HEAVENLY FRAGRANCE CAMPAIGN SESSION EIGHTEEN

This was the eighteenth 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. And due to the acquisition of another evil technique he has gained the Lust for Divinity Flaw. 

THE WHITE JADE WITCH 

The frozen Hechi figures groaned and hobbled toward the party, grasping for Bao Long and Little Guan Hua with their frigid hands. 

Bao Long used his Tremoring Step to shake the earth, causing the Hechi to collapse and shatter. 

An angry wail split the sky and they heard a woman's voice. 

"How dare you destroy my servants!" Spoke a strange woman's voice. 

They looked and searched but saw no one. 

Art by Jackie Musto 

A thin vapor descended from the clouds and a tall women in red robes materialized before them. 

"Leave here at once before I become truly angry," She said. 

"We have come here to sell our quality bath beans," Bao Long said, offering her a sample case of their fragrant product. 

Fu Yao, who had been in hiding, used the distraction to ambush the Witch with a violent series of stabs. 

The Witch began playing an erhu and singing. The powerful melody chilled their blood and Bao Long could feel his body weaken and begin to freeze. 

The battle became a struggle for Bao Long but Fu Yao remained unaffected by the witches song and slowly they whittled her down. 

As Fu Yao continued to stab her, Bao Long froze completely, turned into a figure of ice. 

After a long exchange of attacks, Fu Yao felt her icy song chill his blood too and it seemed he would soon be turned to ice as well. 

Fu Yao was able to land one more blow, a strike that proved decisive and incapacitated the Witch. 

Holding his blade to her throat, Fu Yao demanded she release Bao Long. She sang a note and his body returned to normal.

"Now release the people of the Island!"

The Witch laughed. "But they are tethered to my heart, I cannot release them."

Fu Yao and Bao Long debated what to do and ultimate bound her. Little Guan Hua used a new Fly Whisk technique to lash all her acupoints and paralyze her. Then they took her aboard their ship and headed back for Ro-Fish Island. 

RETURN TO RO-FISH ISLAND

They took turns watching over the Witch. In the night, Bao Long awakened in bed and saw the the face of the witch before his bed. She laughed and reached for him with a cold hand. 

Bao Long awakened, and realized it was a dream, but his face was freshly clawed and bleeding. 

He rushed to Fu Yao who was guarding the witch and they threatened to execute her if she attempted such things again. 

They brought her to the Sandstone Abbot and dropped her before him. 

The Abbot had a bandage on his shoulder soaked in blood and both Fu Yao and Little Guan Hua could see he had been poisoned. 

"Execute her," He said. 

"Abbot, Can I ask for leniency, perhaps we can reform her," Said Fu Yao. 

"Her life is connected to the ice infecting the island. To free the people and the land she must die."

Bao Long remembered his master had a technique that might help "Abbot can I speak with my master, she may be able to help."

"Yes, she is resting in her chambers."

Bao Long went and spoke with Dancing Corpse Wan Mei and asked if her Hands of the Hungry Ghost could keep the Witch Alive after death. 

"It does not last long enough," She said. Then she leaned forward and said to Bao Long "The people here are small minded, we will learn what we need then go our own way after."

When Bao Long returned and explained that his master could not help, Fu Yao executed the witch. 

They spent the next several weeks training and improving their martial arts*. 

When they were done, Sandstone Abbot summoned them to the training hall and spoke. It was clear he was still suffering the effects of a venom. 

"I have been poisoned by the Immortals of the Nine Suns," he said. "The only cure is Lavender Moss, I unfortunately must send you to retrieve this for me."

"Who are the Immortals of the Nine Suns?" Bao Long asked. 

"They are renegades who seek to overturn the perfect realm and put themselves on the throne of the Enlightened Goddess."

Sandstone Abbot thought for a moment and said "You must go to the Phoenix Star, where Heavenly Queen Bao watches over celestial relics. There you will find a pagoda floating in a sea of ice that houses the Jade Heart. The Lavender Moss grows around the Jade Heart."

When they indicated their understanding her continued "It is likely that Immortals of the Nine Suns may try to stop you, and you could be obstructed by Heavenly Queen Bao and her immortals as well. Here I believe you all may face a shared fated calamity."

"Abbot," Said Fu Yao. "Can you send anyone to help us."

"No. You must use your intellect and wisdom to succeed. I am sorry to send you against such overwhelming powers but there is no other way."

"Can you suggest people we might seek out to come and help us, to improve our chances of success."

"I will draw up a list," Said the Abbot. "And I will teach you another technique that may be of use."

He then taught them a technique enabling them to hurl objects and people with a scream. 

*Bao Long reached Qi Rank 11, while Fu Yao and Little Guan Hua attained Qi rank 10. They also increased 3 ranks in skills.