Kiyoshi puts his hand on the back of his head, gazes down, and widens his eyes in the the gesture of surprise at suddenly realizing something. "Ara! I forgot to wash my hands and mouth before entering the temple compound! Foolish boy! Too eager to see your kyujutsu shots and the bodies of the enemies that you forgot basic decency. Not a good start for a sword quest. Remember and don't be an empty bell pepper head and do it again." He hurries back to the well, thoroughly does his cleansing ablutions, and says a prayer to whatever vague but holy kami-sama might be watching. He then hurries back to the stage area to gather his own bakemono-sho heads with his wakizashi. And retrieve any of his arrows that he can. The heads would be good evidence of his valor and increase his reputation along the road. And maybe draw some needed funds for that same road. He was ready to test his steel against the ghost and whatever it might have with it.
He hustles back with his prizes to where the priest is waiting. Priest-san, don't worry. Ezo-san and I will do the bugei fighting, He rests a hand on the long hilt of the katana tucked in his sash. Yes, Priest-san, there is no need to worry. You do your priest part, lead the way to the ghost and we'll cut up the rest of them. Kiyoshi looks sidelong at Bankei, then back forward. And waits some more, thumb rubbing the katana's hilt. How do you fight an accursed priest's ghost? In its own home?
[001] The Adventure Starts
Re: [001] The Adventure Starts
The group approaches the Honden. As they approach, the skies seem to darken and a howling wind erupts from the Honden.
Each character must make a mental save. You get an additional bonus of magic level. This is reduced by the spirit level of the ghost, fortunately only 1 in this case. If you miss by 5 or less, you are frozen in fear, otherwise you will flee. Thus Bankei gets +2 to the save as a Gakusho. The others get +0 as they have 1st level Passive Magic.
Ezo's MSV is -5, thus he will have to roll a 770 or higher on 1d1000 to get a +5 or higher.
Kiyoshi's MSV is -4, thus he will have to roll a 730 or higher on 1d1000 to get a +4 or higher.
Bankei's MSV is +1 or +3 with the +2, this he will have to roll 330 or higher in 1d1000 to get a -3 or higher.
If Bankei is no worse than frozen (i.e. a -8 or higher, or 120 or better on 1d1000), he will be able to speak to the ghost. He would have to get a -3 or higher to be able to cast.
With the rolls Ezo and Kiyoshi will have to make, it's easy to understand how the Bakemono-sho were so easily influenced by the ghost...
Each character must make a mental save. You get an additional bonus of magic level. This is reduced by the spirit level of the ghost, fortunately only 1 in this case. If you miss by 5 or less, you are frozen in fear, otherwise you will flee. Thus Bankei gets +2 to the save as a Gakusho. The others get +0 as they have 1st level Passive Magic.
Ezo's MSV is -5, thus he will have to roll a 770 or higher on 1d1000 to get a +5 or higher.
Kiyoshi's MSV is -4, thus he will have to roll a 730 or higher on 1d1000 to get a +4 or higher.
Bankei's MSV is +1 or +3 with the +2, this he will have to roll 330 or higher in 1d1000 to get a -3 or higher.
If Bankei is no worse than frozen (i.e. a -8 or higher, or 120 or better on 1d1000), he will be able to speak to the ghost. He would have to get a -3 or higher to be able to cast.
With the rolls Ezo and Kiyoshi will have to make, it's easy to understand how the Bakemono-sho were so easily influenced by the ghost...
Re: [001] The Adventure Starts
As I came upstairs I thought that I wanted to use different mechanics. Go ahead and make rolls and I wIll redo the ratings.
Re: [001] The Adventure Starts
Kiyoshi [1d1000]=735 Barely made it under the current mechanic. I'll post some RP after we know the final result.
PCs
Re: [001] The Adventure Starts
OK, after many hours of thought, I'm really failing at how to characterize Japanese ghosts in Cold iron, and we have a ghost type that doesn't even seem to be discussed in any of the samurai RPGs I have access to...
So, considering what I'm generally gathering about Japanese ghosts is what really is most important in dealing with them is finding why they are stuck in the material world.
