VENOMOUS CENTIPEDES

This is a new creature for Wandering Heroes of Ogre Gate.

VENOMOUS GIANT CENTIPEDE 

These vicious thirteen inch centipedes are present throughout all of southern Qi Xien and even found in the north, but generally quite rare. These are the most deadly centipedes in the world and can easily kill an adult human with a bite. 

 

Defenses: Hardiness 2, Evade 7, Wits 2

Key Skills: Bite: 0d10 plus venom, Muscle: 0d10, Detect: 0d10, Speed: 1d10

 

Max Wounds: 1

 

POWERS

 

Bite: The bite of a centipede does 0d10 wounds and exposes the target to venom. As long as the attack roll succeeds, the damage roll does not have to succeed for envenomation to occur. Roll 2d10 against the Hardiness of anyone bitten. On a Success the person experiences intense itching, swelling and pain for 1d10 minutes. After that time, they become paralyzed and cannot breathe, suffering the full effects of suffocation. On a Total Success the victim immediately becomes paralyzed. Curing the poison requires either a dose of antidote made from a variety of ingredients blended with the ground up chiton of a venomous giant millipede, or a TN 10 Medicine roll.  

KUNG FU FROM THE CAMPAIGN TRAIL

These are new techniques created for my Paths from Nowhere and Heavenly Fragrance Campaign. Most are specific to NPCs in the campaigns. 

BITE OF THE SNAKE 

Discipline: Waijia  

Skill: Arm Strike

Type: Normal 

Art by Jackie Musto

Qi: 3

Your hand rises high similar to a serpent and strikes from unexpected angles as you sink your fingers into your foes to cause unbearable pain. 

Make an Arm Strike roll against Parry. On a Success you do 2d10+Speed for damage and drain 1 Hardiness (this lasts 1 round per rank of Waijia). On a Total Success, the target loses an action due to your piercing grip (they can only move or attack, but not both). 

This technique was created by Dao Wu, proprieties of the Many-Banded Krait.

Cathartic: This does +1 Extra wound. 

BREATH OF DEATH (EVIL TECHNIQUE)

Skill: Meditation 

Type: NOrmal 

Qi: 8

You sit and do a breathing mediation, drawing in dragon energy and expelling a cloud of deadly phoenix energy that kills. 

Make a Meditation roll against the Hardiness of all within 100 feet. On a Success they take 2d10 open damage per their rank of Qi. 

This technique was invented by Dancing Corpse Wan Mei. 

HISS OF THE SNAKE

Discipline: Neigong 

Skill: Arm Strike

Type: Normal 

Qi: 4

Your hands rear and sway like a snake's as you release a gust of energy that blinds your foes. 

Roll Arm Strike against Evade. On a Success you blind the target for 1 round. On a Total Success you blind them for 2 rounds. 

This technique was created by Dao Wu, proprieties of the Many-Banded Krait. 

Cathartic: You can strike up to 1 foe per Qi rank. 

IRON TAIL WHIP

Discipline: Dianxue

Skill: Leg Strike and Medicine 

Type: Normal 

Qi: 5

You spin rapidly and land your heel at a precise point along the spine, causing the person's legs to fail. 

Make a Leg Strike roll and Medicine roll against Parry. If both Succeed and the target had fewer Qi ranks than you, it causes their legs to go limp for 1 round per rank of Dianxue. On a Total Success their arms go limp as well. 

Cathartic: The targets legs go limp for 1 week per rank of Dianxue. On a Total Success their Arms go limp for 1 week. If you land two Total Successes, they permanently lose the ability to use their legs. If you land three Total Successes they permanently lose the ability to use their arms as well. 

GHOSTLY PALM 

Discipline: Neigong 

Skill: Arm Strike

Type: Normal 

Qi: 4

You extend you open hand and draw the target into your palm by their head, slowing their heart and flooding their body with phoenix energy. 

Make an Arm Strike against the Evade of a single target. On a Success their heart is slowed, imposing -1d10 to all their attacks for 1 round per rank of your Neigong. In addition they suffer 1d10 Open Damage equal to your Qi Rank. This damage can exceed the soft cap but not the hard cap. 

This technique was created by Dancing Corpse Wan Mei 

Cathartic: The target takes an additional 3 Extra Wounds. 

GRIP OF HEN-SHI

Discipline: Neigong

Skill: Grapple/Throw

Type: Counter

Qi: 4

 

You grip the wrist of your foe with intense strength and determination, halting any melee attack and freely breaking their weapon.

 

Make a Grapple roll against any melee attack roll. On a Success you stop the attack by grabbing their wrist. You may also take their weapon and break it as a free action.

This technique was created by the monk Compassion from the Sangha of the Water Sutra. 

 

Cathartic: When used cathartically you can make a free Throw attack, sending the target flying for 4d10 Open non-lethal damage.

LUNG STOPPING STRIKE

Discipline: Dianxue 

Skill: Medicine and Arm Strike

Type: Normal

Qi: 6

You tap the lung meridian that extends from a person's collar bone to their wrist, causing their lungs to seize. 

Make a Medicine Roll and Arm Strike Roll against Parry. On a Success you strike the lung meridian and stop their breathing for 1d10 rounds. Undoing the effect requires a successful Medicine Roll TN 8. On a Total Success the TN is increased to 10. Any Dianxue technique that affects the lungs can be used to open up the breath again. 

This technique imposes a -1d10 penalty to counter. This technique was invented by Qi Lihua. 

Cathartic: This causes their breath to stop for 1d10 minutes and imposes a -2d10 penalty to counters. 

STORMING KICKS OF JADE SWALLOW

Discipline: Waijia 

Skill: Leg Strike

Type: Counter

Qi: 3

You unleash a flash of kicks meant to counter the Storming Daggers technique, sending each blade back at a target of your choice. 

