CHOR YUEN, GU LONG AND CHARACTER-DRIVEN WUXIA CAMPAIGNS

I talk about how I found inspiration for my character driven campaigns from films directed by Chor Yuen that are based on the works of Gu Long. 

DEMONS OF CELESTIAL HEART SECT SESSION SIX: THE RISE OF ANCIENT GRAY DEMON

This is the sixth session of a new campaign for Wandering Heroes of Ogre Gate (the fifth session is HERE). It is intended to play through the rules we are working on for the the supplement Profound Masters of Ogre Gate (in which player characters advance to the higher levels of Kung Fu and into Immortality). The players have recently become initiates into the Celestial Heart Sect. 

CHARACTERS
Phiphek: A Kithiri (many-ego humanoid) who travels with a fox demon named Mei Yun. Former member of Sun Mai sect. 
Merciful Shade: A masked hero who seeks to reform demons. Disciple of Ancient Gray Demon. 
Sentimental Ogre: A Juren (four-armed, ogre-like creature). Former member of Hen-Shi Sect. 
Joyous Jian: A martial hero seeking to fight demons
Little Turtle: An initiate into the Celestial Heart Sect and disciple of Long-Winded Master.
Shengwen: A baby that is ether the progeny of Marauding Dragon or Magistrate Chengda. 

SECTS
Celestial Heart Sect: An Immortal sect devoted to Hen-Shi that captures and reforms demons. Led by Ox-Hearted Widow. There are three main divisions: The Green Swords (Ancient Gray Demon), The Divine Meteor Hammers (Abbess Tu Bao) and Celestial Mind Sect (Kong Xu). They are based on the peak of Mount Dao. 

Divine Horse Sect: The most prestigious leading Immortal Sect. They venerate the Red General and Dutiful Empress, and embrace the principle they believe they represent: Abeyant Love. Possess the Celestial Pillar of Northern Skies. 

The Seven Blood-stone Cave Alliance: This is united group of sects from the Hanging Valley of the Dead. It is made up of seven factions led by the chief of Marauding Plague Cavern Sect, Marauding Dragon. 

Emo Cheng Sect: A sect based in the underworld city of Emo Cheng, led by Five Ghost King and devoted to the principles of the five ghosts (murder, greed, etc). 

ANCIENT GRAY DEMON ASSUMES CONTROL
The party returned to Mount Dao to find Ancient Gray Demon in Green Sword Hall receiving Hen-Shi Sect (Sentimental Ogre's former sect) as guests. They also saw that he had another masked disciple at his side, who he introduced as Princess Sarnai**. He encouraged Sentimental Ogre to reconcile with his former Sifu, Abbess Shanhu. This made Sentimental Ogre visibly uncomfortable, and so Ancient Gray Demon dismissed the Abbess for the time being. 

Sentimental Ogre gave his report, revealing that they didn't capture Marauding Dragon and felt the situation was much more complicated. However they did obtain two potential antidotes for Abbess Tu Bao. Ancient Gray Demon was angry but when Little Turtle assumed responsibility, he decided against imprisoning Sentimental Ogre for disobeying sect orders. 

He then revealed that he needed Marauding Dragon's heart to cure Ox-Hearted Widow of her condition***. He had obtained the Empty Heart Manual and learned the information but kept the party ignorant so they would not be burdened by the sin of killing to save their sifu. This angered some members of the party, but not others. 

He also showed them a letter from Divine Horse Sect. It revealed that Supreme Judge Yu had decided to send the Northern Celestial Pillar to Celestial Heart Sect, as it had been found in Zhaoze Swamp. It was formerly under the protection of Divine Horse Sect but disappeared soon after Merciful Shade and Phiphek inspected it. While Celestial Master Ma Ziweng (leader of Divine Horse Sect), could not prove their guilt, he said all ties between their sects were at an end. Further he challenged Celestial Heart Sect to face his sect to the death on the fourteenth day of the Dog Moon. 