From what you have gathered so far, this ghost is exuding a sense of fear. Instead of trying to come up with a mechanic that fits all, I'm going to ask each player to provide some role play, you can either role play off the roll you already made, or share your roll play and I'll suggest a roll and consequence. Consider how you think your character might react to the ghost. This ghost is a level 1 ghost, so pretty weak (you are all 3rd level characters).
I think this is the way to move this game forward, and make it unique and interesting. Cold Iron mechanics will work great for the more mundane encounters, and even the not so mundane such as the bakemono-sho...
And with that, it's off to bed for me...
So, considering what I'm generally gathering about Japanese ghosts is what really is most important in dealing with them is finding why they are stuck in the material world.
From what you have gathered so far, this ghost is exuding a sense of fear. Instead of trying to come up with a mechanic that fits all, I'm going to ask each player to provide some role play, you can either role play off the roll you already made, or share your roll play and I'll suggest a roll and consequence. Consider how you think your character might react to the ghost. This ghost is a level 1 ghost, so pretty weak (you are all 3rd level characters).
I think this is the way to move this game forward, and make it unique and interesting. Cold Iron mechanics will work great for the more mundane encounters, and even the not so mundane such as the bakemono-sho...
And with that, it's off to bed for me...
Re: [001] The Adventure Starts
Oh, and some for information, first, some bits from the villagers:
The priest may have been murdered. No one has seen him. Some worshipers were able to flee when the bakemono descended on the shrine. Screams were heard as they fled.
One of the villagers had just arrived at the shrine to worship when a ghostly apparition flew over his head screaming in terror. The man fled back down the path to the village.
You in fact can see the priest's body lying on the floor of the Honden, neck clearly snapped, and a leg bent at angle that is not within the normal range of motion, an expression of sheet panic is on his face.
The ghost is visible, floating above the shrine and appears to be dressed as a farmer (though incorporeal), it carries an incorporeal hoe. Some of the lanterns in the Honden are smashed as if the ghost was flailing about with the hoe. The ghost is muttering about a wretched oni who lives here who destroyed his vegetable garden. The priest might have a bruise on his forehead.
The priest may have been murdered. No one has seen him. Some worshipers were able to flee when the bakemono descended on the shrine. Screams were heard as they fled.
One of the villagers had just arrived at the shrine to worship when a ghostly apparition flew over his head screaming in terror. The man fled back down the path to the village.
You in fact can see the priest's body lying on the floor of the Honden, neck clearly snapped, and a leg bent at angle that is not within the normal range of motion, an expression of sheet panic is on his face.
The ghost is visible, floating above the shrine and appears to be dressed as a farmer (though incorporeal), it carries an incorporeal hoe. Some of the lanterns in the Honden are smashed as if the ghost was flailing about with the hoe. The ghost is muttering about a wretched oni who lives here who destroyed his vegetable garden. The priest might have a bruise on his forehead.
Re: [001] The Adventure Starts
Bankei freezes, rigid and still. His hand quivers at his side as he stands several moments maintaining his calm with significant effort while he watches the Honden. He cannot will himself to approach, nor to reach a place of zen where he can compel the spirit. He clears his throat and opts to call out to it instead.
"Good morning! Good morning, asurakya-san. Over here! Over here - see? It is no good to be here... this is not your dharma. Tell me how it came to be, hmm?"
Is there a social roll mechanic?
"Good morning! Good morning, asurakya-san. Over here! Over here - see? It is no good to be here... this is not your dharma. Tell me how it came to be, hmm?"
Is there a social roll mechanic?
Re: [001] The Adventure Starts
Kiyoshi starts at the howling of what can only be a supernatural wind. The hairs on the back of his neck stand for an instant, but his bushi training allows him to overcome his fear. Or is that he's been terrorized so many times by Grandma's ghost stories before that the experience feels familiar? Kiyoshi is no bushi to over-consider such things like a teenaged girl. Though he's a veteran of several lethal fights, it's his first chance to test his skill and wits against a thing from beyond the grave. He's ready to gain more skill in his quest to become a master of weapons and combat.
He looks to Ezo and Bankei, checking to see if they also sensed the ghostly wind. He sees that Bankei is afraid, he's lost his confidence. Yosh, Bankei! It's just the yurei of a priest of a little temple bigging itself up and trying to scare us. Have a swallow from your water gourd, stand behind Ezo and me, and use your priest knowledge to tell us what to do. He nocks an arrow in his dai-kyu and silently conveys to Bankei and Ezo that he's ready approach and enter the honden.