Make a Leg Strike roll against the attack roll. On a Success you rebound the daggers and damage they would do, against targets of your choice. On a Total Success the daggers go through your intended targets and strike anyone directly behind them. 

Must be Used Cathartically. This technique was created by Jade Swallow.

THUNDEROUS PALM OF SUN MING

Discipline: Waijia

Skill: Arm Strike 

Type: Normal or Counter 

Qi: 5

You deliver a swift and powerful palm strike to the center of the chest, weakening your enemy and causing internal damage. 

Make an Arm Strike Roll against Parry or against the Opponent's attack roll. On a Success it does 1d10+Muscle for damage plus 5 Extra Wounds, and the target loses -1d10 Muscle for 2 rounds. On a Total Success the wounds take double the normal healing time to restore. 

This technique must be performed cathartically. It was created by Sun Ming the Sandstone Nun. 

PACIFYING PALM

Discipline: Neigong

Skill: Arm Strike and Medicine

Type: Normal

Qi: 6

 

You send strike with a clap of your palm against the foe’s chest, causing energy to radiate through their limbs and pacify their heart.

 

Make an Arm Strike and Medicine roll against Parry. On a Success the target’s meridians course with a calming energy that prevents them from taking any violent action. Those who persist, lose 1 Qi rank permanently (they lose a level of experience and must regain it in order to advance again). This loss of qi continues with each action. The duration of this technique is 1 hour per rank of Neigong.

 

Pacifying Palm must be done cathartically. It was created by the monk Compassion from the Sangha of the Water Sutra. 

HEAVENLY FRAGRANCE CAMPAIGN SESSION ELEVEN

This is the eleventh session of my Heavenly Fragrance Campaign, a living adventure prepared using tools and procedures discussed in the Wuxia Sandbox blog posts. This campaign is intended to play as a sandbox but with more dramatic elements. It is a two player campaign where run in what I call "Condor Heroes Mode", where characters begin with only one Kung Fu technique, their family background established and connected to the setting, and using a level advancement system based on encounters with higher level masters who train them. It also makes use of a campaign Shake-Up table, rolled once each session, to manage an unfolding background situation (see STATE OF THE MARTIAL WORLD). I will include footnotes to explain what procedures were invoked during play. The campaign is set in Fan Xu, largely using the Sons of Lady 87 book. 

CHARACTERS

Bao Long: An orphaned street urchin who was adopted by Lady Eighty-Seven's son, Guan Shisu after he came to the aid of Guan Shisu's daughter, Little Guan Hua. All he knows about his background is that his mother died when he was young. Bao Long has been taught some martial arts by Lady Eighty-Four, Yuhuan. Bao Long is a bit dim-witted but tough. 

Little Guan Hua: The daughter of Guan Shisu and the disciple of Guan Nuan. Little Guan Hua is cowardly and feeble, but intelligent.

Fu Yao: The newest member of the party. Not much is known about his past but he specializes in Qinggong. 

BEFORE DEPARTING MAI CUN

Map by Francesca Baerald 

Fu Yao spoke again with Floating Sea God Zhang Shisan of the Dragon Horse Gang. He gave his tribute and asked if Shisan could teach him any more kung fu. Asking specifically to learn his most prized and secret abilities, he offered a vast sum and to do Shisan's bidding. 

"You are bold to ask this so directly," Said Floating Sea God Zhang Shisan. "I fear there is little you can learn from me. I may need to direct you elsewhere."

"Are there any great masters with exceptional Qigong?"

Shisan thought and told him that Gentle Sage of Hen-Shi Temple was renowned for such abilities, but he was an imperial agent, and also a friend of Hell Burning Sword*.

Fu Yao conferred with Bao Long and Little Guan Hua, and they decided to head to Hen-Shi temple with the aim of stealing Gentle Sage's manual (Little Guan Hua had heard there was a rumor he had a manual containing all his techniques). Before they left, Little Guan Hua asked her informants to find where the Sandstone Nun was so they could track her down. Fu Yao brought the old thief, Guan Yu for the journey. 

THE SANDSTONE NUN 

On the road to Hen-Shi Temple, just as they were leaving the city, they received a message that the Sandstone Nun was following them. Soon after it arrived they saw her in the distance, dressed in purple robes and a veil, gaining ground on them. 

Little Guan Hua commanded everyone to head for a nearby cliff and get the high ground. The surrounding landscape was shallow so the cliff only afforded about fifteen feet of height. From the cliff they stood their ground as the Sandstone Nun approached. 

"Repent for your misdeeds and lead me to your Master Little Guan Hua and Bao Long," Said the Sandstone Nun. "I will show mercy and merely cripple your kung fu if you do so."

"You want us to betray Master Wan Mei?" Asked Bao Long. "Why?"

"I want you to lead me to her, she has terrorized the region with her Ghost Hand Kung Fu, killing villagers indiscriminately."

"No, she is a nice lady," Said Bao Long**

As the others were about to attack, Little Guan Hua stayed their hands, saying "Our master told me to strike her first and deliver her to the grave with the Clutch of the Ghost King technique she taught me."

Leaping through the air, Little Guan Hua reached with an outstretched palm, but her momentum was intercepted by The Sandstone Nun's Thunderous Palm of Sun Ming, which struck her in the center of the chest and sent her flying back against the cliffside***

Fu Yao leapt high into the air, then attempted his diving falcon technique, however he missed, and struck the ground, with a bone crunching thud****

Bao Long decided to test out his Blade of the Dancing Fox technique against her. He leapt forward and she could not defend against his attack as he sliced her multiple times with his sword blade*****

Fearing Bao Long's swordplay, the Sandstone Nun performed a standing meditation and they all felt the rush of air as a mighty force from heaven prepared to collapse upon them. 

