[003] Into the War Camp

[Marullus]

Toshizo is awakened by the rough, wet tongue of Jīva the street dog, finding his wounds have been bandaged (at 2hp) but still painful. He sees Eiji in the hallway now bandaging the wounded foe that struck Toshizo down. He hears the voices from the next room.

In the next room the two bandits are moving as fast as they can to scoop up belongings and twist them into their furoshikis. The answer to Taka is interspersed as they move.
"The box of Shosen Makoto..." murmurs the bandit breathlessly, his eyes widening.
"...is not here. We regret we cannot provide it, Buke-sama," finishes the officer, collecting his rice bowls.
"The grey hag has it. Her eyes are black," the bandit says with obvious fear, rolling his bedding.
"Her name... her name is Shimi... an Umai, a chief of the Mountain Lord," the officer confesses, looking to see if this is an acceptable offering to Taka, clearly a secret not known by the other bandit, who makes a warding sign.
"She moves as mist and wields terrible magics," adds the wide-eyed bandit as he scoops up pieces of ashigaru armor, tucking them under his arm.

"All is at the hag's bidding; her hatred of Shosen Makoto is personal and burns in her soul. She offered great rewards for those that aided in getting her the box from the caravan, the other spoils shared amongst us, but the box is hers alone," explains the officer as Taka presses for more detail. She catches him staring at the Satake clan symbol embroidered on her kimono and he quickly looks away.
"In the cave... be careful in the cave..." chimes in the bandit, scooping coins from across the floor and tying them into his furoshiki.
"She took the box into her lair, a cave on the side of this valley. Her other servants, warty bakemono-sho, cavort there," explains the officer, swapping for a nicer katana that lies scattered amidst the blood.
"Her monster is there, in the cave... it craves red meat and those of us who displease her are sent in, then never seen again," adds the scared bandit, sliding a ring from a dead body.
"...hai," concurs the officer, picking up his bundle of light samurai armor from next to where he sat at the table, only two yards from Taka in the north doorway.

Seeming to have run out of words, the two men abruptly make a break for the door left open at the far end of the room from Taka, where Ha and Kobi entered.

Do you take an action?

Rolls:

Bandaging comes first and must be declared immediately after the fight. It is 1hp for the bandage, 1hp for salve, and then 1hp if the physician roll is passed. Prayers for healing take a minute per casting, need to pass a BCS, and heal 1d6. At this point, Eiji is bandaging to wake people up. Magical healing will require more time and so will need to be prioritized by the party.
Eiji Physician (BCS 1) [1d20]=2 Toshizo 2hp.

[jmacatty]

OOC: I haven't stated this but if doing so will keep him alive, I will burn a ki point on Ha.

[ffilz]

Taka will let the men run, calling out: And remember, depart Hida province immediately and never let me see you again!

Taka will then turn to Eiji and ask how she might help in the immediate, pulling our her packets of bandages.

[Marullus]

OOC: I haven't stated this but if doing so will keep him alive, I will burn a ki point on Ha.

Sweet! He lives, and Eiji will bandage him next.

I want to have the roleplay moment here, where Toshizo has the opportunity to react while Eiji is in the process of bandaging and resuscitating the enemy that felled Toshizo. After that Ha will be bandaged and awakened, then you can decide what's next and when/if you take time for Eiji to use magical healing amidst other priorities you state.

[jemmus]

Toshizo's mind comes back from near death and into a dull consciousness. He feels weak, like is body just a limp, feeble shell. He feels the bandages on his throbbing wounds. He opens his eyes and see prone bodies and blood all over the dirty floor of the room. It's a terrible sight. He'd seen pigs and piglets slaughtered. This was no different, except they were people.

He hears a sound and turns his head. Eiji is bandaging the bandit he'd just been fighting. The one who cut him down. "I couldn't do it, but somebody felled him," he thinks. "Why is Eiji caring for that robber? That enemy? Whoever defeated him should take his head as proof if the deed." He thinks a little more and understands. He weakly spits blood from his mouth and murmurs, Eiji-san is a true follower of the Buddha. Compassion for everything. Even a mosquito, the monk at home said.

[Marullus]

Awesome.

Eiji finishes bandaging the ronin, then moves past Taka to bandage Ha. He solemnly looks at Kobi next, who is more meat than man, his wounds being so extensive. Alas, there is no way that anyone could be saved from the level of trauma he endured. The monk then begins checking each bandit, one at a time, confirming their death before moving on. There are no others to be saved.

Ha awakens (also 2hp) to see the battle is ended, Taka standing solemnly over it, Eiji moving among the dead. (You two interact with each other, make a plan.)

Toshizo pushes up onto his elbow, alone in the hallway with the now-bandaged bandit as Eiji works elsewhere, through the doorway in the next room. As Toshizo rises to his feet, the bandit's breath catches, his eyes flutter. He is waking. (Action?)

