, so go ahead and roll for me. Kenta's priority is Osaru.

[GreyWolfVT]

Osaru floats unconscious and has strange dreams of his family's sword and how he has dishonored them further.

[Starbeard]

Kenta

Kenta will grab Osaru and drag him out of the river.

Not sure what to roll here, so go ahead and roll for me. Kenta's priority is Osaru.

Hmm, a tough one to figure out what to roll, nothing perfectly suits but I can think of a few options. I think I'll take the simple and highly thematic approach, and make it a Water Ring contest between Kenta and the kappa, winner takes the ronin.

From the previous round you would have figured out that their Water Ring is rank 3, so it would roll 3k3 and your base TN would be 15. If the other kappa that's swimming up manages to help out, then that would be increased to 4k4 and a base TN of 20.

I can roll for you when I process the turn, but if you want to preemptively declare Void points or whatever else go ahead.

[Rex]

He will spend all his void.

[Captain Kinkajou]

Aiko

Aiko launches herself forward to defend her friends. Her sword flashes as she tries to drive the Kappa away from Kenta and Osaru, so Kenta can pull Osaru out of the water.

She aims for the head of the Kappa that is trying to drag Osaru under.

I'm aiming to do a called shot to chop off the Kappa's head and avoid its shell. I think a called shot to the head is normally two raises, and I spent 2 void to increase my kenjutsu from 6k3 to 8k5. Hopefully that's all fine. Let me know if it isn't Starbeard.

Kenjutsu (6k3) (2 raises/called shot head & spending 2 void makes it 8k5): [_8d10]=(7+5+1+7+5+7+3+3)=38 So, not a great roll but that's 31 to hit with 2 raises. Hopefully, just enough.

Damage (4k2) [_4d10]=(8+8+2+5)=23 So again, hopefully that's 16 damage bypassing the shell.

[Starbeard]

I'm aiming to do a called shot to chop off the Kappa's head and avoid its shell. I think a called shot to the head is normally two raises, and I spent 2 void to increase my kenjutsu from 6k3 to 8k5. Hopefully that's all fine. Let me know if it isn't Starbeard.

The rules are strictly set so that only 1 Void Point can be spent per roll. This makes the Phoenix Bushi profession so remarkable, because their Rank 1 Technique lets them spend any number of Void Points on a single roll. I’ll just ignore the last die in your roll, giving you 7+7+7+5 = 26. As it happens, you needed a 25!

Two raises for the called shot is fine.


Lake of Sorrows, Beiden Pass [map]
Noon (Hour of the Horse)
"Morning Day" in High Week, 7th of Long Month [calendar]
Weather is cold and cloudy but looking calm

Combat round summary:

Aiko slays the kappa that threw Osaru into the water before it has a chance to dive in after him.

Kenta grabs Osaru and wins a tug-of-war against one of the kappas that sprang up from the water. Osaru takes 4 hits from its razor claws (total 5 hits, down to Wound Rank -1), and the kappa swims away after failing a morale check.

Senichi and Saburo are in the boat. Saburo successfully keeps the boat balanced against the last kappa's attempt to capsize, and Senichi drives his wakizashi into the top of its head and kills it in one very lucky blow.

Osaru is saved, three kappas are dead and one swam off. Osaru's family sword was dropped in the river and cannot be seen.

Initiative Rolls:

Aiko initiative: [1d10+3]=10+3=13
Saburo initiative: [1d10+1]=10+1=11
Kappa 2: [1d10+3]=8+3=11
Kappa 3: [1d10+3]=6+3=9
Senichi initiative: [1d10+2]=5+2=7
Kappa 4: [1d10+3]=4+3=7
Kenta initiative: [1d10+2]=2+2=4

Aiko & Second Kappa
Aiko skids down the side of the riverbank, sweeping at the kappa before it can plunge itself into the water after Osaru! Her blade sings through the air, gliding across the smooth shell into the outstretched, exposed flesh of the neck. The kappa cries out limply and bellyflops into the water motionless, its head nearly severed.

Aiko spends 1 Void Point (current 3/2).
Attack roll 26 vs TN 15+10 for called shot.
Damage roll 16, enough to kill. The kappa doesn’t get a chance to act.