Fu Yao pleaded for mercy. 

"Repent and promise to do no evil!"

Fu Yao assented. Bao Long Bristled. The Sandstone looked toward Little Guan Hua.

"I may promise to do so," Hedged Little Guan Hua. 

The full power of her Thunderous Palm of the Heavens fell upon them, but spared Fu Yao. Little Guan Hua was crushed to the brink of death. Bao Long was largely unaffected by the attack and scoffed. 

"My Master would never launch such a pitiful attack as this," Said Bao Long. 

Bao Long and she exchanged blows, with Bao Long wounding her again. The Sandstone Nun dropped into a mediation again, but this time took one long breath, and with that breath her body began to wither, to desiccate until she looked like a petrified corpse******

"Repent," She said.

Bao Long clawed at her with his Flesh Ripping Fingers, but his attacks had no effect. Little Guan Hua then struck her and her attacks caused the flesh to flake away. 

The Sandstone Nun began to sing a chant, and Bao Long and Little Guan Hua felt it painfully in their bones. The pain caused Little Guan Hua to pass out. 

Bao Long Once again attacked, this time using his Blade of the Dancing Fox, but his efforts seemed to have no effect.  

"Repent," She said. And her body burst into a cloud of dust. 

Believing his attacks and immense strength had finally finished her off, Bao Long rebuked Fu Yao for his cowardice. 

Looking around they saw that Qi He, Little Guan Hua's guide and servant, was dead, as was Guan Yu, the thief Fu Yao had brought along. 

They sent for a new guide from the Heavenly Fragrance Association, and discussed what to do about Fu Yao's cowardly behavior. It was decided he would be docked his normal stipend for a prolonged period of time. 

Qi He's replacement, Ling Buwei arrived and they set off for Hen-Shi Temple after resting enough to recover. 

At the temple, they saw Yao guardians at the entrance and decided to sneak onto the rooftop using Qinggong abilities. From there they spotted Gentle Sage in one of the courtyards and prepared to make their attack. 

*Hell Burning Sword is enemies with Lady 87

**Bao Long is simple-minded and has the unintelligent Flaw

***She suffered about 6-7 wounds from the attack and a -1d10 to her muscle for 2 rounds

****He was 75 feet in the air so took 6d10 open damage plus 1 Extra Wound due to the fall 

*****This attack did 9 wounds to the Sandstone Nun 

******She used Profound Meditation to turn into a Pure One 

PATHS FROM NOWHERE SESSION THIRTEEN

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 VENEER OF THE DEMON EMPEROR 

The party set out with Feng Min to find the Tomb of the Timeless Master, stopping in Shai Yu to procure a river going vessel. Zheng Bao, heeding the advice of the nun, approached a large statue of Hen-Shi and placed a golden offering. However he was filled with a sense of unease and shared his feelings with Feng Min. She cautiously inspected the statue.

"Something evil is afoot here," She said. "This is not Hen-Shi."

A crowd began to gather as Feng Min swayed and swung her sword, chanting a ritual to cleanse the statue of demons. 

Zheng Bao tried to assure the crowd there was no reason to be alarmed, but his words merely attracted more attention, so Xiang Guiying told the gathering villagers that this was all a performance for their pleasure. 

The external veneer of the statue peeled away violently, revealing an image of the Demon Emperor beneath. 

The Locals murmured in anger. 

A young scholar or physician, it was difficult to discern which, approached the party and told them it would be wise to depart before things grew violent. 

Pan Ju smashed his meteor hammer into the statue and Feng Min and Guiying toppled it to the ground, causing it to break into to halves. 

The crowd grew and began to circle around them, nearly 100 people enclosing the party. 

Zheng Bao raised his jade talisman and said "I am a disciple of Jade Swallow. We have vanquished the evil in this statue. You will let us go peacefully. 

The crowd became hostile and a ritual master stepped forward rebuking them and began making a series of strange gestures. 

With the hostility of the crowd growing, Zheng Bao hit everyone in a circle with his spear, sending them crashing to the ground. He then grabbed the Ritual Master and took him as hostage saying "You will all give us a boat, we will take your shaman and he will live once we are further down the river."

The Ritual Master nodded to the people and the party was provided with a long fishing boat. 

The physician/scholar helped them aboard the boat and said "I am a great admirer of Jade Swallow, may I join you?"

"Your name sir?" Asked Zheng Bao.

"My name is Qu Li."

"Come aboard."

As he climbed in Zheng Bao saw the physician carried a three-section staff. 

Once everyone was in the boat and it set off Feng Min said "We should drown him, this man is too evil to let live."

The party began to discuss what to do with the ritual master. Zheng Bao tried to talk to him, asking him about the village. The man told him that the demon emperor would return, that they had always remained loyal. He then started to chant and they felt the air shift. Zheng Bao knocked the man out instantly. 

Once the party agreed to dispatch him, Feng Min stabbed the ritual master in the neck and Guiying threw him overboard. 

THE TEACHING OF FENG MIN

As they travelled, Feng Min taught them about the scriptures of Sun Mai and Hen-Shi, explaining she was originally a thread of the Enlightened Goddess' hair, and contained all her divine compassion. 

Late one night, Zheng Bao noticed that Qu Li seemed to be a woman, so he confronted the physician. 

"Yes, it is true," She said. "My name is really Qu Lihua. I am a woman. It is easier to travel as a man sometimes."

Zheng Bao explained that he wanted her to be honest with the rest of the group as he had planned to introduce her to his master, Jade Swallow, but didn't want to do so in a misleading way. 

Qu Lihua revealed to the group that she was a woman. Her beauty was observed by some, and Feng Min seemed irritated by the revelation. The nun then spoke in her teachings to the party about the danger of feminine temptation, that it distracts from true understanding. 

