Scroll 1 - The Master Craftsman's Tea Vessel

[Grognardsw]

That will be a movement primary action for Turn 2. This being Bushido, I'm going to ask for an ST. Vs. Speed, with +2 to BCS. Both Fuma and Kaida are right at the edges of the earthquake zone.

I thought Kaida was at the edge, according to your map, and as you reiterate here. So Jinsei can’t reach over and grab her, but has to wade in himself?

...ffilz and Marullus, feel free to offer Grognardsw and Rex explanations and hints along the way. As GM I've been throwing a lot of Bushido jargon/game concepts and plenty of tactical crunchiness at them. Newer players, my one piece of advice about Bushido so far is: think of a Detailed Time Scale turn as only 6 seconds. Divided with this crew into 13 phases of 0.46 seconds (from Jinsei's 13 phase down to the 1 phase). Every physical motion or mental action your the chars does during those semi-seconds is tracked, or not just done and lost, as not worth it. And everything costs something-- for both you and your NPC opponents.

Wow, I didn’t realize the minutia wonderful complexity I was getting into

I don’t need advice on what to do per se, but perhaps the rulegalese translation. I was hoping to say what I want to do, and be told what to roll, but that assumption appears foolishly innocent

I was reading the map too literally, in that Kaida is on the edge on the red line in the hex, and I thought I could reach over and drag her.

Jinsei Turn 2

To the observing Japanese green woodpecker perched on a nearby ginkgo biloba tree, the fight below was a whirl of movement and action. In Jinsei’s inner eye, the altercation progressed in slow motion, his trained mind processing options and possible consequences of each considered action. Though he sensed the group was in agreement about running, Jinsei felt an obligation to help his fellow fallen ninjas even if it resulted in confronting the oni.

Jinsei, at the edge of the undulating earth, realized Kaida was further away then he initially saw. Perhaps she bounced further away. Not wanting to risk the ravages of the angry earth, he took out his rope and grapnel (Phase 13), whipped it out to Kaida (Phase 8), and pulled her to safety (Phase 5).

The woodpecker flew away (Phase 1).

In case rolls are needed: ST 15 [1d20]=6, DF 25 [1d20]=16

[Rex]

Fuma

ST Speed [1d20+2]=17+2=19

[jemmus]

Nice!

Oh, you're right, Jinsei could probably kneel outside of the earthquake circle in phase 13 and pull Kaida the foot or so (Perform Action) in phase 8. The roll of 6 would well succeed for a Strength ST for that.

Readying the grappling hook in phase 13 and casting it in phase 8 would be a secondary shuriken-jutsu action roll at half BCS. Jinsei's BCS is 8, so that would be 4. Checking the missile combat modifiers:
-Target is moving (up and down with shockwaves) -2
For shuriken-jutsu, the close range would add to damage, not the chance to hit.
So Jinsei would need a roll of 2 to hit. And then a Strength ST (with a bonus) to pull Kaida some safety. Let's use some common sense and...

Jinsei felt the senses of the nearby denizens of the forest observing the whirlwind of action going on in this little part of the mountains' vast slopes. But there was no time to observe back. He knelt on earth outside the heaving circle and planted a knee for stability. Kaida's ankle visibly bounced on the ground before him with the earth's temors. He grabbed and pulled with all of his strength, dragging her onto the still, peaceful earth. He glances up the slope. The oni, wild long hair flying around it's huge wide face, watches with predatory attention. It leans forward and raises the long, ghastly sword-like blade of its great naginata.

Turn 2
Phase 13 - Jinsei grabs Kaida's ankle from outside the perimeter of the The Angry Earth spell.
Phase 10 - Fuma attempts to roll outside of the perimeter of the spell.
Phase 10 - Minoru's primary. (What's his facing from Turn 1? Away from the oni (running down the slope) or towards it (turned and faced?)
Phase 8 - Jinsei pulls Kaida outside the spell's diameter.
Phase 5 -

Kaida (prone, on still ground) Basic/Primary Action
Oni Basic/Primary Action(?)
Fuma Secondary Action
Minoru Secondary Action
Jinsei Secondary Action

Phase 2 - Kaida Secondary Action
Phase 1 - Any effects from the previous phases. Green woodpecker has had enough of this for today and leaves the gingko biloba tree and flies away.

[ffilz]

Minoru's facing is away (he was assuming we were continuing to retreat). He will turn and face the Oni (and then can he also observe?) Not sure what else effective he can do right now.

[Grognardsw]

Jinsei - Turn 2 Continued

With Kaida safe for the moment, Jinsei darted his hand out to grab Fuma and pull him out (Phase 5).