Bankei's post came in while I was drafting mine. I don't see that there's much of a story timeline problem that needs fixing, but that's GM's call.
Don't know if Cold Iron has a mechanic for "pep talk." If so, GM, please tell me what to roll, or you can go ahead and roll it if you prefer.
He looks to Ezo and Bankei, checking to see if they also sensed the ghostly wind. He sees that Bankei is afraid, he's lost his confidence. Yosh, Bankei! It's just the yurei of a priest of a little temple bigging itself up and trying to scare us. Have a swallow from your water gourd, stand behind Ezo and me, and use your priest knowledge to tell us what to do. He nocks an arrow in his dai-kyu and silently conveys to Bankei and Ezo that he's ready approach and enter the honden.
Bankei's post came in while I was drafting mine. I don't see that there's much of a story timeline problem that needs fixing, but that's GM's call.
Don't know if Cold Iron has a mechanic for "pep talk." If so, GM, please tell me what to roll, or you can go ahead and roll it if you prefer.
PCs
Re: [001] The Adventure Starts
Sorry! I guess I still hadn't subscribed to the thread, after all.
Fear vs 770 [1d1000]=64
Ezo brandishes his katana as they approach the honden. An apparition swirls overhead, and his feet freeze to the ground. His mouth hangs open and he looks on, past the ghost, toward a cold memory of nearly drowning in the river as a boy.
Ezo drops to his knees and begins to struggle for breath, shivering, clutching at his neck and reflexively beating at water that isn't there. The ghost's fear has seeped through him and unleashed his own!
Fear vs 770 [1d1000]=64
Ezo brandishes his katana as they approach the honden. An apparition swirls overhead, and his feet freeze to the ground. His mouth hangs open and he looks on, past the ghost, toward a cold memory of nearly drowning in the river as a boy.
Ezo drops to his knees and begins to struggle for breath, shivering, clutching at his neck and reflexively beating at water that isn't there. The ghost's fear has seeped through him and unleashed his own!
Re: [001] The Adventure Starts
Kiyoshi's steady voice has given Bankei the fortitude to call out to the spirit.Marullus wrote: ↑Thu May 12, 2022 12:18 am Bankei freezes, rigid and still. His hand quivers at his side as he stands several moments maintaining his calm with significant effort while he watches the Honden. He cannot will himself to approach, nor to reach a place of zen where he can compel the spirit. He clears his throat and opts to call out to it instead.
"Good morning! Good morning, asurakya-san. Over here! Over here - see? It is no good to be here... this is not your dharma. Tell me how it came to be, hmm?"
Is there a social roll mechanic?
Go ahead and make a roll. We will work from a base of Cleric Level (3) + WILadj (+3) + Rhetoric Level (3) = 9 vs a Level 1 spirit with a +3 WILadj for a 4 rating.
Re: [001] The Adventure Starts
Bankei rallies enough to speak over the ghost's shrieking and wind blowing.
The ghost wails: I was running away from the tiger. When I got to the shrine, the priest would not let me in, he would not listen to me. The filthy bakemono-sho ran before me as scared of the tiger as was I. You must wake up the priest and make him listen to me about the danger of the tiger.
The ghost flails wildly and the hoe thumps the rafter above Bankei, yet he holds his growing calm.Marullus wrote: ↑Thu May 12, 2022 12:18 am Bankei freezes, rigid and still. His hand quivers at his side as he stands several moments maintaining his calm with significant effort while he watches the Honden. He cannot will himself to approach, nor to reach a place of zen where he can compel the spirit. He clears his throat and opts to call out to it instead.
"Good morning! Good morning, asurakya-san. Over here! Over here - see? It is no good to be here... this is not your dharma. Tell me how it came to be, hmm?"
The ghost wails: I was running away from the tiger. When I got to the shrine, the priest would not let me in, he would not listen to me. The filthy bakemono-sho ran before me as scared of the tiger as was I. You must wake up the priest and make him listen to me about the danger of the tiger.