SISTER SNAKE 

As their knowledge of Hen-Shi grew, they were getting closer to the area where the Tomb of the Timeless Master was supposed to be found. They only had a vague sense of its location though. Deep in the woods, they saw a large blue snake slither by, then they saw the other end of the snake seemed a woman. The creature hissed at them and addressed Feng Min "Give me my sister from that pathetic gourd Nun!"

Zheng Bao immediately attacked the snake, stabbing it ferociously with his spear. Pan Ju dealt with her in the manner he dealt with her sister, sending a wave of daggers, that sunk into her flesh. She was clearly injured but still very much alive with fight. Then Feng Min bashed the creature with her parasol, toppling her, and used the gourd to absorb her spirit. 

Astonished by the object, Zheng Bao asked about it. She explained it was a gourd used in her ritual to draw in demons. He then asked her to teach him the ritual, and she said she would if he proved to be righteous.  

INTO THE TOMB OF THE TIMELESS MASTER 

Making their way by the Zun Peaks, Guiying began searching for the tomb. Early in the search she spotted a tall crack in the cliff-face which she recognized as a vast doorway into the tomb's canyon structure*. Examining the rise of the mountain, she saw a circular entrance high up and used her Great Stride ability to reach it. 

There Guiying found herself face to face with a nun in white. 

Startled she asked the nun why she was in the tomb and the Nun explained it was her home, that she belonged to Jade Maiden Sect and that this was their headquarters. Guiying asked for an audience with their leader and it was granted. The Jade Maidens opened the enormous cliff-side door and they saw a white haired abbess with a retinue of nuns seated amid a ruined structure in the center of the canyon. All about the canyon were stone stairs and a maze of cave dwellings. 

Qu Lihuan had heard of the sect and whispered to the party as they approached that they were righteous and connected to the Jade Maiden statue found in the Purple Caverns, but she had always heard they were vagrants. 

"I am Abbess Ba," Said the leader of the Jade Maidens. "Why have you come?"

The abbess reclined in her seat, a jade axe, a jade spear and an iron spear resting against her chair. Guiying explained they were there seeking the martial arts manuals rumored to exist in the tomb, in particular hoping to find the Timeless Master's spear techniques. 

"What techniques are here, were bequeathed to me," She said. 

Guiying introduced Zheng Bao as Jade Swallow's disciple.

Abbess Ba looked at Zheng Bao. "It seems you are in a sense my disciple, for Jade Swallow is my former pupil."

"We hope," Said Guiying "That you will grant the disciple of the supremely righteous Jade Swallow some of your martial knowledge."

"Jade Swallow. Righteousness. These two things do not belong together," Said Abbess Ba. 

Zheng Bao asked for an explanation. 

Abbess Ba explained that Jade Swallow had been kicked out of the sect for giving into her lust with a man. That this went against their rules. 

"Do you believe in redemption, Abbess Ba?"

"I have long hoped that Jade Swallow would mend her ways," Replied the Abbess. "The penally for her crimes is death, but I have held this in abeyance. Jade Swallow would need to perform a lifetime of good deeds to atone."

The conversation then moved to the possibility of Zheng Bao learning from her. She said that they do not take male disciples but she offered to teach him some techniques if he promised to stay Jade Swallow's hand against the sect and to thwart her if need be. 

Zheng Bao agreed to prevent his master from shedding the blood of members of the Jade Maiden sect. 

The party then decided to stay for several months. The Abbess promised to teach two techniques to Zheng Bao: The Bone Cracking Palm and the Iron Spear of the Timeless Master. 

QU LIHUA 

During the night as his training was entering its second month, Zheng Bao awoke and saw Qu Lihua sitting near him on the bed. 

"What are you doing Lihua?" He asked. 

She gestured and said "Shh" then inched closer. 

Zheng Bao leaned back and got out of bed, she rapidly tapped her fingers at his arm but missed. 

"What is the meaning of this Lihua?"

Raising her fingers to the sky she said "Lady Yang sends her regards, tonight you will breathe your last breath."

Zheng Bao launched into an attack shouting to his companions for help but she deftly leapt against the wall and evaded it, then struck his the acupoints from his collar bone to his wrist, with her finger tips.

Suddenly Zheng Bao could not breathe. 

He began to suffocate. 

Moments later the Pan Ju and Xiang Guiying arrived. The former launched into Blade of the Dancing Fox, slicing Lihua to ribbons and leaving her dead on the floor. 

Pan Ju was then able to tap Zheng Bao's acupoints and restore his breathing. 

The commotion attracted Abbess Ba who demanded an explanation. 

They told her that Lihua was secretly an agent of Lady Yang, their great enemy. They would have to go and confront Lady Yang themselves as this was one of a number assassins she had sent against them. 

Abbess Ba told them that the attack sounded like Little Wan's Lung Stopping Strike. "I cannot in good conscience let you face such a wicked enemy without some help. I shall instruct your friends in martial arts as well and be certain you all improve greatly before departing."

She continued to train Zheng Bao but also instructed Guiying and Ju in a number of Dianxue techniques, including the Finger of Supreme Annihilation. 

When they mastered the abilities some months later, Zheng Bao asked if they could teach one another what they had learned, but she told him not until they had defeated Lady Yang. 

As they were preparing to leave, Abbess Ba told Zheng Bao that the reason she feared Jade Swallow would seek their blood, was that she had killed Jade Swallow's lover, An Sunan. She added that Jade Swallow was not permitted to return to the sect. 

The party then left The Tomb of the Timeless Master and bid the Jade Maidens farewell. 