Pull Fuma ST 15 [1d20]=6

[jemmus]

Fuma

ST Speed [1d20+2]=17+2=19

Fuma's Speed ST is 8, +2 (GM's discretion) = 10. Fuma doesn't make it out of the quake.

Minoru can turn around and face the oni as his primary action. His BMA is 6, and it take 1 movement allowance to turn 60 degrees. So he uses 3 to turn 180 degrees and has 3 left over. Observe Situation is a primary action that's not available now that Minoru has moved. But he can see the oni from his front facing. Observe Situation would allow him to observe around him 360 degrees. In other words, that action is only needed if the character wants to carefully look around to the front and back.

Jinsei's phase 5 action is a scondary. He can't do a movement in a secondary, he'll have to wait for next turn's primary.

I'll update the Turn 2 chart this evening.

[Marullus]

Phase 5:
Main action - Alter Position. Kaida stands up. Now outside the earthquake zone and not engaged, this doesn't take a save.

Phase 2: ready weapon. Gets out her chain just in case.

If we are not engaged, she will run like he'll on her next primary action...

Pulled to safety, Kaida clambers to her feet. Her bladed chain slides down her arm and coils in her hand with a practiced motion, in case she needs it in the moments to come.

[jemmus]

Seeing Kaida and Fuda down, Minoru stops his run down the slope and turns to face the enraged oni. Fuma rolled toward the still ground outside the circle of the miniature quake, but a peak of a wave of jolting upward force was like hitting a wall. Kaida regains her footing and stands on still forest sloping ground. The oni shakes its and begins a lumbering, heavily trodding charge down the slope, angling to avoid the rippling pool of quagmire between it and the humans. It holds the shaft and the long, cruel of its great naginata held before it.

Kaida's kyotetsu-shoge's blade slips into her hand. The unearthly earthquake ends as quickly as it commenced, and the disturbed earth of mountain slope is still again. Fuma, still prone with his cheek on earth, sees a big brown-black rhinoceros beetle moving in a straight line at the full speed out of the heaving ground zone. Its six thin legs carry its big body across the carpet of damp fallen pine needles and leaves with hasty determination.

Jinsei's observed woodpecker chooses to takes wing, rather than be curious and stay and she what will happen in the end between the unexpected smart humans and demon with an animal body.

Turn 2
Phase 13 - Jinsei grabs Kaida's ankle from outside the perimeter of the The Angry Earth spell.
Phase 10 - Fuma attempts to roll outside of the perimeter of the spell, but fails.
Phase 10 - Minoru stops running and turns to face the oni.
Phase 8 - Jinsei pulls Kaida to outside the spell's diameter.
Phase 5 -
Oni Basic/Primary Action - Runs 6 yds down the slope.
Fuma Secondary Action
Minoru Secondary Action
Jinsei Secondary Action
Phase 4 - Kaida stands on still ground.
Phase 2 - Kaida Secondary Action - Draws her kyotetsu-shoge slips its blade into her hand.
Phase 1 - The Angry Earth earthquake spell ends. The Mud spell is still up.[color]
It seems that the oni runs at only 6 yds or so per 6 seconds. The thing is skirting Kaida's mudpit and headed toward Minoru and Jinsei (at 21 yds away now).
It glances its red-eyed bubous right, toward Fuma. The only human on the mountain who is still down.

The oni still 21-28 yrds away, and the light-footed The Village team do seem must faster than great beast. With the exception of young Kaida. She and the oni demon on earth have seemed quick to manifest the uncanny of the hidden kakuri-yo world right here on this hidden mountainside. The young shinobi of the Village watch and wonder what to do next. Can litle Kaida-chan and her magic defeat the oni's? Or rush footlong straight down the steep slope below, at the risk of losing footing and sliding out of control separately down into the bottom of below.

[Rex]

Fuma

Does Fuma still have his bow?

Fuma will stand.

[jemmus]

Fuma stands as his primary action. He has his han-kyu and can shoot one arrow as a secondary action (at half BCS). He can't do any movement during his secondary. That's in Turn 3.

I personally don't see that Minoru or Jinsei have any good options for secondary actions for Turn 2. The oni is starting it charge during their secondary actions in phase 5, and still out of range for blowguns and shuriken. If they do have actions, we can rewind.