Ancient Gray Demon explained that the terms of the letter stated that only members of the respective sects could participate in the battle. As Divine Horse Sect greatly outnumbered them, he was working to bring allies into Celestial Heart Sect so they could stand a chance of survival. This was why he invited Hen-Shi Sect. 

Sentimental Ogre explained that he considered Hen-Shi sect evil. They embraced the teachings of the Vermilion Sandstone Sutra which advocated killing the unmerciful. Ancient Gray Demon said that Abbess Shanhu had come to apologize to him for not fully explaining the teachings, but also that she had agreed to take a more moderate position on the meaning of the sandstone text. By the same token, Celestial Heart Sect would adapt. Mercy had its limits and for too long the sect had allowed its enemies to use its softheartedness against it. Now Abbess Tu Bao was poisoned, Ox-Hearted Widow was immobile and many of their disciples were dead. 

The party sensed that the Green Sword Hall disciples were all behind Ancient Gray Demon's position. Sentimental Ogre and Little Turtle were wary of it. 

Ancient Gray Demon also informed them that there would be a meeting the evening to decide how to manage the hierarchy in Ox-Hearted Widow's absence. They would most likely make Ancient Gray Demon the official, but temporary, sect leader. 

This prompted another round of debate (largely from Little Turtle and Sentimental Ogre). He made no bones about his intentions, saying he planned to adjust some of the sect's positions on violence. Abbess Shanhu had gifted them the Vermillion Sandstone pillar (a replica of the original) and he had it placed near Supreme Celestial Hall. Just as Hen-Shi Sect promised to re-examine its beliefs, they too would re-examine their beliefs in light of the Vermillion Sandstone. 

Troubled, Sentimental Ogre and Little Turtle went to Divine Meteor Hall to bring the antidote to Abbess Tu Bao. Once they left, Merciful Shade turned to Princess Sarnai and demanded to know who she was. Ancient Gray Demon explained she was the princess they had met in Daoxu, whose face had been eaten by the Ricksha's. He nursed her back to health and trained her in more advanced techniques to give her life greater purpose. She was his new disciple. At first Merciful Shade was jealous, but he then went on to say he had taken on Princess Sarnai, because he intended to make Merciful Shade the head of Green Sword Hall when he became sect leader. 

Joyous Jian spent time talking to other Green Swords, asking their thoughts on the situation. Most supported Ancient Gray Demon enthusiastically. 

Back at Divine Meteor Hall, they found Wu Min, the acting Abbess of the hall. She directed them to Abbess Tu Bao's chambers where Li Ku (a nun of the sect) was administering herbs and medicine to the poisoned master. They gave her the antidote and she felt them in her palm, then said they needed to be washed and purified. They washed them and she began administering the pills. 

Little Turtle and Sentimental Ogre expressed their concerns about Ancient Gray Demon's intentions. Wu Min suggested that they make Ancient Gray Demon vow to take on Li Ku as an adviser so Divine Meteor Hall could still have some influence. But she didn't see any viable alternatives to voting Ancient Gray Demon the sect leader (there was simply no one who could match his abilities). Wu Min said they could attend the meeting the meeting and express any concerns. 

Sentimental went to find Abbess Shanhu, who was by the Vermillion Sandstone pillar. She explained the text to him, that it was bestowed to the disciples of Sunan and Bao after the Battle of Ogre Gate. Hen-Shi herself appeared and told them that righteous men and women had to take on the sin of bloodshed to stop the evils of the world. This was a controversial sutra, many thought it a fake. But Abbess Shanhu believed in it. However she said maybe her sect had been to adamant in its pursuit of righteousness. 

Unconvinced, but perhaps less hostile than before, Sentimental Ogre waited for the meeting. 

At the meeting, Ancient Gray Demon was made sect leader. He did agree to take on Li Ku as an official adviser. He then told the sect that they needed to expand and would send disciples to find recruits so they could face Divine Horse Sect. 

Little Turtle approached Ancient Gray Demon and asked if he could make one last attempt to speak with Divine Horse Sect to talk them out of their present course. Ancient Gray Demon was reluctant but ultimately allowed it and sent him with Sentimental Ogre on a sword to go speak (the sword was swift and brought them there in a few hours). 

