STORMS OF THE MARTIAL WORLD SESSION 18: THE VOYAGE OF THE TEN TALISMANS

This was the Eighteenth session of a new Wandering Heroes of Ogre Gate campaign. See the FIFTEENTH SESSION LOG to read about the previous session. 

Wandering Heroes of Ogre Gate is our wuxia RPG. It is available HERE in PDF. 

Characters
Peng Ke-Yen: Eccentric daughter of a merchant who goes against conventions and is notable for her white and black streaked hair. From Dashen village. 

Peng Pei: Daughter of two low Yen-Li priests. Also from Dashen village. 

Peng Biyu: Peng Pei's mother. 

Blind Yan: A blind hero and connoisseur of fine foods.  

Shin Du: A performer and actor who is a perfect shot with the bow. 

Song Pei: A one-armed physician.

Sister Fox: Brother Wolf's Sister who is ailing from Life Ebbing Venom. 

Feiyan: A yen-li priestess who is acquainted with Sister Fox. 

Unfortunately I fell behind on my session logs while working on some supplements. I will briefly recap sessions 16 and 17 very quickly before getting into the events of session 18. The party acquired the Ten Talismans which can alter reality, and they decided to keep them safe by placing pairs of them into the hands of powerful gods across the world. They first went to the Island of Cha to meet with the Eastern Sea Goddess. They were able to secure passage on the Vermillion Star but on their way were attacked by Gentle Ghost (who they managed to defeat but not kill). In Cha they found themselves embroiled with a group called Crescent Moon Sect, but defeated them and handed two of the talismans to the Eastern Sea Goddess. Then they set sail for Xuanlu. 

XUANLU

When the party arrived in Xuanlu they walked the streets but soon found themselves surrounded by people with painted faces. A laugh was heard amidst the crowd and they saw Supreme Master Tung standing tall on a quickly constructed pavilion tower, ready to paint the scene of their deaths. The people with painted faces were his Death Disciples, men and women who had disfigured their true faces but were in the habit of wearing convincing masks. 

Their was a great battle in the middle of the street. Some of the party were hurt but they defeated the disciples and eventually killed Supreme Master Tung in a final stand-off. The final blow was delivered by Blind Yan, who used his Dog Bashing Stick and Stick of the Rebounding Dog techniques to disabled him. Peng Pei stabbed impaled Supreme Master Tung with his painting while he was unconscious and Ke-Yen beheaded him. Everyone in the street began to murmur and news spread quickly throughout the city. 

Queen Ai Nu

The party then went to an inn and found the patrons trembling at their presence. The proprietor gave them meals and rooms on the house and the mood was tense. Soon a female official dressed in red and black, named Swift Fan, arrived with soldiers and bowed to the party, telling them Queen Ai Nu wished to speak with them. 

They went to the palace and spoke with Queen Ai Nu. She had heard of their glorious deed (killing Supreme Master Tung) and asked them to go on a mission for her. She wanted them to destroy the House of Paper Shadows. The party discussed the matter and a majority of them were strongly against the idea, while Shin Du was in favor of it. 

They returned to the Queen and told her they had an important mission to complete for the gods, but would return when they finished with their final decision about the House of Paper Shadows. 

The Queen offered to provide them with a guide and information from the astronomical office, which they accepted. They were given a Singh guide and also a ship to take them to their next destination: Thunder Palace (home of the Southern Thunder Goddess). 

THUNDER PALACE

They learned that the palace was surrounded by swamp that would consume those who could not maintain a pure mind. It took many weeks but their ship arrived on the far southern coast and they entered the swamp in a small craft with a sailor and the sing guide. 

They meditated to keep their minds pure but some had distracted thoughts. As they rowed their way through the muck, they saw a massive tower of stone rising high over the dense foliage. Soon Blind Yan sensed something moving beneath the boat. A giant head of a woman emerged with a gaping jaw and wild hair that flew at them from all directions. As the wet strands of hair wrapped around their bodies, it squeezed some and pulled others into her mouth. The guide and the sailor were quickly devoured but both Peng Pei and Shin Du found themselves munched inside her mouth as well. They were tough though. Peng Pei managed to escape before suffering serious harm. Shin Du felt the full weight of her teeth smash down on him. He used the opportunity to fire a rain of arrows while inside. 

It took some time, but the party was able to defeat her. Shin Du had heard rumors that the flesh of the creature was particularly delicious so Blind Yan took some for the journey. 

Without a guide or anyone to pilot the boat, they struggled to make it the rest of the way. They were ambushed by men who had the the upper torso of bison and demanded they come with them to King Sharp Horn. The party attacked, driving the Bison Men away, but not before some were gored. As the Bison Men retreated, Shin Du launched a volley of fatal arrows at their leader. 

They reached Thunder Palace. At the gate there were two guardians in armor that scintillated with lightning. They summoned a man with stark white hair and vestments adorned in orbs and he spoke with Ke-Yen, who said she had a gift for the goddess. They were bought into the winding chambers of the palace. It all looked cut from black stone. They were given Zhen Bird Soup then Ke-Yen was brought into a hall of white pumice stone. There she saw the Southern Thunder Goddess, in silk-like robes threaded with electricity. She spoke curtly to Ke-Yen, explaining there would be no reward for their efforts (the Eastern Sea Goddess had given them a token of her appreciation). She then demanded the gift and Ke-Yen gave her two of the talismans. 

The goddess said they were to leave immediately and that they would be given a guide and better vessel for their journey. The man with white hair led them onto a barge-like ship told them to meditate as they travelled. The first day heading back to their ship was uneventful but on the second, someone had distracted thoughts again and another giant head emerged from the waters. 

This is where the session ended.