[jmacatty]

Ha rises, stifling his groans of severe pain. He observes the scene, then moves out the door to recover his bow, befoe any more time elapses, and any unknown bandits can steal it.

[ffilz]

Taka will survey the situation and check who is left alive and who is dead. At some point she will gather her shuriken.

[jemmus]

Toshizo moves to the robber and takes away his weapons. He has no liking for the criminal, but he wasn't the one who defeated him, so he feels that he has no right to kill him. He goes into the main room and says to everyone, Thank you for my life and bows from the waist. He then uses his knife to cut strips of fabric from bedding and returns to the bandit. Do not move, criminal. And do not struggle. I am not as kind as the gakusho. He ties the bandit's elbows behind is back and ties his wrists together.

Don't know if I need some kind of roll for the tying. Toshizo doesn't have the binding prisoners skill (forgot what it's called).

[jmacatty]

Assuming they are still there, Ha will collect both bows and return to the house.

OOC: Let me know when he returns, or finds the bows gone.

[Marullus]

Toshizo ties up the bandaged bandit from the hallway, dragging him into the main room where you can keep an eye on him. Ha goes outside and collects the dai-kyu, ensuring everyone has their original weapons back. Taka collects her shuriken and cleans them carefully before stowing them back in the pockets of her kimono. Eiji and Taka confirm that no other bandits are left alive, all slain except for the two who escaped and the one who is now tied-up. Your party is alive except for Kobi your guide, who is far beyond saving, leaving twelve corpses in total. The floor was unswept and the mats grimy, but now sticky, congealed blood pools and scattered weapons and personal goods amongst it as well, leaving the room an unfortunate mess. One bundle of light samurai armor rests by the table, numerous pieces of ashigaru armor scattered around the room in the fight. "It will take much time to offer proper burials," comments Eiji as he prays over the wounded, praying without ceasing for over twenty minutes before he is too exhausted to continue. You all take a moment to rest and recover (presumably at the table and not among the bodies), but you know you will soon need to make a plan based on what you know.

Eiji Healing:

Code: Select all

Basic Healing: Range: Touch. Cost: Level of Spell.
The Gakusho may heal Lethal or Subdual Damage to Hit Points for
himself or others. 1D6 of such damage is healed per Level of the
Spell. The maximum Level of the Spell is the Gakusho's Level. If both
Lethal and Subdual damage are present, points restored are divided
evenly between the two types. If an odd point is left over, it is
allocated to healing the Subdual damage.
It requires 1 minute of uninterrupted attention to cast the Healing
Spell.
The BCS for this Spell is the Gakusho's Magic Capability, with a
penalty equal to the subject's current Lethal damage divided by 10.
Thus, healing a character suffering from 16 points of Lethal damage
is at a BCS penalty equal to 16/10 = 1.6, or 2, rounding nearest. When
the damage total is reduced below 15, the penalty drops t o - 1 . When
it is below 5, there is no penalty.

Eiji has 28 power and a Magic Capability BCS 9. He cast four blessings since dawn, each for 2 power, so has 21 left. Each attempt to heal takes 1 power point, 1 minute, and if BCS is successful heals 1d6 hp.

Ha has 2 /32
Eiji Roll #1 BCS 9 [1d20]=15 Heal [1d6]=4
Eiji Roll #2 BCS 9 [1d20]=17 Heal [1d6]=1
Eiji Roll #3 BCS 9 [1d20]=4 Heal [1d6]=6 (8)
Eiji Roll #4 BCS 9 [1d20]=4 Heal [1d6]=2 (10)
Eiji Roll #5 BCS 9 [1d20]=18 Heal [1d6]=2
Eiji Roll #6 BCS 9 [1d20]=20 Heal [1d6]=4
Eiji Roll #7 BCS 9 [1d20]=8 Heal [1d6]=5 (15)
Eiji Roll #18 BCS 9 [1d20]=5 Heal [1d6]=4 (19)
Eiji Roll #19 BCS 9 [1d20]=3 Heal [1d6]=3 (22)
Eiji Roll #20 BCS 9 [1d20]=14 Heal [1d6]=4
Eiji Roll #21 BCS 9 [1d20]=18 Heal [1d6]=4

Toshizo has 2 / 24
Eiji Roll #8 BCS 9 [1d20]=16 Heal [1d6]=6
Eiji Roll #9 BCS 9 [1d20]=12 Heal [1d6]=5
Eiji Roll #10 BCS 9 [1d20]=9 Heal [1d6]=1 (3)
Eiji Roll #11 BCS 9 [1d20]=10 Heal [1d6]=6
Eiji Roll #12 BCS 9 [1d20]=8 Heal [1d6]=4 (7)
Eiji Roll #13 BCS 9 [1d20]=5 Heal [1d6]=1 (8)
Eiji Roll #14 BCS 9 [1d20]=15 Heal [1d6]=3
Eiji Roll #15 BCS 9 [1d20]=2 Heal [1d6]=3 (11)
Eiji Roll #16 BCS 9 [1d20]=2 Heal [1d6]=6 (17)
Eiji Roll #17 BCS 9 [1d20]=5 Heal [1d6]=4 (21)

Officer #3 has 2 / 35
(No Power left)

Ha 22 / 32
Toshizo 21 / 24
Taka 9 / 9
Eiji 11 / 11
Jīva 10 / 10

Brigand Building 3.png (78.88 KiB) Viewed 301 times

[jmacatty]

Ha, looking about the room, says, We can do no more without rest, we need sleep. Let us set watches and get at least some sleep. This brigands life is forfeit unless he can provide us more information. In the future, Gakushho, it would be wise to assist those who keep you alive before helping those who would kill you.