*The Player rolled a 10 on his survival roll

OF ENCOUNTERS AND COMBAT

Three days ago my wife told me to go to the store and get some rice. Sadly, my car battery had died, so I decided to make the long walk to the other side of town to my local supermarket. To get there I would have to pass through several bad neighborhoods, so I took a hammer with me just to be safe. 

As I passed by the the observatory around the corner from my house, two crazed men, armed with knifes, came charging down the hilltop, stabbing wildly at me. I trapped their blades in the claws of my hammer then brought the poll across their skulls, dropping them both. Merciful person that I am, I dialed an ambulance and then continued on my way when I suddenly found myself waylaid by a ferocious mother bear. 

An oblique encounter at a wine shop
Art by Jackie Musto 

Foolishly I had walked between her and two cubs. The beast charged and chased me for over a mile. With her full weight she dragged me down and pinned me to the ground with her claws. As her jaws opened to devour my face, I managed to bribe her momentarily with a pack of beef jerky I kept always in my back pocket. Bear handled, I continued on, but  had to make my way through Pine Grove Cemetery as the chase had taken me far from my intended destination.

It was approaching dusk but defeating the bear emboldened me, so I walked through the gates and took the gravel path. I'd gotten no further than the old Poole Mausoleum when a shambling mass of undead corpses harried me, claws reaching for my throat. I gripped my hammer firmly and resolved to send them all to hell......

OBLIQUE ENCOUNTERS 

Real world encounters and travel don't look like the above. But it is easy to slip into the trap of having all of the encounters in your campaign be nothing more than creatures and opponents rushing in to kill the players. While you dont' want encounters in the game to be as mundane or dull as real life, they should have some of the mystery, the obliqueness and variety that exists in real life. Part of the fun of an encounter is not knowing what the encounter means initially, whether it will lead to combat, friendship, difficult choices, information, etc 

I talk about this HERE at more length, but the idea is simply that encounters are not always a direct line towards the party, and even when they are directed towards the party, they can come from oblique angles. Yes, sometimes an encounter is simply a charging attack or a group of bandits demanding the player characters hand over their money and supplies. But if every encounter is like that, encounters lose their mystery and become routine procedure. 

There are a number of ways to promote oblique encounters in your campaigns. One way is to bake them into your encounter tables. Personally I don't like my encounter tables to be overly detailed or involved, I see entries as starting points, so another way is to simply reflect on the result you roll and to give yourself the freedom to elaborate so they are interesting. 

Thinking is key. It sounds basic, it sounds like something we all do anyway, but getting in habit of thinking on the fly about the result, why it is there what possible ways the players might find themselves involved, how it presents to them, etc. For example, if you roll a result and you get something like "Eleven of General Jin Zai's Soldiers on Patrol", you could simply have the soldiers approach the party, ask them for passports, and allow the particular details of the campaign to help determine the nature of the encounter (i.e. are the players wanted by empire for some reason). But you don't have to make the party the focus, you could instead have the players happen upon a conflict between the soldiers and other people. Maybe they are chasing a group of Kushen Merchants who were spying or stole something. Now the players have choices when the encounter occurs, and one of those choices is simply to do nothing and move quietly along. But they could help the soldiers or help the Kushen. This helps turn the encounter into a meaningful decision point. Another possibility is you decide the soldiers are on patrol but in disguise, perhaps as musicians or farmers, with the aim of implanting themselves into groups of martial heroes that might be a threat or potential allies to the general. 

FRIENDLY ENCOUNTERS

If every encounter is negative, then there is no reason for the players to think about what they do when an encounter happens. In Sons of Lady 87, I offered up one way of quickly figuring this out (simply rolling a d10 and determining the nature of the encounter on a spectrum of positive to negative based on the result). But that is just a tool. This can be done simply according to what seems the best, most realistic or most interesting choice to you. The basic point is that some encounters, even encounters with monsters and bad guys, ought to be interesting and positive sometimes. 

The key with friendly encounters is to still keep them interesting, and to make sure there is occasionally something that benefits the players themselves. In a world of martial heroes, or even in a world of fantasy heroes, the party's reputation, personalities and achievements are going to make them popular with some people, even villains. One thing I always ask myself for example when I roll on the Personalities of the Martial World for encounters, is how much the NPC in question respects the party and what they are known for. He may have heard of their techniques, he may know some of the people they have defeated. This can obviously go in a negative direction too, but when it is positive it is likely to lead to good things for the party (whether that is a new friendship, resources or even helpful knowledge or martial arts techniques is all based on the specifics). 

Even monsters can be friendly. Look to a movie like A Chinese Ghost story, where not every monster is trying to kill the protagonist (or at least, not fully committed to that enterprise). If the players are capable and worthy, a monster may not be seeking to kill them, but to work with them. 

HEARING THE PLAYERS OUT 

Another very important thing to help keep all encounters from just being about combat or things rushing to attack the party, is the players themselves. Smart parties will try to converse with threats. Even if the encounter is a hostile one, the players can use reason and even make emotional appeals to turn the tide in a more favorable direction. 

I recently had a group of characters who were the target of a paid assassin. The party understood the assassin was quite powerful so they engaged him, and ultimately paid him off. They also took time to make a good impression on the assassin and earned his respect. 

This is largely about not committed to any particular outcome, honestly playing the NPCs and giving the players a fair hearing when they present ideas. 

All this advice isn't meant to change how you run the game if you are satisfied. If you are running most encounters as hostile combat and people are having fun, that isn't a problem. If you are doing so and the game feels like it is growing dull, try some of these techniques and see if they add to your campaign. 

