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I am running two campaigns in the same setting and treating them as occurring in different realities with some vague similarities. Characters in one may appear in the other, but there are no direct causal effects from one campaign to the next. Partly this is to playtest, but this is also partly due to the multi-dimensional aspect of the universe I run all my games in. It would theoretically be possible for the party from the Blood of the Demon Moon cult campaign to dimension travel to the Secret of Je Valley Campaign, in which case direct interactions could occur (and they could even meet their counterparts in the alternate dimension).
CHARACTERS
Player Characters
Zhang Wan (Bone Breaker): An unpredictable and violent martial expert who is the brother of Zhang San. First chief of Qui Pan Bandits. Married to Huo Ju (Little Venom)
Zhang San: A wandering hero and sister of Zhang Wan, more calm than her brother
Chen: A poisoner and healer known for his lazy ways.
Key NPCs
Jade Priestess: Bone Breaker's Sifu and former member of the Demon Moon Cult
Witch of Zhaoze Zhou: San's Sifu
Senior Grand Councilor Cai Yuanyu: Highest ranked official in the Empire below the emperor; plotting to 'invert heaven' and has recruited Bone Breaker into his plans
Senior Grand Councilor Cai Yuanyu: Highest ranked official in the Empire below the emperor; plotting to 'invert heaven' and has recruited Bone Breaker into his plans
Ho'elen: Kushen Tribesman and daughter of important chief. Bone Breaker's Disciple.
Iron Spear Tip: A magic weapon with a mind of its own, the bride of Zhang Kang.
Little Venom (Huo Ju): Bone Breaker's Wife
The Venom of Zhaoze (Huo Si): Leader of Zhaoze sect, father of Huo Ju (Little Venom) and Sifu to Chen
Badai: Kushen Tribesman and Disciple of Bone Breaker.
Bone Breaker sent messages to his people summoning them to the Banyan so he could approach Red Mountain Villa and take the Phoenix Crown from the Five Immortals. Having put out word previously that he wanted the Turquoise Necklace of Li Fan, a man finally arrived with the object in his possession. He met with Bone Breaker at the former Mystic Sword Temple Grounds (where Bone Breaker was establishing a new outpost).
The man's name was Jade Faced Uncle and he offered to give the necklace to Bone Breaker for 200,000 spades (100,000 more than was offered). They negotiated and settled on 180,000 spades. Bone Breaker asked Jade Faced Uncle to work for him, but he refused, however he left the door open for future transactions.
Before leaving for Chen to await the arrival of his people, he ordered his men to bring tigers to the Mystic Sword Temple grounds. Then he went to Chen and secured an entire floor of the Menglao Tea House.
Chen and San received the message but decided to take a retinue of 10 heroes and 20 laborers for their planned trip to the South. Chen had been cursed with an eye on his chest after destroying a statue of Hen-Shi and believed the solution was a vast deposit of Diamond in Dhamma. However he still didn't know its exact location.
It took them some time but they reached Chen. On their way to Menglao Tea House, Chen stopped at Master Wong's Noodle Shop in the Ghost Market and discovered the best tasting lamb noodles he'd ever eaten. He tried to buy the recipe, but Wong refused to give it. He then tried to hire Wong as his personal chef, but the price was too steep. He nearly threatened to destroy the wine shop, but changed his mind at the last minute and told Wong he would think on the matter.
At the Menglao Tea House, Bone Breaker noticed that Badai, his disciple, was showing romantic interest in Ho'elen, his other disciple. He called Badai into a private room and demanded he stop pursuing Ho'elen. Badai said it was none of the Sifu's business what he did. Bone Breaker slapped Badai, who then kicked him to the ground in retaliation. Bone Breaker used Kick of the Golden Elephant to smash Badai against the wall, knocking him senseless. As he came to, Bone Breaker once again issued his command, but Badai spit at him.
This enraged Bone Breaker, who kicked him out of the sect. He then wrote twenty copies of a formal letter declaring that Badai was no longer his student and had them sent to the reputable sect leaders in the area.
When Lady Plum Blossom learned of Bone Breaker's misfortune, she offered to exchange one of her disciples with one his men. Bone Breaker agreed to take Xiu, a personal pupil of Plum Blossom, as his new disciple. Xiu and Ho'elen didn't get along, but they both mastered the techniques he showed them.
When it became clear to Bone Breaker that Chen and San didn't have the Immortal Killing Sword, he used Dreams of the Infinite Sky Realm to enter the dream of One-Armed Fiery Demon, instructing her to go to Dawa and bring the sword.
They awaited One-Armed Fiery Demon, who arrived with the blade days later. While waiting, Bone Breaker had gone to Celestial Spirit Temple and spoken with the head priest, Wu Yong. He hired Yong to travel with them and help them capture and control a demon.
Chen meditated on the matter of the diamond and after several days had a vision of Ice Mountain. Bone Breaker agreed to put off going to Red Mountain Villa so Chen could attend to the diamond.
