Monday, October 3, 2016

DISPOSABLE DISCIPLES OF BONE KINGDOM SESSION 17: ALL IS WELL

This is a log for my ongoing Disposable Disciples of Bone Kingdom campaign. You can see the previous session HERE. 

Player Characters: 
Shen Chun
Hidden Arrow
Bao Yang
Chao Feng
Wei Ruomei 

Sects: 


The Righteous Outlaws
Calamity Star
Ou Jinghzhu
Tea Master Houzhou

Crocodile Sect*
Player Characters (See above)
King Iron Beard
Li Sou Chao (Witch of Zhaoze Zhou)

The Roaming Avengers
A group of five brothers who swore loyalty to Hidden Arrow.

The Golden Way
Iron God Meng

Dancing Scorpions
Criminal network in Yun Hu

Relentless Corpse Sect
Relentless Corpse Queen
Da Mei Mei

Temple of the Jade Mercies
Abbot Wei Zhao
Abbess Bao-Yu
Weeping Lotus

Bone Breaking Sect
Destroyed and taken over by Drunken Hero Kang

Glorious Death Cult
Led by Supreme Master Tung, who says he is a god of death

Stone Palace Sect
A gambling hall and criminal network in Yun Hu
Currently under control of party, with Weeping Lotus managing it
Feng is an important member (the accountant)

The Golden Corpse Alliance
This is a unified group: Relentless Corpse Sect and the Golden Way combined their interests. Relentless Corpse Queen and Iron God Meng were initially joint-chiefs of the sect, and below them were the player characters via Crocodile Sect. However both Iron God Meng and Relentless Corpse Queen were killed by the party. Since then, Relentless Coprse Queen's sister, Da Mei-Mei has taken over as the official leader of what remains of the alliance (Iron God Meng's men were all killed, except for his chef). 

SESSION
The party started out in Li Fan, after having just killed Supreme Master Tung's brother and two children. They returned to Stone Palace and from their divided into two groups. Ruomei and Shen Chun took a boat to Xuanlu, then headed by land to Crocodile Sect Headquarters. Hidden Arrow and Chao Feng went further south (also by boat) to Huisheng so that Hidden Arrow could infiltrate Song Bird Manor and steal a 1-pound pearl from The Silken Robe Society. 



CROCODILE SECT
When Ruomei and Shen Chun reached Crocodile Sect headquarters it was clear something was amiss. They heard the chanting of a large chorus of Yen-Li priests and saw a body laid to rest in the courtyard. There were also scorch marks all around. 

The body was King Iron Beard's and they learned from one of the remaining senior disciples that he was killed in an explosion. A giant statue of Hen-Shi had arrived as a gift days before. King Iron Beard noticed something odd about it, a mechanism or protrusion and went to inspect it. It exploded killing him and ten disciples. When the statue fragmented it also unleashed a number of bronze mantis figures. Inspecting the shards of broken ceramic, they found writing etched into it on the interior that read: Unfilial Beast. It looked like an attack from The Southern Hill Sect. 

Ruomei organized a group of ten disciples to train under her as the new animal handlers (one of King Iron Beard's main duties). Initially they resisted, wanting to go and get revenge instead. But she persuaded them that one of the sect's chief functions was maintaining its collection of dangerous creatures. Without trained handlers the sect might as well not even exist. This convinced them and also earned their personal loyalty toward her. 

Shen Chun began re-organizing the sect. He elevated the most deserving to the position of subs chief and tried to raise the ranks of his disciples. He then went to a village at the base of the mountain to find martial heroes to recruit. There he met a man named Jade Fist who said he had come to pay his respects to Crocodile Sect after losing their chief to Yellow Mantis' attack. He explained that he belonged to Twin-Fisted Eagle Clan and that their chief was similarly attacked. Except Yellow Mantis wounded him by cutting off both arms of his son, Tu-an. The two drank together then parted ways. 

Shen Chun also inspected the seal they had made for Kwan (the ghost that was haunting him). Their priest had interred her body in a chamber and sealed it with four swords. He said that only Shen Chun's hands could remove the blades, which would unlock the seal. He advised that Shen Chun not do this. But Shen Chun expressed curiosity over it and asked the priest to research a way to control Kwan's spirit. 


HUISHENG
Chao Feng and Hidden Arrow arrived in Huisheng. Immediately Hidden Arrow used his information network to find out whether the Silken Robe Society came to the city for supplies. This took some days but he learned that they sent men about twice a month. He waited for them to come, using his network to alert him upon their arrival. 

Chao Feng went to a local Dak station and tried to set up a similar arrangement to what he had elsewhere (paying men off to keep messages meant for Bone Breaker Sect). He noticed that most of the officials here had badges and learned that they needed to pass the exams in order to serve in the Dak department. 

He spoke with the boss and tried to bribe him. He was told to leave. Instead he walked out and waited outside, hoping to follow the boss on his way home. However within about an hour five soldiers approached him and said received word that he had tried to bribe a local official and he would need to come with them. He attempted to talk them out of taking him, but they wouldn't listen. So he used Stealth of the Spider Demon to flee into the crowd unnoticed. The soldiers gave chase but lost him in the chaos. 