HEAVENLY FRAGRANCE SESSIONS NINE AND TEN

These are the ninth and tenth sessions of my Heavenly Fragrance Campaign, a living adventure prepared using tools and procedures discussed in the Wuxia Sandbox blog posts. This campaign is intended to play as a sandbox but with more dramatic elements. It is a two player campaign where run in what I call "Condor Heroes Mode", where characters begin with only one Kung Fu technique, their family background established and connected to the setting, and using a level advancement system based on encounters with higher level masters who train them. It also makes use of a campaign Shake-Up table, rolled once each session, to manage an unfolding background situation (see STATE OF THE MARTIAL WORLD). I will include footnotes to explain what procedures were invoked during play. The campaign is set in Fan Xu, largely using the Sons of Lady 87 book. 

CHARACTERS

Bao Long: An orphaned street urchin who was adopted by Lady Eighty-Seven's son, Guan Shisu after he came to the aid of Guan Shisu's daughter, Little Guan Hua. All he knows about his background is that his mother died when he was young. Bao Long has been taught some martial arts by Lady Eighty-Four, Yuhuan. Bao Long is a bit dim-witted but tough. 

Little Guan Hua: The daughter of Guan Shisu and the disciple of Guan Nuan. Little Guan Hua is cowardly and feeble, but intelligent.

Fu Yao: The newest member of the party. Not much is known about his past but he specializes in Qinggong. 

SHOWDOWN AT PING LIU WINE SHOP PART TWO 

The group mostly stood at the doorway of the wineshop, with Saffron Tigress' coffin in tow. Four of the 87 Killers stood near Little Guan Hua, who issued orders from the wine shop's portico. Nie Ping and Nao Yinging were also close by. Fu Yao crouched at the peak of the pagoda like structure that was the Ping Liu Wine Shop. There they faced the remaining four uglies, Razor-handed General and a number of South Wind Manor's disciples. 

Little Guan Hua commanded all to attack Jade Ogre at the top of her lungs. 

Before anyone could act, he let his fan fly out in an arc, first striking Fu Yao upon the roof of the wine shop. In a spray of blood that left Fu Yao on the brink of death, the fan curved towards the others. Bao Long leapt out of the way, as did Nao Yingying and Nie Ping. But Little Guan Hua was sliced wide open. The momentum of the fan was finally stopped by one of the 87 Killers. 

Fu Yao leapt high from the towering pinnacle of Ping Liu Wine Shop then performed his Dive of the Falcon technique to flame into Jade Ogre, obliterating his foe so badly, all that remained of his was a pile of bone, meat and blood. 

White Naga was so horrified by the display it disrupted her heart and she stumbled, a hair from death*. 

Sensing her weakness Little Guan Hua commanded Bao Long to charge at her. With a cascade of strikes Bao Long brought her down but let her live. 

Graceful Toad assumed a stance similar to Jade Ogre's prior to his initial attack. 

"I do not wish for more bloodshed," Said Graceful Toad. "I concede defeat and agree to your terms." 

The party remained at the inn and they maintained the pretense of Saffron Tigress death the entire time by having her remain in the coffin. From within the coffin she gave Fu Yao instructions to improve his martial arts, teaching him Drift Butterfly. He then learned a rope dart technique from one of the 87 Killers. 

Little Guan Hua continued to study the Gu Guan Manual. Saffron Tigress provided clarity on key aspects of the manual's principles. After a month she had mastered Endless Cloud of the Fly Whisk. 

One evening before they head out, Little Guan Hua received a message in a gourd saying to go to the fields outside town. There she saw her teacher, Dancing Corpse Wan Mei sitting in a thick circle of fog. 

"Do not approach! Wait for the fog to dissipate"

When the fog faded, Little Guan Hua saw bodies strewn about the ground around her. 

"This is my new technique, I call it the Breath of Death!"

SHOWDOWN AT WAN MEI TEMPLE

The party then marched with Saffron Tigress' coffin to Wan Mei Temple. Upon arrival they saw smoke coming from within. Fu Yao scaled the mountain with the intent of diving onto one of their enemies when Saffron Tigress made her surprise attack**. 

Yun Wan and his disciple exited the temple. 

"Here is the corpse of Saffron Tigress as you requested!" Shouted Little Guan Hua. 

"Excellent," Said Yun Wan. He motioned and his disciple, Li Yaochen, approached the coffin. As he did so, Saffron Tigress burst from inside it and Fu Yao leapt down the mountain***

Yun Wan was split in half by Fu Yao's diving strike from the sky. 

Li Yaochen attacked Saffron Tigress and the 87 Killers with his staff but missed them all. 

Little Guan Hua struck Li Yaochen with The Ten Thousand Finger Strike, hitting all his meridians so that any movement he made would cause internal damage. 

Li Yaochen adopted a relaxed meditative stance and coughed up blood. "I surrender" he said. 

They interrogated him and discovered he had been forced to serve Yun Wan, after having his heart cut out and replaced with a strange stone. Before that happened he was a member of Sun Mai sect. His heart was held and controlled by Yun Wan. They searched the Yun Wan's remains and found a lacquered box containing his heart****

Little Guan Hua and Saffron Tigress agreed to let Li Yaochen go and give him his heart box. They instructed him not to harm any of their allies or interests and he said he would seek a cure to his condition. 

As he departed, Iron God Meng and his men arrived late to the battle. Looking at the split corpse of Yun Wan, Iron God Meng said "He wasn't much of anything, was he?"

Saffron Tigress decided to go back to Tung-On with Iron God Meng and explain everything to him. Little Guan Hua offered Nie Ping a position in her organization running a shop, but she said she would prefer to run an inn or restaurant. 

Nao Yingying
Art by Jackie Musto 

"Find a place and so long as you sell our wares, we will fund it," Said Little Guan Hua. 

Nie Ping said she would write to them in a month and headed back to Ping Liu Village. 

Nao Yingying asked if there were any positions for her in the organization. Little Guan Hua thought and said she would be better suited to the 87 Killers. 

