Scroll 1 - The Master Craftsman's Tea Vessel

[Marullus]

Kaida expresses her gratitude as she steps through the doorway into the courtyard. "I am most grateful. A warm bath would help my constitution, I think," she says wistfully as they begin talk of exchanging her clothes. She looks to see what servants will attend her, who brings a light, etc. as would be fitting to her station. She chatters with them, asking their names and making small talk.

"Oh, delightful!" she exclaims as she sees the guard dog, speaking to it and treating it as if it is a small house pet when they see it in the courtyard.

What can I see illuminated? Did I enter through the east or west wall's gate?

Her intention is to keep the attention of as many as possible on her (servants, guards, especially the dog) to give her companions room to move and to elicit (names, backgrounds, interests, extended families) and count staff. All the better for their report.

[jemmus]

Need Minoru's ninjutsu roll, if he climbed the wall across the street.

Fuma

Silent climb (11) [1d20]=17

Not good.

He will freeze in place when he makes the loud noise and try to remain hidden.

In case roll [1d20]=20

Even worse.

Let's do the analysis, because ninjutsu will probably come up a lot. Fuma's base BCS is 10, and it's a skill with a bonus for ninja, so his level is added. BCS 11. You guys are still disguised as fishermen? No +1 for correct uniform. Stormy night, +2. Ninja walking (I'll think that's closer to this jump and climb than running), -1. Trying to avoid contact, +1. Ninja in unlikely place (on a wall), +2. Net = +4 to BCS. BCS 15, 17 roll fails.

An NPC still has to make a Detection of Hidden Thing (Wit) ST to detect the ninja. For creatures, the base ST is 6 plus it's Budo. (Budo is like the experience points value for killing the creature). If the creature is strong at some ability, add double the budo. Dog's are .5 Budo and have four times better hearing than humans, x 2 = 1. ST is 7. Seems kind of low, but here goes. [1d20]=18

The servant in the courtyard probably has average Wit, which is 10. ST is 10/3 and add the character's level. I assume ordinary human's a level 0. [1d20]=2

Ninjutsu
This Bugei is similar to the normal Bugei "Shinobi-jutsu"
(Stealth). but in addition, the Ninja may conceal himself visually as
well as audibly. The Ninja using this Skill, becomes a Hidden Thing.
The Wit ST of those who might see or otherwise detect his presence
is reduced by his Effect Number for the roll. A negative Effect
Number gives a bonus to the Wit ST of observers.
The Ninjutsu roll is required for every turn the Ninja wishes to
apply his Skill, on whatever Time Scale is in use at the time. If the
Ninja is spotted, he must get out of the observers' field of vision in
order to try and hide again. A Critical Failurealways means the Ninja
has betrayed his presence to any potential observers.
Modifiers to the die roll include:
Ninja wearing correct "uniform" (see appendix 2): +1
Ninja wearing "unsilenced" Armor: -(Armor Class )
Ninja wearing incorrect "uniform": -1
Daylight: -2
Bright moonlight: -1
Stormy night: +2
Ninja Walking: -1
Ninja Running: -3
Moving in to attack: -5
Trying to avoid contact: +1
Ninja in tree, on roof, etc. (in unlikely place): +2
Observer within 10': -3
Other modifiers must be tailored to fit the situation. A sleeping or
drunken guard will give the Ninja a bonus when he is sneaking past
him (or up on him). Alert guards, especially those who are aware of
the presence of Ninja in the area, are harder to fool.

[Marullus]

You guys are still disguised as fishermen? No +1 for correct uniform.

I assumed the three ninjas put on ninja garb before doing night breakins.

[jemmus]

I forgot to roll a Wit ST for the servant to suspect Kaida's hensu-jutsu.
I'll do that and post it. Also needed:
-Minoru's action
-Ninja to state whether they changed from hensu-jutsu disguises to ninja garb.

[ffilz]

Minoru will change into ninja outfit for the raid.

Using climbing pole, climbing roll:



Looks like he nimbly gets up to a good vantage point.

[Grognardsw]

Per my posted pictures, Jensei is in his ninja garb.

[jemmus]

I let everybody climb the fairly low wall with no roll. But we can use that roll for the ninjutsu roll, to climb silently and unseen.

Here's the servant's roll to suspect Kaida's hensu-jutsu guise. Kaida's level (1) is subtracted from his saving throw.
[1d20]=4 Failed.
Kaida entered through the southern gate, which is the front gate on the street.

Earlier I posted a successful Detection of Hidden Things roll for the servant vs. Fuma's ninjutsu failed roll. From their respective positions (Fuma at the northern section of the eastern outer wall and the servant near the southern gate, they can't see each other, but they can hear each other.

[Rex]

Fuma

Fuma changed into his ninja garb.

[jemmus]

Posted separately to the two groups: Kaida and Minoru, Fuma and Jinsei.