[jmacatty]

OOC: Would we have character knowledge of the word Umai? I don't recognize it, nor do I find it in the rules. Also, what is the minimum sleep needed to avoid degraded abilities?

[Marullus]

OOC: Would we have character knowledge of the word Umai? I don't recognize it, nor do I find it in the rules.

It is actually defined in-context:
"an Umai, a chief of the Mountain Lord,"
Literally, "Umai" translates to "Good," or "Worthy" when applied to a person. The module uses it as the term for Chiefs, but you are correct that it doesn't appear in Book I or Book II.

The "Mountain Lord" is the mysterious Daimyo of the non-human denizens of the mountains, said to live in the Valley of Mists. The social structure of the non-humans is roughly analogous to that of the human society, but you are not expected to know more than that.

(Corrected in later post.)

Also, what is the minimum sleep needed to avoid degraded abilities?

Neither Book I or Book II specifies the penalties for not sleeping, but I think it's fair to start accumulating Hinderances to penalize BCS. It only says this in Book II:

Characters, like everybody else, need their sleep.

...then says to have part of the party surprised when an encounter happens during camp.

In Book I, it mostly is centered on "Days of Rest" not "good night's sleep" for 1095.2a Adjusted Healing Rate.

You've all been up doing forced marches and combat for at least 25 hours, so resting is a good suggestion. Eiji's power points (and thus healing) refreshes at the next dawn, regardless of when rest takes place.

[jmacatty]

Ha announces, We will rest for 6 hours. One bushi will remain awake each 3 hour watch. I will take the first watch. This etta will not be released until he provides more information and we are all ready to move again.

[ffilz]

Taka concurs with this.

I will be out of town for 5 days, I will do my best to post from my phone, but I will have less time and less ability to write big posts. I am also taking a tablet with keyboard so I may get a chance for more extensive responses.

[Marullus]

OOC: Would we have character knowledge of the word Umai? I don't recognize it, nor do I find it in the rules.

It is actually defined in-context:
"an Umai, a chief of the Mountain Lord,"
Literally, "Umai" translates to "Good," or "Worthy" when applied to a person. The module uses it as the term for Chiefs, but you are correct that it doesn't appear in Book I or Book II.

The "Mountain Lord" is the mysterious Daimyo of the non-human denizens of the mountains, said to live in the Valley of Mists. The social structure of the non-humans is roughly analogous to that of the human society, but you are not expected to know more than that.

The above is INCORRECT. Poor editing and punctuation in the module. Umai is a name, not a title.

Corrected:
The brigand tells you that Shimi is a chief for the Mountain Lord.
The Mountain Lord's name is whispered to be Umai, which may or may not be just folklore.

[jmacatty]

While on watch, Ha will gaher all of the weapons and armor of the brigands, examining them for quality.

[jemmus]

Young Toshizo ventures to state an opinion. By the Way of the Warrior, the bandit should die. But Eiji-san has saved him, I suppose because of the Way of the Buddha. He has accepted responsibility for that, whether the outcome is good or bad. So I think Eiji-san should decide is fate.

Ha-san, please wake me in three hours. Not wanting to lie down in gore, he goes to the room that he, Taka and Eiji first entered. He takes off his helmet and dai-sho, lies down, and quickly falls into a deep sleep of complete exhaustion.

[Marullus]

Eiji nods complacently at both Ha's rebuke and Toshizo's recognition. Ha takes the first watch, staring at the bound and gagged guard as the others follow Toshizo's lead to sleep in the clean entry room and not among the bloodbath. Ha's watch passes uneventfully only the glare of the well-rested bandit officer to keep him company as he struggles with the weight of his eyelids, sitting on one of the two stools in the room, smelling the blood and death.

Three hours seems so little after 26 hours of hard march and battle as Ha wakes Toshizo, but time does seem pressing. Ha lies down to rest and Toshizo puts back on his armor and goes to the scene of carnage to stand guard over the bound man. The open door at the south allows a little breeze which helps as the corpses begin to smell different, slightly worse, than just the unwashed men they once were. He hears a banging noise from the western part of the building that repeats several times and clearly man-made: Though you have seen no one check on you, it seems you are not alone.

"Meow." A fluffy cat with all black fur pokes its head around the corner of the open door. It enters slowly and carefully, heading towards the nearest corpse, sniffing.