"I will send you back with them and recommend you to Lady 87 as a prospective member."

As they were conversing, a whistle cut through the air and they saw Dancing Corpse Wan Mei on distant hill. 

"I must go to my master and train," Said Little Guan Hua to the four senior 87 killers. "You men take Nao Yingying back to Mai Cun and recommend her to Lady 87 on my behalf."

Nao Yingying and the 87 Killers left, and the party approached Dancing Corpse Wan Mei. They saw the corpse of Lady Plum Blossom erect and swaying in the wind nearby. 

She made a more formal introduction to Fu Yao and seemed impressed with his diving attack. They spent a month training with her. She instructed Little Guan Hua in her Clutch of the Ghost King attack. 

"I am being hounded by the Sandstone Nun," She said. "You will find her and kill her with this technique and after you succeed, I will teach you more from the Ghost Claw manual."

She gave some minor instruction to Fu Yao and trained Bao Long. When they were done the group headed to Mai Cun, promising to find the Sandstone Nun. 

BUSINESS IN MAI CUN 

In Mai Cun Fu Yao sought an audience with Floating Sea God Shan Shisan of the Dragon Horse Gang. He was given a meeting. 

Floating Sea God Shan Shisan wore all white, was gaunt but built of lean muscle and had the tattoos of sea gods on his chest and back. 

"I seek to become your pupil," Fu Yao explained. He then gave a demonstration of his martial arts. 

"I value thieves not warriors," Said Shisan. "How much can you steal for me each month?"

"Perhaps 10,000 spades."

"Prove yourself by going to the Tafang District and stealing bolts of imperial silk, then come back to me."

Fu Yao left and was put in contact by the Heavenly Fragrance Society with an old thief named Guan Yu. He asked Guan Yu to teach him and to help him steal the silk. 

"You will be well compensated," Said Fu Yao. 

They went to the Tafang District and found a relatively unguarded warehouse where the old man showed him the trade. When they were done, Fu Yao had a cart full of bolts of silk and the old man took one for himself. Fu Yao thanked the old man and gave him 1,000 spades. He then took the silk to Dragon Horse Gang where he was inducted. 

"You will be given tattoos," Said the chief. 

They tattooed his chest with a likeness of Divine Scholar Wu, then his back with a likeness of Sea Goddess Bing. Then Fu Yao began his training under Floating Sea God Shan Shisan. 

Meanwhile Little Guan Hua went to pay her respects to Lady 87 taking tribute with her. She found herself waiting longer than usual. 

When she was brought in, there was only Lady 87 and three guards. The corpse of Nao Yingying was laid out on the ground. Lady 87 had a gash on her forehead. 

"My dear Grandmother, the 87th Lady of the Guan Family, what has happened?"

"She tried to kill me," Said Lady 87. "You should have looked more into this person's background. She is friends with a man named Hell Burning Sword, the sole survivor of Flying Blade Sect, a group we extinguished years ago. She apparently seized the opportunity your recommendation created*****."

Little Guan Hua rushed over to the body and kicked it, then kowtowed and apologized to her grandmother. 

Lady 87 stood up. "You will be punished."

Little Guan Hua nodded and bowed. 

"I must banish you from Mai Cun, from any affairs of the 87 Killers and from all business related to us, including the Heavenly Fragrance Society, for six months."

"Thank you Grandmother!"

"If you wish to get into my good graces when your banishment ends, be sure to bring the head of Hell Burning Sword upon your return."

*The Four Uglies use the Passionless Heart technique, which requires complete control of emotions. This scene would have been horrifying to her and Graceful Toad, so I made a roll required by the Passionless Heart entry (1d10 against Resolve). Because the roll beat her Resolve, she took 10d10 Open Damage plus 1 Extra wound, which brought her to 2 Wounds from death 

**The Strike of the Diving Falcon technique causes the attacker to do falling damage. This was an unusual opportunity, technically due to the height of the mountain, it would do 6d10 plus 94 Extra Wounds of falling damage. The danger is that the attacker, if they fail, takes the failing damage themselves. The risk was small but not zero. 

***I rolled detect to see if they were both surprised and to see if Yun Wan was aware of the attack from above. Yun Wan was surprised but Li Yaochen was not. 

****I assigned a simple 20 percent chance of the box being obliterated by Fu Yao's attack (this would have ultimately killed Li Yaochen had it been destroyed) 

*****When the player sent Nao Yingying to Mai Cun, I had him roll 4d10 to represent Nao Yingying and I rolled 6d10 to represent Lady 87. One of the player's rolls succeeded, but ultimately Lady 87 defeated the assassin. 

PATHS FROM NOWHERE SESSIONS ELEVEN AND TWELVE

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.   

HEIPING VALLEY 

Xiang Guiying left Pan Ju in Kusha and headed to Heiping Village to meet Zheng Bao. Four Feathered people surrounded Guiying and demanded a tribute for the Horned King. 

In a twirl of steel, Guiying left them in bloody heaps upon the ground, but still alive. 

"These four lives are my tribute to your king"

She continued to Heiping Sect where she found Zheng Bao was in training. Zheng Bao trained for weeks and mastered two techniques. Queen Lu Zhi recommended he seek out the Silken Robe Society to train further. But after discussion, he and Guiying decided to go to Golden Dragon Temple instead, then seek out the Tomb of the Timeless Master. 

Before they left, a letter arrived from Zhaoze Palace: 

Zhaoze Palace is awash with grief. Our great leader, Shan Lushan, is dead! He was killed by the ignoble Pan Ju, Xiang Guiying and Zheng Bao. Unsatisfied with murder alone, they also cut off the arms of my sweet daughter. This evil must be extinguished from the Jianghu! 