Senichi, Saburo, & Third Kappa
Rolls…

Young Saburo will make a standard Honor Test (Honor 2 vs TN 15) to see if he picks up an oar and combats the kappa; otherwise, he will spend his turn just trying to keep the boat upright.


Saburo (Water 3) vs Kappa 3 (Water 3) in a contested match to capsize the boat:

Young Saburo wins! No one has to make a roll to avoid falling into the water.

Senichi’s TN to hit is 20 (15, +10 for unsure footing, -5 for “prone” target treading water):


That’s 28 to hit, a success!

Kappa’s AR is 10, so all damage dice rolling <10 are treated as 1s:


That’s 15+1 = 16 hit points!

Saburo, no stranger to calm city river boats but not what anyone would call a sea dog, panics and grabs hold of the boat rails. He does his best to steady it as the kappa attempts to capsize you into river! The kappa tries to overturn the boat, but Young Saburo is already there to steady it, shouting a whole litany of coarse, citified swear words in his panic.

The noble Unicorn wizard Senichi has his wakizashi at the ready, and stabs down at the kappa as it shakes the boat. The blade sinks straight into the water-filled bowl sunk into the top of its head, splashing the water out and driving right into the vile creature’s brain. Another hideous gurgle of pure inhuman contempt, and this kappa too falls back into the water, floating dead toward the reeds! The priest thinks on the kappa’s next life, and wonders whether it is doomed to come back as something even more vile.


Kenta & Fourth Kappa
Rolls…

Water vs Water contest to see who keeps Osaru. Kenta is spending a Void Point to boost his Water Rank by 1. That’s TN 15 for Kenta, TN 20 for the kappa.

Kenta succeeds, the kappa fails. Therefore, the monk wins!



Morale check vs TN 15:

The kappa swims over and grabs Osaru’s limp arm with a toothy cackle, dragging him down! Kenta jumps into the shallows, grabbing Osaru’s foot just before it goes under. A tug of war commences! It is a hard match, but Kenta’s hefty bulk and channeled desperation prove too much for the kappa. The kappa’s clawed wet fingers rake across Osaru’s body as he slips out of its grasp. Kenta falls back onto a bed of hibernating riverbank reeds with a heavy crunch and splash, flinging Osaru to dry land.

The lone kappa hisses pathetically. “Awful humansss! Ugly! Begone!” it mutters, splashing a spray of cold water at you before diving into the water to escape death. You can see its shell just beneath the surface, swimming fast down the river toward the ruins ahead.

Kenta spends 1 Void (current 2/2)
Osaru takes 4 hits (current 5 hits, putting him to Wound Rank -1 & 1 hit)


Aftermath of combat
The water settles and Osaru is safe and steady, though a little hurt (-1k0 to rolls). His sword has been dropped to the bottom of the river. A quick glance around shows no sign of further kappa, but you know that they carry the magic of illusion…

Actions?



登場人物

• Kenta, monk: TN10, Init +2, naginata 7k4 (DR 6k3) | Hnr 2;7, Wnds (6) 0;0 | Void Pts 2/2
• Matsumoto Senichi, Unicorn shugenja: TN10, Init +2, wakizashi 4k3 (DR 5k2) | Hnr 3;2, Wnds (4) 0;0 | Void Pts 4/2 | Spells: F3 - A2 - W2/3 - E2
  • Saburo (peasant retainer): 3E/3W/1F/1A/1V | TN5, Init +1, DR 1k1 | Hn 2;7 - Gl 0;0 - Wnds (6) 0;0 | Void Pts 3/1
• Mirumoto Aiko, Dragon bushi: no armor (TN20/5), Init +3, daisho 7k4/6k3 (DR 4k2) | Hnr 3;7, Wnds (4) 0;0 | Void Pts 3/2 (crippled left arm)
• Yoshida Osaru, ronin: no armor (TN15), Init +3, katana 6k3/6k3 (DR 5k2) | Hnr 2;7 Wnds (4) -1;1 | Void Pts 2/2

[Rex]

Kenta

Kenta climbs out of the river to Osaru and attempts to revive him.