The party then departed south with an enormous retinue: 20 Laborers, 10 Kushen Heroes, One-Armed Fiery Demon, Abbot Firebrand, Ho'elen, Lady Plum Blossom, and more. They traveled through Dhamma and eventually reached the base of Ice Mountain. Climbing they noticed strange white apes crawling on the peak. Irritated by their presence, Chen used Blast of the Dragon to knock one off the mountain. It fell to its death but this provoked a group of three ahead of them. The apes launched an attack, but the party managed to evade them and hurl them off the cliffs as well. When they reached the peak, they found a strange temple, encircling the entire peak like an Iron Cylinder.
Chen broke the door with Stone Shattering Finger and they walked in. Eventually they came to a monk resting in a chamber. The whole structure was like three rings encircling the central peak, with the inner ring being a series of gardens and stairways with nine terrace levels. The monk brought in an Abbot, who introduced himself as Abbot Song. He told them that there was in fact a diamond here, that it was the peak itself, and the temple was dedicated to protecting it and unlocking its insights.
He explained that they could freely explore the nine-level terrace encircling the diamond peak,but that it was warded and only those who meditated and gained insights could physically enter each level.
Chen decided to go and inspect the inner ring, and a monk was sent to help him. He sat down to meditate and had a vision of a chalice falling from heaven. He knew it to be the diamond, and found he could walk easily to the next level. There he found a fresco depicting the fall of a chalice from heaven, and near it was figure he knew to be Abbot Song. He meditated once again and found he could physically enter the next level after he he realized that Abbot Song was a god in charge of wine and chalices for the Enlightened Goddess. On the next level he saw the chalice as the peak, and the temple surrounding it. Abbot Song reclined and was surrounded by wealth, women and food.
Bone Breaker continued to talk with Abbot Song, but then the abbot departed and the group nosed around the different halls. Priest Wu Yong informed Bone Breaker that his demon bottle was glowing (an object in his possession that glowed in the presence of demons).
Bone Breaker asked to speak with Abbot Song again. When he arrived, he told him that he knew they were demons.
Abbot Song changed shape, increasing in size to 12 feet as his skin turned azure and his features became more wild. His monks splintered into 70 copies of themselves and he Abbot said they were going to feast on the party.
Bone Breaker offered to work out an arrangement and Abbot Song seemed agreeable. He promised to bring the Abbot more people to eat. However negotiations broke down and Abbot Song attacked. There was an enormous melee. Once they started concentrating all their attacks on Abbot Song, he began to weaken and eventually disappeared in a burst of golden light. Wu Yong believed that the Abbot was still alive somewhere but recuperating.
Chen decided to take the diamond as quickly as possible, and used Stone Shattering Finger to crack it. This caused the whole temple to become unstable and collapse off the side of the mountain as the peak fell.
Many were trapped inside but most managed to jump out to safety. However Abbot Firebrand, Yang Tuo and two others were trapped inside. Chen used the Time Stop Medallion to Freeze time get them to safety.
They then went to the bottom of the mountain and secured the diamond, dragging it through Dhamma to the north. They were stopped by soldiers of the king who insisted the group pay a tax. Chen once again tried to use the Time Stop Medallion but it didn't work and he aged ten years. Bone Breaker agreed to pay a smaller fee and they were able to leave freely.
They retuned to Chen and started work on re-organizing the sect as they prepared to make an approach to Red Mountain Villa.
Little Venom (Huo Ju): Bone Breaker's Wife
The Venom of Zhaoze (Huo Si): Leader of Zhaoze sect, father of Huo Ju (Little Venom) and Sifu to Chen
Badai: Kushen Tribesman and Disciple of Bone Breaker.
Bone Breaker sent messages to his people summoning them to the Banyan so he could approach Red Mountain Villa and take the Phoenix Crown from the Five Immortals. Having put out word previously that he wanted the Turquoise Necklace of Li Fan, a man finally arrived with the object in his possession. He met with Bone Breaker at the former Mystic Sword Temple Grounds (where Bone Breaker was establishing a new outpost).
The man's name was Jade Faced Uncle and he offered to give the necklace to Bone Breaker for 200,000 spades (100,000 more than was offered). They negotiated and settled on 180,000 spades. Bone Breaker asked Jade Faced Uncle to work for him, but he refused, however he left the door open for future transactions.
Before leaving for Chen to await the arrival of his people, he ordered his men to bring tigers to the Mystic Sword Temple grounds. Then he went to Chen and secured an entire floor of the Menglao Tea House.
Chen and San received the message but decided to take a retinue of 10 heroes and 20 laborers for their planned trip to the South. Chen had been cursed with an eye on his chest after destroying a statue of Hen-Shi and believed the solution was a vast deposit of Diamond in Dhamma. However he still didn't know its exact location.
It took them some time but they reached Chen. On their way to Menglao Tea House, Chen stopped at Master Wong's Noodle Shop in the Ghost Market and discovered the best tasting lamb noodles he'd ever eaten. He tried to buy the recipe, but Wong refused to give it. He then tried to hire Wong as his personal chef, but the price was too steep. He nearly threatened to destroy the wine shop, but changed his mind at the last minute and told Wong he would think on the matter.
