WANDERING HEROES OF OGRE GATE: GOLDEN DRAGONS CAMPAIGN II

This is the report for our first new campaign of Ogre Gate. This was also a two character session, which provided some more insight into managing an adventure with just two PCs. 

Characters Present:
Pan Hu
Yao Min

Min and Hu had just returned to the Golden Dragon outpost in Rong Yao after killing Mr. Red Claw and fleeing from the town of Bei. Their Sifu instructed them to return to Bei to remove the rest of Red Claw's men. They asked if they could take additional forces with them and the Sifu said he could send 10 junior sect members to help. 

Before they left the party went to a tailor and purchased merchant-style clothing for themselves and the 10 junior sect members, hoping to return to Bei without attracting too much attention. They made their way through the forest following the river and arrived at Bei uneventfully. 

When they entered Bei, Hu and Min decided to go to the House of Sima, a large three story inn and tavern. They sent their men in in staggered groups of 2 to cloud their true numbers. Once their men were in the inn and had rooms, they took a seat at the lower level to observe things. On the second floor dining area, they saw the other Firelance twin drinking with four men. They watched as the group drank through the night growing more rowdy each hour. When the Firelance Brother grabbed a waiter and tied him to the wall so he and his men could place bets on who could throw a spear through his belly first, the party intervened. Hu tried to talk with the Firelance Brother, while Min sent in their men to form a wall between him and the henchmen at the table. This tactic worked, cowering the four henchmen and keeping them from the melee while Min, Hu and the Firelance Brother fought. The Firelance Brother spear swiped three of their men, knocking them out, but Hu followed with a lucky strike of his own slamming the thug against the wall. Within moments they had him incapacitated and bound. 

Hu and Min dismissed the Firelance Brother's men and brought him to their chamber to interrogate. They learned that Strange Phoenix (who they first met as Gentlemen Yu), had taken over Red Claw's organization. For several hours they tried to talk him into divulging Strange Phoenix's weakness. When he felt his life was on the line, he revealed that she was a gambler easily coaxed into betting on just about anything if the stakes were high enough. During the interrogation, a present arrived from Strange Phoenix: the winning cricket form the match at the Duck House from the night they first met her. 

At first the party thought of using her weakness against her, but they decided on another path. In the town they found an actor named Hui and asked him to help Hu look like the Firelance Brother with makeup. The actor was particularly skilled at disguise and created an uncanny resemblance. They then dressed their men as Red Claw's thugs and placed shackles on Min so it would seem she was their captive. 

Before setting out they learned more about the pagoda compound and then went for an audience with Strange Phoenix. While Hu looked just like the Firelance Brother, he had to make a Deception Roll to pull of the voice and failed. Strange Phoenix asked what was wrong and Min chimed "I punched him in the throat!" This seemed to alleviate any suspicion and Strange Phoenix told Hu to unbind the prisoner. She then thanked Min for helping her gain her new position and gave her 100 Taels. 

In conversation Min learned that Strange Phoenix was trying to improve Red Claw's operation, bringing culture to the community and generating more good will. Yes some of their members were still violent and unpredictable (like the Firelance Twin) but she was hoping to grow the community, to bring in scholars, learning, music and to turn the mines into something that benefited her as well as the town of Bei. Min said she would take this news to the Golden Dragons and see what they said, but would first need to inspect her claims. Strange Phoenix gave her free reign to explore the town and she was able to confirm improvements had been made. For example they had started construction of a school. They sent their men to convey what they found to their Sifu. A messenger returned days later saying they would wait and watch to see what Strange Phoenix did over the coming months. They also asked the party to return to the outpost as quickly as possible. 

This is where the session was ended.