HEAVENLY FRAGRANCE CAMPAIGN SESSION FOURTEEN

This was the fourteenth 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. 

Campaign Note: Due to learning an evil technique, Bao Long's eyes changed, so that his whites became black and his pupils white. 

THE CAVERNS OF THE CRESCENT PHOENIX

Before the party set off to find Crescent Phoenix, Little Guan Hua sent message into Mai Cun summoning her workers from the Heavenly Fragrance Association facility to meet with her outside the city, believing this wouldn't violate Lady 87's command. 

As the men approached them, Fu Yao noticed two of Lady 87's men following behind and readying daggers as they observed. He informed Little Guan Hua who called to the men. 

The men, high ranking 87 Killers, approached. 

"You were warned not to do business inside the city," Said of the men, whose Little Guan Hua recognized as Iron Naga Tian.  "You've sacrificed these men's lives by violating The 87th Lady of the Guan Family's orders." He pointed to Little Guan Hua's workers. 

Little Guan Hua offered to pay money for their lives and a large sum was settled upon. Deciding not to push her luck further, she agreed to set out for Phoenix Moon Cavern. 

When they reached the Phoenix Moon Cavern they were granted an audience with Crescent Phoenix. They explained to her that Long Bao was suffering from a terrible blood disease and didn't have long to live. Then they provided her with the physician's papers they found in the Nun's chambers. 

She examined Long Bao's pulse. 

"I can help stave off the effects temporarily, and I could teach him to master my Phoenix Cultivation so he can do so himself indefinitely. But doing so would radically transform his physical body."

Fu Yao knew something of the Phoenix Cultivation technique and asked "Would this turn him into a woman?"

"Yes," Said Crescent Phoenix. "You may want to seek out Thundering Zither, he is a highly skilled physician and famous for solving difficult cases like this one. The only other suggestion I can make is to seek out the immortals."

She offered them chambers while they thought things over, saying they could stay and consider their options. She would help him stave off the effects during that time. However she had to receive an another guest so dismissed them.

As they left, they saw that the guest was Floating Sea God Zhang Shisan, who Fu Yao had sent word to before leaving. Later he found Shisan, giving him a tribute of 10,000 spades and discussing future plans. He asked Floating Sea God to be his sworn brother, but the offer was declined. He then asked if Floating Sea God could procure venomous centipedes and snakes, then send them to the vermillion Bird Teahouse (he agreed to this and some days later centipedes but no snakes were received at the teahouse).  

During this time, Dancing Corpse Wan Mei was unusually calm, and unusually friendly towards Fu Yao. She offered to teach him the blade of sky technique and also began working on training Little Guan Hua in more advanced martial arts. With Bao Long, noting he still had the seismometer taken from Fan Batu, she addressed him. 

"I have taken note of many of Fan Batu's techniques with that instrument. I believe I can give you instruction to master them if you like."*

They decided to go to Thundering Zither, who lived in the north of the prefecture, in the Yaoguai Forest. Fu Yao said he needed to tend to business but would catch up with them later. 

THE EMERALD GARDEN INN

Fu Yao went to the Emerald Garden Inn and spoke with Zhang Zhen'er the proprietress. He had been informed she was a skilled counter fighter and spoke to her frankly about his desire to learn from her. He explained that he already had a master, and she had said he could train under her care, he also offered whatever services he could in exchange. When he told her his master was Hua Yin, she seemed surprised. 

"Madame Hua Yin, I have heard of her and revere her talents," Said Zhang Zhen'er. "If I show you a technique or two, I would like information in exchange. You will agree to send me messages regularly on my interests in the prefecture. Is this acceptable?"

Fu Yao agreed and she instructed him in Sting of the Scorpion. She gave him further instruction in a technique for maiming. 

THUNDERING ZITHER

On the approach to Thundering Zither's Wan Mei told Little Guan Hua she was greatly impressed with the Phoenix Moon Cavern, and believed they too needed a proper headquarters. 

Little Guan Hua said she had thought the same thing, and would look into the matter. In the meantime, Wan Mei suggested they use Oriole Village as their base. 

She trained them on the journey and Wan Mei, unlike previous occasions, didn't have them attack villagers to hone their precision. She had taken to carrying the Dawn Sabre and It seemed she had mellowed after killing Fan Batu. 

Thundering Zither greeted them and gave hospitality. He had a scholarly disposition, examining Bao Long closely. Little Guan Hua offered assistance which he acceptance and she was surprised by the physician's creative and manic style of care. Over the course of a month they trained in the evening and Bao Long received acupuncture and moxibustion treatments during the day, during which Thundering Zither released a great deal of his blood. After one month, of six hour daily treatments, Bao Long was cured. 

HELL BURNING SWORD 

They then went to River Village re-uniting with Fu Yao along the way and then to the Plum Tree Inn where they confronted Hell Burning Sword. 

Little Guan Hua approached and said "Hell Burning Sword, you have unsettled business with The 87th Lady of the Guan Family. Come outside and face us fairly."

Hell Burning Sword resigned himself and followed. He agreed to face off against Little Guan Hua, Bao Long and Fu Yao.

Hell Burning Sword opened with a technique that risked all against Fu Yao. To get in position for a lethal strike, he made himself vulnerable. He thrust with his butterfly swords but missed. His fate was sealed by this choice. 

Fu Yao's blade sink in like a Scorpion's Tail, and Bao Long punctured every organ in Hell Burning Swords torso with a series of persistent stabs. 

Hell Burning Sword lay dead in the road. They sent word to Guan Nuan to come and retrieve the head to bring to Lady 87. 

They continued their training at the Plum Tree Inn, knowing the murder of Lady 87's enemy would prompt no investigation or justice. 

*In this campaign I am interested in an accelerated progression so I can work more on the profound and immortal levels. Long Bao was Qi rank 8 at this point in the session. Wan Mei has been advancing as well (I am making a point of advancing NPCs, especially focusing on the teachers of the player characters).