They were received by Celestial Master Ma Ziweng who refused to budge on the issue. He was merely enraged that they would once again try to deceive him with the tactics of delay. He appeared in red robes with four disciples and vowed to shed their blood. 

Returning the party once again regrouped and talked about the situation. Little Turtle and Sentimental Ogre did not trust Ancient Gray Demon, and this angered Merciful Shade who felt he had been reasonable and accommodating to their concerns. More outrageous, they had blatantly disrespected his seniority and position by challenging his opinions. 

They ultimately decided to go along with the plan of recruitment to expand. They would first go to Iron Heart Sect to see if an alliance could be made. 

This is where the session ended. 

**Princess Sarnai met the party briefly in Daoxu where Yaksha's devoured her face (see SESSION THREE LOG). 

***Ox-Hearted Widow was turned to a jade statue the previous session. 

THE FATE OF LEE KHAN

I review an excellent movie by King Hu.

GAMING VLOGS

Here are some recent Vlogs I did on gaming. 

HOLY FLAME OF THE MARTIAL WORLD

Here is my review of Holy Flame of the Martial World, an over-the-top wuxi-fantasy blend. 

DEATH DUEL (VIDEO BLOG REVIEW)

I review the wuxia movie Death Duel:

THE LADY HERMIT DISCUSSION

Today I talk about a wuxia classic featuring Cheng Pei-pei: The Lady Hermit. This is a wonderful movie and had an enormous influence on Wandering Heroes of Ogre Gate: 

WUXIA INSPIRATION AND OGRE GATE

I've continued with my video blogs fairly regularly. Here are some recent entries where I discuss wuxia media that influenced Wandering Heroes of Ogre Gate. 

HISTORY AND RPGS

Another video blog. This one is about History and RPGs.

SKILLS IN RPGS

The experiment with the video blog continues. Today I talk about social skill mechanics in RPGs: 

HUMAN LANTERNS (MOVIE REVIEW)

Human Lanterns is a 1982 Shaw Brothers release, directed by Sun Chung and starring Lo Lieh, Tanny Tien Ni, Tony Liu and Chen Kuan-Tai. It is a grotesque, and sometimes disturbing, blend of horror and wuxia that produces an atmospheric and memorable final result. Since its release it has become something of a cult classic with a reputation for its gore and blood (which some think is overstated). 

A couple of notes of caution about this review. First, the film features graphic violence against women, including rape, and this review will discuss those subjects. In addition the summary contains spoilers.  

The storyline of Human Lines is quite simple. Two rivals, Master Tan and Master Lung, have an ongoing feud. Master Lung, embarrassed and filled with jealousy when Master Tan attempts to marry his favorite courtesan, Yen Chu becomes determined to best his rival at an upcoming lantern contest. He sets out to hire the greatest lantern craftsmen he can find, and happens upon a man he once defeated in a duel over a woman (whom Master Lung later married). The man, Chun Fang, still has a scar on his face from the fight and reluctantly agrees. What unfolds is a horrifying plot of revenge as Chun Fang kidnaps people dear to Master Lung and flays their flesh in order to fashion them into human lanterns. It ends with a magnificent showdown and a strangely compelling conclusion. 

This is a violent movie. Not in terms of quantity, but in terms of the kind of violence. Human Lanterns plays at times like a slasher movie and has at least three onscreen flayings and one rape. So this is a different kind of violence than you normally see in wuxia. This is also a world where all of the characters, except perhaps the women, are not very likable. This is important because it is part of the point of the movie. But it is also hard to watch at times and on the gory end of the spectrum. It isn't the worst that is out there by any stretch. It just isn't the style of gore one expects in a period wuxia film. 

The heart of this movie is the villain, Chun Fang, played very convincingly by Lo Lieh. He is obsessed with his loss to Master Lung, which sent him on a terrible downward spiral. Now he blames Lung for all his misfortunes and has dedicated his life to an unusual form of martial arts and to perfecting his plan for revenge. He vows to "...strip Lung of everything he possesses and destroy everything he longs for." This is a butcher villain, who dons a skull mask and beastly arms, to kidnap his victims then drag them to his lair where he tears their skin to make lanterns. It is a twisted scheme, in which he makes makes the lanterns Lung by killing those he loves and longs for most. 