Re: [001] The Adventure Starts
Kiyoshi stands, katana in his right hand and wakizashi in his left. He'd expected the ghost to more... impressive. A temple priest. A jilted lover. A samurai unjustly forced to commit seppuku. Not a peasant farmer with a hoe. But his ears perk up at the mention of a tiger. That would truly be a worthy adversary. Two blades versus 20 claws and ever how many teeth. He made tactical plans, just in case the ghost farmer was speaking the truth and not just delusional. "A human is just an overgrown monkey standing on two legs. A tiger is low and has four legs, and weighs twice as much. It would want to leap and bowl the human over, fix it to the floor and dig in with its with its front claws, kick the legs with its back claws, and crush the head with its wide jaws." He mentally rehearses in his mind drawing the big cat into leaping, stepping to the side and turning, and bringing katana onto the neck and wakizashi onto the long, unprotected spine.
It would require perfect timing, against a fast-moving giant cat. There would be only one chance, and only one. While he's picturing that, he listens for further discussion between the priest Bankei and the yurei. He remains tight-lipped, placing his confidence in the priest and leaving the talking to him. With his eyes he nods to Bankei and gives his assurances that he's behind him and ready to quickly act, whatever comes next. But he does silently mouth, Tiger?
It would require perfect timing, against a fast-moving giant cat. There would be only one chance, and only one. While he's picturing that, he listens for further discussion between the priest Bankei and the yurei. He remains tight-lipped, placing his confidence in the priest and leaving the talking to him. With his eyes he nods to Bankei and gives his assurances that he's behind him and ready to quickly act, whatever comes next. But he does silently mouth, Tiger?
PCs
Re: [001] The Adventure Starts
Ezo looks around for a tiger, his fear now spilling out to the scenery around him. Ghosts wailing overhead, tigers prowling unseen, o-bake haunting the woods. It's all a bit too much! Again he feels that chilling breathless sensation of the river, unable to shake it from his psyche.
Re: [001] The Adventure Starts
Bankei looks at the deceased priest on the floor, pondering the possibility of waking him. Necromancy is not adviseable, he thinks. Nonetheless, he approaches the priest's corpse and checks to confirm he is dead. (Please let me know if he isn't.)
Placing the priest's limbs in repose, Bankei turns and sits cross-legged next to the body, facing the wailing spirit. "It seems I am a priest, and I am in the temple. Will you tell me your warning?"
Placing the priest's limbs in repose, Bankei turns and sits cross-legged next to the body, facing the wailing spirit. "It seems I am a priest, and I am in the temple. Will you tell me your warning?"
Re: [001] The Adventure Starts
I owe a response here...
Maybe over the Memorial Day holiday though we will be at the beach. If not, next week then.
Maybe over the Memorial Day holiday though we will be at the beach. If not, next week then.
Re: [001] The Adventure Starts
OK, thanks for checking in. Have good Memorial Day weekend everyone (assuming you're in the U.S).
PCs
Re: [001] The Adventure Starts
The priest is indeed deceased.Marullus wrote: ↑Mon May 16, 2022 1:19 pm Bankei looks at the deceased priest on the floor, pondering the possibility of waking him. Necromancy is not adviseable, he thinks. Nonetheless, he approaches the priest's corpse and checks to confirm he is dead. (Please let me know if he isn't.)
Placing the priest's limbs in repose, Bankei turns and sits cross-legged next to the body, facing the wailing spirit. "It seems I am a priest, and I am in the temple. Will you tell me your warning?"
The ghost: "The tiger, the tiger. It was chasing me. I fear it consumed my wife and now it is after me.
Bankei ducks a wild swing of the hoe, but slowly the ghost calms enough to no longer be flailing about with the hoe. The ghost continues babbling. Bankei soon discerns that the tiger must have actually caught the farmer and eaten him, and now the farmer is a ghost. Apparently the hoe manifested enough to clonk the elderly priest on the head and kill him. It's also still not actually clear if the threat is an actual tiger, or perhaps an oni with the visage of a tiger.
Re: [001] The Adventure Starts
"I fear that is most distressing," says the priest, "if we dealt with the tiger would you... be at rest?" He words it carefully, as acknowledging a state of current-death is likely beyond the farmer's grasp.