Turn 3
Phase 13 - Jinsei Walks 8 yds down the step slope, no Speed ST needed.
Phase 10 - Fuma stands (Alter Position primary action).
Phase 10 - Minoru Holds his primary action to any phase down to 5. He'll go before Kaida's primary action in 4.
Phase 8 - Jinsei secondary
Phase 5 -
Oni runs 6 yds down the slope.
Fuma shoots han-kyu shot at oni, misses.
Minoru secondary
Jinsei secondary
Phase 4 - Kaida casts Pure Flesh on self, heals 4 Health.
Phase 2 - Kaida secondary
Phase 1 - Effects phase

[Rex]

Fuma

Fuma will shoot an arrow at the Oni.

Bow [1d20]=17

[jemmus]

Fuma's raw BCS for kyujutsu is 10. (Kyujutsu is not a bonus skill for ninja, so the char's level isn't added to the BCS). The range is 15 yds, so for a han-kyu, Short (11-40 yds). +0 to BCS. Man-rating 1 bow for han-kyu (not 2 as is indicated on Fuma's sheet-- that would be for a dai-kyu longbow). At short range, their is no man-rating modifier. BCS is 1/2 for a secondary action (10 / 2 = 5), +0 for modifiers. The 17 roll misses. (Book 1 p. 11, Kyujutsu entry).

Please deduct 1 Bowel Raker or Armor Piercer arrow from inventory.

(There was discussion about Fuma taking a dai-kyu instead of a han-kyu, but I believe he ended up with a han-kyu. If that's not right, please let me know. It seem to me that concealing a dai-kyu longbow or disguising it as something would be quite difficult. The have a unique and recognizable shape).

[Rex]

Fuma

He took the han-kyu. Will see if I can update the sheet, he would have used the bowel raker.

[Rex]

Fuma

I think I have the sheet updated. It opens as read only, but once I logged in it seemed to let me update.

[Marullus]

Phase 4 - Kaida stands on still ground.

Need to switch this back to Phase 5 again. (Though in this case, she delayed to after being pulled to safety by Jinsei, anyway.)

Kaida knows more than anything, she cannot likely survive a run down the mountain when already wounded. Upright next to Jinsei, but seeing the Oni closing slowly, she closes her eyes and summons her inner strength to cause the wound to her head to heal, the swelling retract.

She feels the pang, knowing she is the slowest, the weakest... she prepares to run, but looks to her companions for the decision. She twirls her chain in a slow circle.

Phase 5: Pure flesh spell
Pure Flesh (BCS 11) [1d20]=2
[1d6]=4 hp
(-6 power. Power 18/25, hit points 7/10)
Phase 2: Secondary Action - Parry.
Parry (BCS 8) [1d20]=19
+1 AC, AC is 3 instead of 2 until Phase 5 of next Detailed Turn.

[ffilz]

Yea, I don't see anything. I'm gauge how Minoru can determine are we fleeing as best we can (not really a good option for those who have to move at full rate, if the Oni is moving 6, that's just as fast as Minoru) or standing and fighting. If we stand and fight, Minoru can try exorcism...

[jemmus]

Kaida's primary is on 4 and secondary on 2, correct? That's what I see on her sheet.

Running, Minoru can go 12 yds (his BMA of x 2) compared to the oni's 6. All of PCs are faster than the oni, unless it has some magical way to speed up. The PCs know that oni have spells, but they don't know what spells and their ranges this one has. And they know that to cast a spell, the oni would have to stop running.

[ffilz]

Kaida's primary is on 4 and secondary on 2, correct? That's what I see on her sheet.

Running, Minoru can go 12 yds (his BMA of x 2) compared to the oni's 6. All of PCs are faster than the oni, unless it has some magical way to speed up. The PCs know that oni have spells, but they don't know what spells and their ranges this one has. And they know that to cast a spell, the oni would have to stop running.

OK, I hadn't quite understood that, so Minoru can walk and maintain distance, hopefully eventually reaching better ground for running (though he would still just be able to maintain distance).

He will hold turn 3 action to see what the others do...

I wish there was some kind of "observe" secondary action... it seems like secondary actions really only apply to weapon actions (allowing 2nd strikes, missile shots, and readying).

[Marullus]

Kaida's primary is on 4 and secondary on 2, correct? That's what I see on her sheet.

My bad. My base action is 4, my base movement is 5 (running 10).

[Grognardsw]

Jinsei - Turn 3

“Let’s reach easier ground,” Jinsei said to Kaida and Fuma. He saw Minoru had the same idea.

Jinsei moved down the ridge, navigating as quickly as he could without running and falling. (Phase 13 and 8) He weaved from tree to tree or bush, using them to spoil the oni’s view and aim.

Did the Oni have to make a roll not to fall if it’s running?