Even though the other main characters are largely unsympathetic, they are still interesting character studies. Lung is the chief protagonist and he is obsessed with material wealth and reputation. His grudge against Master Tan is clearly a petty one and the lengths he is willing to go, as well as the people he is willing to harm in the process, could almost make him a villain in his own movie. Master Tan is equally unlikeable, and the film begins with him parading a well-known courtesan who is a favorite of Master Lung at a banquet, to humiliate his rival. In any other film, they'd be antagonists, but in Human Lanterns their flaws are overshadowed by Chun Fang's evil. 

This is a movie all about grudges and revenge, taken to extreme and shocking conclusions. The rivalry between Tan and Lung, and the initial burst of humiliation and anger that Lung experiences, is mirrored by Chun Fang's much larger humiliation and ensuing grudge. Chun Fang is what Lung could become if he continues on the road. And Chun Fang uses their rivalry against them, casting suspicion on Lung for the disappearance of Tan's sister for example and causing them to exhaust themselves in conflict with each other. 

The fight choreography is quite good, with heavy reliance on lightness kung fu. I think this is effective. There are perhaps fewer fights than in some other films, but what fights there are, definitely held my interest. The last battle in particular worked for me. I liked the way it progressed, how it started out between two characters and very believably increased that to three then to a full pitched battle with many opponents facing Chun Fang (who seemed all but invincible). It also moves through terrain with ease. 

Human Lanterns does a good job building atmosphere, both through judicious use of its set-pieces and through a lush soundtrack that, given the year it was made, works well (except maybe for one very small and brief excursion into disco-like territory). 

It is only at the end that Master Lung has a spark of likability to him. In the aftermath of the disasters that befall him, he is more reflective and says he wants to seek enlightenment. He then gives his belongs to the poor and heads out to wander the world alone. But the ending is deeply ambiguous in my opinion, largely due to the suggestive music in the background. By the this point in the film, Lung is a shattered man (both physically and spiritually). It is unclear, at least in my view, whether he is truly going to seek to become a better person or if he will start down on the same path as Chun Fang. 

In terms of gameability, there is definitely a lot one could pull from this for a more horror-oriented adventure. A craftsmen using human skins to make lanterns certainly is a solid foundation for a mystery. His lair also could serve as a nice site for adventure (though I would definitely elaborate on it quite a bit). Also, it could serve as a basis for a mystery adventure. 

I think Human Lanterns is a solid piece of film making. It manages to make you care about characters who are not the most sympathetic people (largely because the villain is so diabolical) and weaves suspense, terror and action in a way that keeps you wanting to know what happens next. That said, it isn't for everyone. This is the kind of movie that will appeal to someone who likes both Shaw Brothers and Hammer Studios films. I recommend this movie with the caution that it isn't for everyone. 

MARTIAL ARTS MECHANICS

Latest video blog. In this one I talk about martial arts mechanics in RPGs.

DUNGEONS IN WUXIA CAMPAIGNS (VIDEO BLOG)

Trying something new with video blog entries. Today's topic is doing dungeons in a wuxia campaign.

DEMONS OF CELESTIAL HEART SECT SESSION FIVE: THE FALL OF THE METEOR HAMMER

This is the fifth session of a new campaign for Wandering Heroes of Ogre Gate (the fourth session is HERE). It is intended to play through the rules we are working on for the the supplement Profound Masters of Ogre Gate (in which player characters advance to the higher levels of Kung Fu and into Immortality). The players have recently become initiates into the Celestial Heart Sect. 

CHARACTERS
Phiphek: A Kithiri (many-ego humanoid) who travels with a fox demon named Mei Yun. Former member of Sun Mai sect. 
Merciful Shade: A masked hero who seeks to reform demons. Disciple of Ancient Gray Demon. 
Sentimental Ogre: A Juren (four-armed, ogre-like creature). Former member of Hen-Shi Sect. 
Joyous Jian: A martial hero seeking to fight demons
Little Turtle: An initiate into the Celestial Heart Sect and disciple of Long-Winded Master.
Shengwen: A baby that is ether the progeny of Marauding Dragon or Magistrate Chengda. 