He then painted another face for himself and went back into the city. 

Hidden Arrow eventually received word that men from Songbird Manor had arrived. He followed them. They were a group of about six. He noticed one of them, called Yao, was sloppy, not very respected by the others, so he followed that man and approached him when he stepped away from the group to grab some fried meat. Hidden Arrows told him that he owned a local establishment and was holding a Pork Bun Eating Contest. He looked like just the man to participate and the prize was a life time supply of Pork Buns. 

Yao was easily persuaded and followed him. However when Hidden Arrow led him into an ally, he grew suspicious. Hidden Arrow struck him in the eye with a poisoned needle and killed him. Then he used Shift of the Chameleon to assume Yao's form and rejoined his group. The men reprimanded him when he returned and handed him a large number of boxes to carry but didn't notice the deception. 
Two-Timing Cockerel


By this method, he reached Songbird Manor. Chao Feng followed and remained outside the walls of the estate. 

Later that night, Hidden Arrow grabbed some wine and snuck into the main courtyard. He was stopped by some disciples but they believed him when he said he was bringing wine to Fourth Chief. He then approached Fourth Chief's hall but some birds in a nearby grove chirped and flew toward the main hall of the manor. Then he used Shift of the Chameleon again to assume the form of Relentless Corpse Queen. Once again birds chirped and felt to ward the northern hall. 

Chao Feng noticed that the birds went inside the main manor hall and that Two-Timing Cockerel (the leader of the Silken Robes) emerged, then summoned a number of disciples. They started walking fast toward Fourth Brother's Hall. 

Chao Feng snuck inside the main hall, and grabbed the 1 pound pearl, then came back to the wall. 

Hidden Arrow went into the Fourth Brother's hall, and Chao Feng used Stealth of the Spider Demon to follow. He whispered that men were coming and knew he was inside. 

Hidden Arrow flicked a poisoned needle at the sleeping Fourth Brother, seeming to kill him. Then he used Shift of the Chameleon to assume the form of Fourth Brother and threw himself through the door as if being attacked. When he landed, Two-Timing Cockerel Strode forward and said "How dare you brother."

Hidden Arrow persuaded Two-Taming Cockerel that he'd been attacked by a shape shifter and to go see for himself. Two-Timing Cockerel ran into his brother's hall. He came back out and said "Take your true form Corpse Queen!"

Hidden Arrow sowed doubt by claiming he was really his brother. At that moment, Chao Feng (who had snuck onto the wall) unleashed a storm of arrows on all the people in the area. This also struck Hidden Arrow. Two-Timing Cockerel looked at Hidden Arrow and said "Stay here, we are not done yet". Then he grabbed his men and went after Chao Feng (who escaped using Stealth of the Spider Demon again). 

Hidden Arrow snuck away and assumed the shape of Yao again. He continued in this form, until early in the morning when he was able to sneak out. 

When Hidden Arrow and Chao Feng reached Huisheng they planned to go to Xuanlu. Before leaving, Chao Feng recruited three beggars offering them money to travel with him as friends. They were: Ku, Hong and Fei. Ku and Fei proved somewhat difficult. Hong was boastful but he took Chao Feng as his sifu and within two days mastered two Drunken style techniques. Though he had never trained, his natural talent was apparent. 

The group traveled to Xuanlu where Chao Feng ate with the beggars at the Qiang Bridge Restaurant. Hidden Arrow stayed at the Tall Mountain Wine House. 

LI FAN
Bao Yang reached Li Fan after the party had already left. He went to Stone Palace and managed his men, giving them new standing orders. He also went to meet Zhao Yi, a local merchant. 

At Zhao Yi's residence, he found a banquet waiting for him. Zhao Yi was most eager to do business and wanted to partner with Bao Yang to achieve great things. He said he had control of most local officials and could use Bao Yang's muscle. That together they would increase their riches. They agreed on an arrangement with Bao Yang promising to kill an official who didn't accept bribes. The magistrates name was Qu. 

Bao Yang went back to Stone Palace. There he learned that Abbot Firebrand was staying under their protection, with Bone Breaker's son. He sent a message to Fearless Cat telling her that her son was there and she should come get him. 

Within two days she walked through Stone Palace doors. He spoke with her and she demanded that he take her son to The House of Paper Shadows. He suggested she do it herself and with misty hands she reached for his throat. He backed off and promised to send the child as requested. She left and it was clear her body was spectral. 

Bao Yang gathered his men outside and told Weeping Lotus to summon Abbot Firebrand and the monks (knowing one of the monks was Bone Breaker and Fearless Cat's son). 

When they came out he explained that they had to go to The House of Paper Shadows to see Fearless Cat. Zhang Yong, the son of Bone Breaker stepped forward and said he refused to see his mother. Abbot Firebrand stepped in front of him and said he would not let them take him. Once a great warrior, known for his powerful fists, he no longer had any hands. 

Bao Yang said he didn't want to have to harm him, that if he just went, he wouldn't raise a hand. Abbot Firebrand insisted and Bao Yang crushed his head with a mace. 

This is where the session ended. 




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