[jemmus]

Kaida shows an expression of alarm and fear. "Bandits and brigands? Here inside? They would not be so bold in a bushi house! I bet they are kidnappers! Why do you send guards away? Should they not protect me? Us? Call them back! Don't you have more guards to call here?" Disappointed that her antics so far only resulted in her occupying a single servant's time, she continues to press, to find what what other staff or guards are on-site and to get whomever she can to attend her here - opposite the entry of her companions.

The dog turns and runs south down the elevated and columnated open air gallery. The heavy clouds overhead dump a new downpour of water on this part of Kofu and Nippon. The dog turns north, running at full speed. It stops facing northeast a few yards from the gallery and begins barking furiously at the unseen intruder out in the dark and the rain.

Please roll for Rhetoric/histrionics for Kaida.

[Grognardsw]

Jinsei winced as Fuma made noise on his climb up. A dog barked, guards stirred. Their element of surprised ruined, Jinsei gave the abort signal.

“Another time,” he whispered. Patience was as much a ninja tool as the ninjato.

Jinsei lowered himself down, helping Fuma if necessary, and melted into the rainy night.

[Marullus]

Rhetoric (BCS 15) [1d20]=10

Analysis:

All her spells have short range at Level 1; they will double at level 2 because level is a multiplier. Her longest are 10 yards, which applies to Mud and her various Magical Dart effects. I am assuming that the dogs and guards are well over 10 yards from my position at the south gate.

So, her histrionics seem her best move.

Can she cast inconspicuously, or will that require a separate roll? Not blowing cover will always be key.
Can her effects be discrete? Darts manifesting an effect at the target rather than flying like sparkles from her fingertips?

[jemmus]

It is still overcast, but the rain has stopped. Fuma and Jinsei as mountain fishermen and Minoru as a priest make their way through the streets of to the Hachiman shrine. Every intersection of streets they've seen so far has had a checkpoint manned by samurai and ronin bushi. It's the bottom of the Hour of the Dog, and the curfew starts in the next hour, the Hour of the Boar.

Nippon hours are two Western hours long. It's now in the second half (the "bottom") of the Dog hour, so around 8:00 PM. Which route to the shrine do you take? Northwest, past the gambling house and toward the inns district, then south? Or southeast, then south, away from the city center and toward rice fields? (They're the darker gray areas on the map).
Map of Kofu https://www.unseenservant.us/forum/view ... 68#p664968

[Grognardsw]

Jinsei will defer to Minoru or Fuma on route.

[Rex]

Fuma

Fuma will take the shortest route he knows back, trying to beat curfew.

[ffilz]

Fuma

Fuma will take the shortest route he knows back, trying to beat curfew.

Good plan

[jemmus]

The rain has decreased to a light drizzle. The sky is solid overcast, with the glow of the waxing crescent Moon light a part of it. It is the bottom half of the Hour of the Dog. Fuma, Jinsei, and Minoru, two young mountain fishermen and a priest of the same age, make their way from the merchant's villa to the Hachiman shrine. They must reach it before the Hour of the Boar and the start of the night's curfew. They decide to take the shortest route. It's a route they know. They came that way from the shrine to the villa earlier today.

But they know there is a possible problem. They must past through three checkpoints at three intersections. At the first checkpoint, they must turn south, away from the inns district on the Koshu-Kaido highway, the city's main street. This, the guards at the checkpoint may question. And they may have the same issue at the second point, where they will still be traveling away from the area of the inns. But at the third checkpoint, they will turn northwest and arguably be traveling toward them. They arrive in front of the tea and dining (and gambling) house they visited early in the day.


As is discussed in the Campaign Setting thread, there may be alternatives to passing through the guarded checkpoints.
Kaida is ahead in time, at the morning after this scene. She's temporarily on hold while the ninja catch up.

[Grognardsw]

Can one go off-road, cutting through the countrywide or woods to reach the road nearest the shrine. For example, strike out west from the villa until we come to that road, then either proceed via roads or continue west in woods and come up behind the shrine.

[Rex]

Fuma would be willing to go off-road if at all possible.

[jemmus]

Yes, you could go west through woods and vegetable gardens. There are three places where you'd have to pass through houses (either beside them or over them). If you're detected, it could of course mean trouble. You all saw the Takeda signboards saying that everyone is obligated to report observing anything suspicious. If using ninjutsu, these modifiers to BCS would apply. Using ninjutsu will in your hensu-jutsu costumes would be a -1 to BCS.

Ninja wearing correct "uniform" (see appendix 2): +1
Ninja wearing incorrect "uniform": -1
Stormy night: +2
Ninja Walking: -1
Ninja Running: -3
Trying to avoid contact: +1
Ninja in tree, on roof, etc. (in unlikely place): +2
Observer within 10': -3