At the Menglao Tea House, Bone Breaker noticed that Badai, his disciple, was showing romantic interest in Ho'elen, his other disciple. He called Badai into a private room and demanded he stop pursuing Ho'elen. Badai said it was none of the Sifu's business what he did. Bone Breaker slapped Badai, who then kicked him to the ground in retaliation. Bone Breaker used Kick of the Golden Elephant to smash Badai against the wall, knocking him senseless. As he came to, Bone Breaker once again issued his command, but Badai spit at him.
This enraged Bone Breaker, who kicked him out of the sect. He then wrote twenty copies of a formal letter declaring that Badai was no longer his student and had them sent to the reputable sect leaders in the area.
When Lady Plum Blossom learned of Bone Breaker's misfortune, she offered to exchange one of her disciples with one his men. Bone Breaker agreed to take Xiu, a personal pupil of Plum Blossom, as his new disciple. Xiu and Ho'elen didn't get along, but they both mastered the techniques he showed them.
When it became clear to Bone Breaker that Chen and San didn't have the Immortal Killing Sword, he used Dreams of the Infinite Sky Realm to enter the dream of One-Armed Fiery Demon, instructing her to go to Dawa and bring the sword.
They awaited One-Armed Fiery Demon, who arrived with the blade days later. While waiting, Bone Breaker had gone to Celestial Spirit Temple and spoken with the head priest, Wu Yong. He hired Yong to travel with them and help them capture and control a demon.
Chen meditated on the matter of the diamond and after several days had a vision of Ice Mountain. Bone Breaker agreed to put off going to Red Mountain Villa so Chen could attend to the diamond.
The party then departed south with an enormous retinue: 20 Laborers, 10 Kushen Heroes, One-Armed Fiery Demon, Abbot Firebrand, Ho'elen, Lady Plum Blossom, and more. They traveled through Dhamma and eventually reached the base of Ice Mountain. Climbing they noticed strange white apes crawling on the peak. Irritated by their presence, Chen used Blast of the Dragon to knock one off the mountain. It fell to its death but this provoked a group of three ahead of them. The apes launched an attack, but the party managed to evade them and hurl them off the cliffs as well. When they reached the peak, they found a strange temple, encircling the entire peak like an Iron Cylinder.
Chen broke the door with Stone Shattering Finger and they walked in. Eventually they came to a monk resting in a chamber. The whole structure was like three rings encircling the central peak, with the inner ring being a series of gardens and stairways with nine terrace levels. The monk brought in an Abbot, who introduced himself as Abbot Song. He told them that there was in fact a diamond here, that it was the peak itself, and the temple was dedicated to protecting it and unlocking its insights.
He explained that they could freely explore the nine-level terrace encircling the diamond peak,but that it was warded and only those who meditated and gained insights could physically enter each level.
Chen decided to go and inspect the inner ring, and a monk was sent to help him. He sat down to meditate and had a vision of a chalice falling from heaven. He knew it to be the diamond, and found he could walk easily to the next level. There he found a fresco depicting the fall of a chalice from heaven, and near it was figure he knew to be Abbot Song. He meditated once again and found he could physically enter the next level after he he realized that Abbot Song was a god in charge of wine and chalices for the Enlightened Goddess. On the next level he saw the chalice as the peak, and the temple surrounding it. Abbot Song reclined and was surrounded by wealth, women and food.
Bone Breaker continued to talk with Abbot Song, but then the abbot departed and the group nosed around the different halls. Priest Wu Yong informed Bone Breaker that his demon bottle was glowing (an object in his possession that glowed in the presence of demons).
Bone Breaker asked to speak with Abbot Song again. When he arrived, he told him that he knew they were demons.
Abbot Song changed shape, increasing in size to 12 feet as his skin turned azure and his features became more wild. His monks splintered into 70 copies of themselves and he Abbot said they were going to feast on the party.
Bone Breaker offered to work out an arrangement and Abbot Song seemed agreeable. He promised to bring the Abbot more people to eat. However negotiations broke down and Abbot Song attacked. There was an enormous melee. Once they started concentrating all their attacks on Abbot Song, he began to weaken and eventually disappeared in a burst of golden light. Wu Yong believed that the Abbot was still alive somewhere but recuperating.
Chen decided to take the diamond as quickly as possible, and used Stone Shattering Finger to crack it. This caused the whole temple to become unstable and collapse off the side of the mountain as the peak fell.
Many were trapped inside but most managed to jump out to safety. However Abbot Firebrand, Yang Tuo and two others were trapped inside. Chen used the Time Stop Medallion to Freeze time get them to safety.
They then went to the bottom of the mountain and secured the diamond, dragging it through Dhamma to the north. They were stopped by soldiers of the king who insisted the group pay a tax. Chen once again tried to use the Time Stop Medallion but it didn't work and he aged ten years. Bone Breaker agreed to pay a smaller fee and they were able to leave freely.
They retuned to Chen and started work on re-organizing the sect as they prepared to make an approach to Red Mountain Villa.
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