Scroll 1 - The Master Craftsman's Tea Vessel

[Grognardsw]

So I can compare the odds, what rolls need to be made if we use the roads?

[jemmus]

Ninjutsu BCS
Fuma 12
Jinsei 10
Minoru 12

Add the appropriate modifiers on the previous page to each BCS.

[ffilz]

It looks like in general we would be +3 (+1 appropriate costume, stormy +2, walking -1, trying to avoid contact +1). When passing close to houses, we could take to the roof for +2 maybe to offset the -3 for close observer. Even if seen, we would have some time before the the authorities could respond but might make passing checkpoints harder.

[jemmus]

That looks right, assuming you change back into ninja garb. If you didn't and your ninjutsu roll failed, you'd have hensu-jutsu to fall back on.

By the way, you haven't seen many people on the streets or outside their homes. It's dark, it's rainy, and curfew is coming in half a Nippon hour (1 Western hour).

[ffilz]

That looks right, assuming you change back into ninja garb. If you didn't and your ninjutsu roll failed, you'd have hensu-jutsu to fall back on.

By the way, you haven't seen many people on the streets or outside their homes. It's dark, it's rainy, and curfew is coming in half a Nippon hour (1 Western hour).

I suppose technically we have a better chance with hensu jitsu since it becomes 2 about 50-50 rolls which is a 75% chance or so. But we’d have to stick to the roads and could get in trouble even if our disguise worked.

[jemmus]

Fuma's and Jinsei's hensu-jutsu BCSs are around half Fuma's BCS. But you only have a make a BCS roll if an NPC makes a Wit ST.

Please note that everyone going through a checkpoint is being checked for security. That means that all of the guards who are actively watching get a Detection of Hidden Things roll to spot the hensu-jutsu. The Classic Man's Wit is 10, and saving throws are Attribute/3. So 3.3, round to 3. I believe bushi are -5 to the Wit attribute, so the ST is 1.6, round to 2. And add the character's level to the ST. If a checkpoint guard's ST succeeds, then the PC has to make a BCS roll for hensu-jutsu. I believe Kaida and Minoru have pretty good hensu-jutsu BCSs, but Fuma and Jinsei's BCSs might be around 10.

That's wrong. The both have BCS 5.

[Grognardsw]

Perhaps another way to ask this is if we have to succeed in three rolls going off-road, how many need to be made taking the roads?

[ffilz]

Fuma's and Jinsei's hensu-jutsu BCSs are around half Fuma's BCS. But you only have a make a BCS roll if an NPC makes a Wit ST.

Please note that everyone going through a checkpoint is being checked for security. That means that all of the guards who are actively watching get a Detection of Hidden Things roll to spot the hensu-jutsu. The Classic Man's Wit is 10, and saving throws are Attribute/3. So 3.3, round to 3. I believe bushi are -5 to the Wit attribute, so the ST is 1.6, round to 2. And add the character's level to the ST. If a checkpoint guard's ST succeeds, then the PC has to make a BCS roll for hensu-jutsu. I believe Kaida and Minoru have pretty good hensu-jutsu BCSs, but Fuma and Jinsei's BCSs might be around 10.

That's wrong. The both have BCS 5.

Ah, well then we are definitely best off with sneaking about. Even if we fail the ninjitsu roll, the observer still needs to make the Wit ST right?

[jemmus]

There are three intersections with checkpoints on the streets to the shrine.

No, with ninjutsu fails, there's no Wit ST needed. That only applies to hensu-jutsu. The NPC has to make a Wit ST to suspect the disguise. If that succeeds, the ninja has to make a hensu-jutsu BCS roll to avoid detection. With ninjutsu, if the BCS roll fails, the NPC immediately sees and hears the ninja.

When you passed through the same checkpoints early the one closest to the highway had 1 samurai and 4 ashigaru bushi. The other two closer to the shrine had 3 ashigaru bushi each. None of them looked especially bright. (The average Wit score for bushi is 5 (ST 2)-- dumb jocks). But that was during the daytime, around 8 hours ago. And the checkpoint on the main highway had a shugenja. The known to have high Wit, of course.

[ffilz]

OK, in any case, I do think sneaking is the best option, though certainly if caught by authorities, we're done for...

Based on our training, would it be better to each find our own route, or go together? Advantage of each on our own is if someone gets caught, we only have one caught (at a time).

[Grognardsw]

Okay, off road then. Separate so any one’s failure won’t impact all three, but close enough (200 yards?) that if an alarm is given, each will be aware of who is in trouble. Jinsei will change to ninja garb for the advantage.

[Rex]

Fuma

Fuma will also switch to his ninja garb and follow along with Jinsei's plan.

[jemmus]

One by one, the three shinobi leave the road and head west southwest. The pass between the walls of two mansions and see the rice paper windows of their upper floor lit in the dark cloudy night. Two hundred paces apart, they each enter a woods inside the city and pass through it. Minoru sees the dark shape of a young black bear walking on four legs. It turns its head and looks at him, then continues on. It seems odd that a bear would be seen in woods inside the city of Kofu. But the natural creatures, as well as the supernatural and monstrous one, have grown more bold since the war started a half a year ago. The humans concentrate there energy on fighting each other, rather than expanding the safety of civilization into the wild mountains, forests and swamps.

The ninja each separately reach buildings beside a street running north to south. To the right is a modest house, and to the left a two-story warehouse. Sixty yards to the right is an intersection, with two fires burning in braziers on tripods. Three ashigaru and an armored samurai with a dai-kyu stand, each watching down one of the four streets of the crossway. A bored-looking ashigaru leans on his yari and faces this way.