SECTS
Celestial Heart Sect: An Immortal sect devoted to Hen-Shi that captures and reforms demons. Led by Ox-Hearted Widow. There are three main divisions: The Green Swords (Ancient Gray Demon), The Divine Meteor Hammers (Abbess Tu Bao) and Celestial Mind Sect (Kong Xu). They are based on the peak of Mount Dao. 

Divine Horse Sect: The most prestigious leading Immortal Sect. They venerate the Red General and Dutiful Empress, and embrace the principle they believe they represent: Abeyant Love. Possess the Celestial Pillar of Northern Skies. 

The Seven Blood-stone Cave Alliance: This is united group of sects from the Hanging Valley of the Dead. It is made up of seven factions led by the chief of Marauding Plague Cavern Sect, Marauding Dragon. 

Emo Cheng Sect: A sect based in the underworld city of Emo Cheng, led by Five Ghost King and devoted to the principles of the five ghosts (murder, greed, etc). 

PART ONE: AN EYE FOR A HEART
Last session the party had gone to Divine Horse Sect headquarters on Mount Wuxing to inspect the Northern Celestial Pillar. They were confronted by Divine Murderess and disciples of Emo Cheng as they left the mountain. A battle ensued and the party was heavily wounded by Divine Murderesses spiraled spear. Her counters were particularly deadly, throwing the party's weapons back at them. However when she was driven back by Sentimental Ogre, her men lost their nerve and vanished. Sentimental Ogre leapt upon an outcropping of stone and used the Third Fist of Yansha to drop a boulder upon Divine Murderess. She continued to fight, but was knocked down by Joyous Jian.

 
After the fight, Sentimental Ogre tied her to the boulder. Merciful Shade tried to interrogate her for information but the party objected saying that they needed to be merciful. Divine Murderess wore a golden medallion with the Five Ghosts upon it, so Merciful Shade took this from her. Sentimental Ogre carried her up the mountain back to Divine Horse Sect. At the gate of the peak, Bearded Sabre prevented them from entering and Celestial Master Ma Ziweng soon appeared with a look of disapproval on his face. He asked them how they dared to show their faces after deceiving him and taking the Celestial Pillar device. 

Confused the party protested and asked for more information. He revealed that the Northern Celestial Pillar disappeared soon after they left. He intended to investigate the matter and then issue a declaration to the other sects. 

Merciful Shade took a blade and gauged out the eye of Divine Murderess demanding to know where the Celestial Pillar Device was. Celestial Master Ma Ziweng expressed his disgust at their behavior and returned to Divine Horse Sect, the gate disappearing behind him. 

Divine Murderess said she had not stolen the pillar, that they were just attacking as a distraction so her other sect members could steal something called the Empty Heart Stone from Golden Dragon Sect without interference. 

Merciful Shade told kept pressing her for more information and she explained that Ox Hearted Widow (the PC's Sifu) suffered from a deadly condition due to having her heart replaced with that of a spirited beast. Eventually she would die and this heart stone could cure her. They intended to use the Heart Stone as a way of controlling Ox Hearted Widow. Presently the stone was at the East Pagoda in Emo Chung with Smiling Ogre.  

Under tacit threat of losing her other eye, Divine Murderess told them the location of Emo Cheng (there was a gate in the Whispering Swamp of Hai'an). They dragged her across Hai'an, stopping briefly in Huisheng to send a message to their sect. Reaching a banyan tree in the swamp, Divine Murderess performed a ritual that caused it to yawn open and reveal a portal of light. They walked through and after about thirty minutes reached the misty wall of a great city: Emo Chung. 

Merciful Shade forced Divine Murderess to write a letter to Smiling Ogre, telling him to give her the Empty Heart Stone. She asked for a brush and paper, then wrote to Smiling Ogre saying that Merciful Shade was her new disciple and that he was to give her the stone. 

