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This is a sandbox campaign for Wandering Heroes of Ogre Gate, operating in "Condor Heroes Mode". I used a lot of the procedures described in the wuxia sandbox posts. It is a campaign with three players. Before the campaign started we spent time establishing their family connections, rolling randomly for both their mothers and fathers (normally only one parent is randomly rolled, but in this case we wanted characters with potentially scandalous backgrounds). These characters each started play with just one Kung Fu Technique.
CHARACTERS
XIANG GUIYING: The daughter of Jade Fist of Twin Fisted Eagle sect and Pale Fox, a notorious bandit. She is seeking pelts from Pearl Tigers. She is beautiful but wears a disguise to hide this from others.
ZHENG BAO: Short and burly, he is the son of Zhang San of Bone Breaking Sect and of Reckless Storm. However San is married to Chen and has maintained the presence that Bao is Chen's son. Unfortunately due to crucial background information, Chen knows that Bao cannot be his son so is distant. Zheng Bao's uncle, Bone Breaker, is fond of him. He is seeking the Thousand Painful Deaths Flower to please his uncle.
PAN JU (MOGHA): The son of the Witch of Zhaoze Zhou and Nergui Mogha, Pan Ju grew up in the Kushen Basin but has returned to the Banyan and Hai'an, where he knows his mother resides.
THE ARMS OF PAN JU
With Zheng Bao gone among Heiping Sect, Pan Ju and Xiang Guiying headed on their own, north through the Banyan towards Kusha to see Ju's father. While moving through the forest they found themselves surrounded by four aggressive tigers. At that moment, Guiying saw a bald figure in white robes gazing at them from a distant hill. Leaping into action, she slashed at the tigers with her sword whipping strike, leaving them still on the ground but alive.
In that instant, she recognized the power of the figure before her. The man was tall, and strange, and not at all afraid. She also remembered that Pan Ju lacked the lightness Kung Fu to reach the hill so fast, that she was here alone with this master, and would be for several minutes.
"You two should both surrender to me, I want to be merciful and take you alive."
"What is it we have done to you sir?"
"I have a contract for your lives. Your lives belong to me, so follow and I won't kill you."
"How much have you been paid for this contract?"
"Eight Silver Taels."
"I am wealthy, I will pay you 17 silver taels to forget the contract and tell me the identity of the person who hired you."
He laughed, explained his name was Golden Ox, then took the money and said "Madame Hamaya, of the Fragrant Petal, hired me."
They agreed to meet Golden Ox for wine in the future and departed.
While traveling, Pan Ju continued to train his martial arts, while Guiying tried to instruct her monkey, Peach, to use kung fu*. On the 23rd day of the Butterfly Moon, they reached Zhaoze Lake, a place Pan Ju knew to be near the headquarters of Zhaoze Sect.
"We should pay our respects to Shan Lushan while we are here," He said and Guiying agreed. Knowing there were many pearl tigers in the area, Pan Ju sculpted one from nearby wood and produced a beautiful figure, expressing the territorial nature of the creatures very well**.
They were brought into Zhaoze Sect by Little Venom, the daughter of Big Venom and given an audience with Shan Lushan. They smelled the acrid scent of poison as she walked ahead.
"This tiger is marvelous," he said. "Most artfully sculpted and captures its territorial nature perfectly. What can I offer in return?"
Without pause Pan Ju asked to learn some of Lushan's martial arts, having heard he was extremely talented.
This was the first irritation Shan Lushan felt toward the party. He could not refuse the offer, so he agreed.
"I will teach you a defense. Please step over here and strike me full force, don't hold back!"
Pan Ju struck the master with The Many Indignities of Yellow Mantis, and it landed***.
This was the second irritation Lushan felt towards the party.
"Please," Said Lushan calmly, "Strike me again."
This time the hit was intercepted by a fist to the neck, as Shan Lushan instructed Pan Ju with the full cruelty and brutality of the Hidden Fist of Yanshi.
They spent the next week training and ended it with a great feast of tiger meat to please Shan Lushan.
When they had arrived, Pan Ju announced himself as a master chef. So Shan Lushan proposed that before preparing the tiger meat, he play his flute for the party, to inspire Pan Ju's cooking. This way the meal would be a blend of their talents.
Lushan withdrew his flute and played, stuttering through an aimless series of sour and painful notes****.
This was the third time the party irritated Shan Lushan.
Acting as if nothing unusual had occurred, he told Pan Ju to take his inspiration and make a fine meal. When the tiger meat was finished, Shan Lushan tasted the herbal concoction, which brought out the full flavor of the tiger.
"This is one of the finest things I have tasted," He said*****
This was the final time Shan Lushan was irritated by the party.
When the meal was done he escorted them to the gate and wished them a safe journey. They made their way north once again but noticed someone following them through the trees. They stopped and called out.
In response a slew of needles flew at the them through the air. Guiying leapt from their path but Pan Ju was struck and felt poison course through his veins.
The figure ran away but Pan Ju leapt at her with Blade of the Dancing Fox and cut the poisoner down. It was Little Venom.
The attack did not kill her, so Guiying bound the disciple of Zhaoze and spoke with her.
"We do not wish to have any quarrel with your master, why would you attack us?"
"To stop you from spreading lies about Shan Lushan******"
"We have no wish to do so. These lips do not gossip, your master can rest assured we will not say anything about our meeting. But for now, you must give us the antidote. Give us these and we promise to never sully Shan Lushan's reputation."
She gave them three pills, telling Pan Ju to take one each day.
Pan Ju cut off both her arms.
Then Pan Ju revived her with his Plum Blossom Palm.
Bleeding and screaming she let out a litany of diatribes against her assailant, and Guiying watched in stunned silence.
"I do not abide poisoners. But I spare your life on account of Guiying. May I suggest you slither back to Zhaoze Palace and become proficient in kicking."
Little Venom stood and ran back to Zhaoze, crying and shouting outbursts of fury at Pan Ju.
They continued and passed by a group of Dehuan Priests as they reached the Jian Shu forest. The priests explained they were on the way to Heiping sect, and the party informed them their friend, a disciple of Jade Swallow was there. Impressed the priests promised to give regards to their companion upon arrival.
A couple of days later, the two finally reached Kusha.
*This worked and Peach now has a Qi rank and knows Spear of the Infinite Emperor
**The player rolled a 10 on his skill roll
***He rolled a 9, while Shan Lushan rolled a 3 on his counter.
****Shan Lushan rolled a 2 on his Talent (Flute) skill
***** The player rolled a 9 on his Talent (Cooking) skill
******Shan Lushan had been embarrassed before the party by failing at the two things his sect was known for: kung fu and the arts. She was concerned they were going to tell the rest of the martial world about his poor performances
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