Need a ninjutsu roll from each PC. If you're walking, it's +3 to BCS from the modifiers chart (+1 appropriate costume, stormy night +2, walking -1, trying to avoid contact +1). If running, +0. I'm going to say add another +1 because of the distance from the ashigaru, at night.

If you climb a roof, +5. But you'd need a climbing (Deftness/2) or karumijutsu roll, or if you're using a climbing tool (such as a kyotetsu-shoge), a roll on that bugei. Leaping to a roof 3.5 yards across the street would be according to these rules.

Leaping Capability is equal to permanent Speed/2. Ninja add their Level to the Leaping Capability as a Bonus.
1044.3a Broad Jumps
Broad Jumps: The character achieves a height of afoot or so, waist high at most. His main motion is parallel to the ground. The distance travelled in yards is: (Strength/10)+(Effect Number of Leaping roIl/3). Even if the roll fails, it will be seen that that distance can betravelled. If a running start is taken (preceding Leap with a Charge Option) add the Base Movement Allowance to Strength for purposes of calculating the base distance jumped.

Example: 1st level ninja Yoshi has Speed 20. His BCS is 10 and he adds his level, so BCS 11. He rolls a 7. His Strength is 25. Divided by 10 = 2.5 yards leaped. Add Effect Number of the Leaping roll. It's 3 (BCS 10 - 7 roll). Divide by 3, so 1 yard. 2.5 + 1 = 3.5 yards leaped. Yoshi barely made it. If the Effect Number had been 2 instead of 3, he'd have leaped 3.166 yards, missed the roof, and crashed into the wall beneath it.

That was a standing jump. If Yoshi did a running jump instead, we'd add his BMA (Base Movement Allowance) of 7 to the Strength score. 25 + 7 = 32, /10 = 3.2 yards. Plus the Effect Number (3) /3 = 1 yard. 4.2 yards. The downside to running jumps is the extra noise, of course.

Calculating the distance of a karumijutsu Heroic Leap is a little more complicated(!) Jinsei has that skill, so let's use him as an example. His Leaping Capability is equal to permanent Speed/2. Speed 25/2 =12.5, plus Level 1 = 13.5. Round down = BCS 13. For a Heroic Leap, first, calculate the maximum height of Jinsei's High Jump. Height achieved in feet=(Strength/10)+(Effect Number/2). Strength 15/10 = 1.5. Maximum Effect Number is 12 (BCS 13 - a roll of 1). 13.5 feet. The total distance of the heroice leap is calculated according to the following formula: (Maximum Height of Leap x 2) + Length of Leap along the ground 13.5 x 2 = 27 feet. Here it looks like we have to go back to what we did with Yoshi and calculate Jinsei's broad jump. Which I'm not going to do here, because it would involve a variable Effect Number. But you get the idea. With a perfect Effect Number roll, Jinsei could leap 27 feet (9 yards), plus his broad jump distance (another 3 yards or so. By the way, the character gets a combat strike at the end of the heroic leap. Wow.

Need a ninjutsu roll from each PC crossing the street walking or running. If you're walking, it's +4 to BCS, if running, +0. If you climb and leap, please roll for climbing or karumijutsu, then for the leap. Please also state whether it's a broad jump or a running jump.

[Grognardsw]

Jinsei recalled the layout of the town and realized there was an easier way south to avoid a four-way intersection and its guards’ many eyes.


Follow light blue line of approximate route, keeping as much distance from structures.

There may be less houses as well. Well back from the house, Jinsei signaled with a well modulated chirp of the common night sparrow to indicate to the others a pause. He moved south to Minuro, whispered the plan, waited for Fuma, and proceeded southwest.

[jemmus]

Minoru recalls the map of Kofu that they'd studied in The Village. To the south there should be an area with fewer buildings. And it's pretty from street intersections as well. However, it passes by a gambling house tavern. Those are known to be frequented by yakuza, who might be moving on the streets toward home this close to the curfew. Or do they ignore the curfew, and use their shinobi-jutsu skill to move around unheard? And if a yakuza detected a ninja, what would they likely do? They're outlaws and criminals, and like ninja, outsiders to civic society. But one thing that's almost certain is, yakuza spot some opportunity for personal gain, they'll ruthlessly try to take advantage of it.

If you decide to take that route, the dice kami will decide whether there is anyone out and about in the street. If there are, you could still use ninjutsu or climbing and leaping to try to avoid detection. In other words, you could use ninjutsu to scout the street near the tavern to see if anyone is around. But if it fails, you would likely be seen and heard-- if anyone is present. If you want to proceed with the plan, please make the appropriate rolls)

(By the way, shinobi-jutsu is like ninjutsu, but it only allows being unheard. It doesn't also allow being unseen).

Any here's some uber nerddom for you. The Japanese bird that sings at night is the bush warbler. There were a lot of haiku about them during this period. Particularly related to illicit visits to lovers at night.

[Grognardsw]

Well what do Minoru and Fuma think?

[ffilz]

I think we'll have a lot less trouble from yakuza than the city watch. With this route, maybe we also stick together, a larger group will deter the yakuza should we actually attract their attention.

[jemmus]

Bump. Just checking in.

[Grognardsw]

“Very well, let’s proceed as a group.”

[Rex]

Fuma

Yes, proceed as a group.