Going alone into the city, Merciful Shade saw a place inhabited by hungry ghosts and spirited beasts. She found the Pagoda and approached its guards, saying she wanted to speak with Smiling Ogre. 

Smiling Ogre soon appeared. He was a juren with a dour expression, and seemed unimpressed with Divine Murderess' choice of disciple. He asked her why she wore a mask and she said to prevent terrible things from happening. His men retrieved the stone and have it to her. She left the city with no problem. 

They returned to Whispering Swamp and headed to Xuanlu, where the Captain Chen was still waiting for them with their ship, the Emerald Medallion. They took Divine Murderess with them the whole trip home, only letting her go as they approached Mount Dao. 

PART TWO: OPENING THE EMPTY HEART
At the entrance of Mount Dao, they found three of their sect brothers slaughtered. On the peak itself they discovered bodies strewn all about. Little Turtle and Sentimental Ogre ran to Divine Meteor Hall, where they learned that Abbess Tu Bao had been poisoned with Seven Demon Venom by Marauding Dragon. Asking for details they were told that Marauding Dragon led his disciples onto the peak and killed most of the members of Divine Meteor Hall. He fled when Ancient Gray Demon and Ox Hearted Widow arrived with reinforcements from Green Sword Hall and Supreme Celestial Hall. Abbess Tu Bao was comatose in her bed. 

Merciful Shade and Joyous Jian went to Green Sword Hall, where they found Ancient Gray Demon and Ox Hearted Widow speaking with disciples. Merciful Shade knelt and presented the Empty Heart Stone. As she did so, it levitated into the air and flew into Ox Hearted Widow's chest. Her body rapidly hardened and turned to jade. When it was over she looked like a statue and nothing they did could retrieve her. In the distance a disciple dropped his sword and Ancient Gray Demon glared at Merciful Shade. 

Confused, Merciful Shade explained that they were informed Ox Hearted Widow was ill and that this would cure her. "You were misinformed" said Ancient Gray Demon. "Go to my chamber immediately!" 

The others heard Ancient Gray Demon reprimand Merciful Shade, but ultimately he seemed to acknowledge she had been used by more powerful forces. He told her to venerate Ox Hearted Widow each day until they cured her. 

Ancient Gray Demon told Merciful Shade and Joyous Jian to inform the rest of the sect to prepare for battle. Over the next several hours, the party examined the massacre site (clearly seeing that Divine Meteor Hall was hit hard and hit first---most of the Divine Meteors were now dead). Merciful Shade appeared before Ox Hearted Widow's son, Cai Jianyu, and apologized. He was forgiving and didn't blame her, knowing she had been used. She then took off her masked and revealed her features to a stunned Cai. 

The group assembled before Ancient Gray Demon who instructed the party to go to Sveen Blood Cave alliance and kill Marauding Dragon. "Mercy has its limits" he said. Then told them to retrieve the Seven Demon antidote so they could save Abbess Tu Bao, and to secure the southern celestial pillar (which was controlled presently by Seven Blood Cave Alliance). He feared they intended to unite the pillars. 

Sentimental Ogre objected to killing Marauding Dragon. After considerable debate, Ancient Gray Demon relented and said they could just capture Marauding Dragon so the sect could deal with him. 

He then opened a gate in the air that lead the party, along with Cai Jianyu and ten disciples, to Zhaoze swamp. They walked through the swamp to the gate leading to Hanging Valley of the Dead and passed through.

PART THREE: RETURN TO HANGING VALLEY OF THE DEAD
They made there way through the valley for three days and eventually reached Marauding Plague cavern. Merciful Shade used the Celestial Shadow technique to blend with the darkness and enter the caverns unseen. The rest of the party walked to the entrance and told the guards they wanted to speak with Marauding Dragon about the antidote. 

They were led inside. There they found Marauding Dragon on his throne, which seemed piled even higher than before. His wife, Shanhu, stood next to him, but was clearly not in better frame of mind from the last time they encountered her. She laughed with loud amusement as they approached the throne. Beside the throne was an enormous stone statue of a frog, which they understood to be Lord Frog himself. 