Master Huo Si, Supreme Chief of Zhaoze Sect

Queen Lu Zhi informed them that such a letter had been sent to all the sects in the Banyan. Zheng Bao asked if she would send a letter refuting his claims, and she agreed to do so (they had explained what really happened to her).

When they were finished they set off to rendezvous with Pan Ju at Golden Dragon Temple. 

KUSHA 

In Kusha, Pan Ju met with his father, Negui Mogha, the adviser to the Khagan. Kusha was a mining settlement lead by him and Princess Sarnai. 

"Show me what you have learned son," Nergui said. 

Pan Ju demonstrated the techniques that Yellow Mantis had taught him and his father was impressed. Nergui then handed Pan Ju a massive meteor hammer. 

"The time has come for you to learn to fight like a man and to put away your feminine cutlery!" 

He then began training Pan Ju in the meteor hammer and in his Knock of the Meteor Hammer technique. 

When they finished he instructed Pan Ju to seek out a powerful master. After learning that Pan Ju's sworn brother was a disciple of Jade Swallow, he said "She is far too orthodox for the likes of us. You need to seek a master more like Shan Lushan. Were he still alive, and you not accused of his murder, he would have been an ideal choice. Seek out a great master like him to improve your martial skills."

Before leaving Pan Ju snuck into Princess Sarnai's tent and stole The Phoenix Crown of Bao, then left in the night for Golden Dragon Palace. 

MADAME TURQUOISE 

The day Guiying and Zheng Bao set out was the first of the Demon Moon. Undeterred they made their way through the Jian Shu forest and came upon a toppled cart. At the base of the card was a dead man in red robes, and a dried pool of crimson blood. A woman, who looked refined and wealthy, was curled up on a high rock in seeming distress. Turquoise stones were scattered everywhere. 

The woman said her name was Sun Mei and the man was her husband. She pleaded with them to take her with them or escort her north. 

"Where are you heading?" 

"To Kusha," She said. 

They offered to escort her but became suspicious as they inspected the cart more. It seemed the wagon had come from the direction of Kusha. She was able to confirm her husband's name was Pei Tieqiao, but her story was inconsistent and they decided to leave her behind. 

As they declined her request, the skin on her body slid off, and she was revealed to be little more than a rotting corpse. Her body opened up as a mouth and she bit Zheng Bao. 

Guiying cut off her leg, then Zheng Bao stabbed her in the back. She crawled away and pleaded for mercy, saying she would serve them. But Guiying delivered a whipping strike that sent her to hell. 

They took the wagon, the money inside and the turquoise, then headed north. 

THE MERCY OF HEN-SHI

Pan Ju had only a day of travel, but along the way, stumbled upon a battle. A Nun and swordswoman in green robes were fighting. 

"She is crazed," Said the woman in green. "Give me a hand."

"Don't listen to this demon, she is a vile beast!" Said the Nun

Pan Ju looked on, unsure what to do. The woman in green stabbed the nun. 

The Nun fought with a dagger and parasol. "Don't just stand there, help me deal with this creature," Shouted the nun. 

"She is mad, and she will call you demonic when she is done with me." Said the woman in Green as the two woman stabbed each other. 

Pan Ju decided. 

The sky was darkened by his daggers. 

The woman in green collapsed. Her body vanished beneath her robes and a snake slithered from inside. 

The Nun trapped the snake in a magic gourd and chuckled. 

"I am Feng Min," Said the Nun. 

Pan Ju introduced himself and asked about her background. 

"I am follower of Sun Mai, though I have not formally been admitted to the Sun Mai order."

She was on her way to Golden Dragon Temple, so they agreed to travel the remaining distance together. 

Arriving at the temple, they were greeted by Emerald Master who gave them quarters and said  Bronze Master would be eager to meet with their friends when they arrived. 

A FATAL BREEZE 

Guiying and Zheng Bao traveled several days but found themselves surrounded by creatures in the woods, corpses with black eyes, small mouths and swollen bellies. They stretched out their arms pleadingly. 

"I don't understand you, but let us pass and we will not harm you," Said Zheng Bao. 

One of the creatures opened its mouth and unleashed a foul wind that sickened Guiying and Zheng Bao. The two fled but found themselves growing more and more ill as they traveled. By the time they reached Golden Dragon Temple, their minds were addled and they were near death. 

Pan Ju examined them and realized they were suffering from Malignant Wind Disease. Thankfully, Feng Min knew the ritual for expelling the malignant winds and performed it on them both*. She then gave them the Scriptures of Sun Mai and told them to make offerings to Hen Shi when they were able to do so. 

When they were well the party met with Bronze Master. Zheng Bao introduced himself as the disciple of Jade Swallow and apologetically mentioned his familial relation to Bone Breaker. 

"There is no reason to be ashamed," Said Bronze Master. "Though his methods are unusual, he is a truly accomplished individual. I will give you personal instruction and teach your friends a thing or two as well."

Bronze Master took Zheng Bao aside, saying he was going to teach him a secret technique. 

"I would like to take you as my secret pupil if you are willing. I can help your kung fu reach new heights."

"I would need to tell my teacher," Said Zheng Bao.

"There is no need to disclose any of this to her. I will show you what I know and you can introduce me to your uncle."

"I am afraid I must tell my teacher everything."

"In that case I will simply teach you a minor technique and you can introduce me to your uncle later."

Bronze Master gave Zheng Bao instruction, then taught Pan Ju and Guiying some Qinggong. Before they departed Zheng Bao said he would take Bronze Master to his uncle at a later date. 

Feng Min asked where they were going. When they told her they planned to find the Tomb of the Timeless Master, she offered to accompany them. 

"Your companion aided me in dealing with the snake demon, I would like to reciprocate and accompany you."

They agreed and left to find the tomb. 

*They had only had three days to live when they reached the temple