Sentimental Ogre and Little Turtle asked why he attacked their sect and he expressed surprise. He told them he knew nothing of any attack. In the course of the conversation, they asked for an antidote to the Seven Demon Venom. He informed them that the symptoms of his poison were withering and death. And suggested that Abbess Tu Bao was suffering from another poison: Five Phoenix Poison, a specialty of Emo Cheng. 

Most of the party came to believe Marauding Dragon and thought that he might have been framed by someone seeking to sow division in Celestial Heart Sect. Sentimental Ogre suggested they work together against this common enemy. Marauding Dragon reluctantly agreed, saying he still had many grievances with their sect. 

He game them the Seven Demon Venom as a sign of good faith. Merciful Shade threw down the orb containing Brother Toad and shouted "Brother Toad attack, he turned your sibling to stone!". At the same time, Cai Jianyu screamed that Marauding Dragon still must answer for his crimes. 

Shanhu, laughed again at the display. 

Brother Toad materialized and ran at Marauding Dragon in a rage. His attack missed and Marauding Dragon cut his belly open with a single slice of his billowing-black Ox Tail blade. Disciples descended upon Brother Toad and took him away. 

Filled with anger Marauding Dragon (who still could not see Merciful Shade because she was a shadow) shouted "Who threw that?"

When no answer came he said "Show yourself or I'll kill your friends". 

Merciful Shade ended the technique and appeared. Immediately, Marauding Dragon grabbed her by the throat and threw her down his dais. She landed on the stone and was hurt, but not badly. He told the rest of the party that he would honor their agreement if they could keep her and Cai under control. 

Sentimental Ogre and Little Turtle dragged them both out of the cavern. In their conversation with Marauding Dragon they learned that Five Phoenix Poison dissolved a person's Phoenix Spirits over time, so they had to quickly find the antidote. However the antipode itself contained 64 ingredients known only to Five Ghost King of Emo Cheng sect (and 20 of those ingredients were poison so it had to be precisely prepared). They would go to Emo Cheng and recover the antidote. 

Cia Jianyu was angry and demanded they go back and complete their mission. Sentimental Ogre refused, saying they must get the antidote. Eventually they convinced him to leave. On the way out, Merciful Shade revealed that she had wanted them to take the Southern Celestial Pillar in the confusion. 

There was considerable discussion as they travelled (mostly about loyalty and who to trust). On the third day, Cai Jianyu tried to stab Sentimental Ogre in the back. He missed and Sentimental Ogre easily grabbed him and swung the angry man onto his back. Cai called him a beast and accused him of defying sect orders. Calmly, Sentimental Ogre carried him and explained his reasons. 

Little Turtle observed something unusual about Cai's outburst. It seemed greatly out of character. 

This is where the session ended. 

DISPOSABLE DISCIPLES OF BONE KINGDOM

As Wandering Heroes of Ogre Gate gets ready for release, we are working on the first follow-up: Ogre Gate Inn and the Strange Land of Li Fan. This book will describe the region of Li Fan (which is where both Ogre Gate Inn and Yao Gong Palace are located). It is a combination setting supplement and adventure. However the adventure structure is very open. 

Ogre Gate Inn is just one location the book explores. It is presented in its own section as a potential adventure site. The book also describes other places in Li Fan in greater detail (in some cases greatly expanding on things briefly discussed in the core rulebook). I've been play testing the locations as part of an ongoing Disposable Disciples of Bone Breaking Sect mini-campaign. Much of the material was already play tested over two campaigns, but I wanted to go back to it with a special campaign where no one really cared about the characters. 

So far this is some of the greatest fun I've had running Ogre Gate. It has been a blast watching the characters work their way through these locations. And it has been helpful for me because I am moving into the mapping phase where we take my hand sketches and maps and have them professionally rendered. So going through the stuff again helps me work out kinks and made adjustments to improve the material. 

I will keep folks updated on this project as it goes forward and hopefully we will have an announcement about the rulebook soon.