HEAVENLY FRAGRANCE SESSION 21

This was the twenty first session of my Heavenly Fragrance Campaign, a living adventure for Wandering Heroes of Ogre Gate, 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

Art by Jackie Musto 

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. 

Jade Peony Guan Hua/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. 

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The party returned to Mai Cun where Jade Peony Guan Hu paid her respects to Lady 87. Her grandmother seemed somewhat displeased that Jade Peony Guan Hua was not using her new-found powers and connections to help the 87 Killers organization directly but was permitted to return to Mai Cun. Jade Peony Guan Hua smoothed things over by offering her grandmother Lavender Moss. From there they went to their new headquarters a long the canal where Guan Nuan helped them manage their affairs. 

Guan Nuan informed them that Third Minister of the Rites, Xue Ren was at their headquarters with inspectors and wanted to speak with them. 

Third Minister explained that he had concerns about statues on their premises. They had erected a statue to Jade Peony Guan Hua and Obsidian Dragon Bao Long. 

Jade Peony Guan Hua explained that these were mere statues of themselves because they wanted the people who worked for them to recognize who they were. 

"But will these be for veneration?" Third Minister asked. 

"We will neither tell our people to venerate us or not to venerate us. After all, my brother has recently become an immortal." She pointed to her bother, Bao Long, whose body was now layered in magnificent black scales since his transfiguration. 

"The problem is," Third Minister said. "These are not officially registered deities of Imperial Dehua. Congratulations to your brother by the way."

Bao Long nodded in approval and Jade Peony Guan Hua spoke "What need we do to abide by Imperial Dehuan regulations."

"Well," Said Third Minister. "Given that your brother has attained immortality, if you were willing to be flexible on certain matters and adhere to the emperor's orthodoxy, he would be more than happy to enter both of you as officially worthy of veneration. The emperor would certainly appreciate allies like yourselves." 

"Tell the emperor we are happy to work with him and look forward to having a fruitful relationship. I hope he will consider the arrangement acceptable. And please take these bath beans as a gift."

She gave him some of their highest quality bath beans.

"We only manufacture a small quantity of these but I believe you will appreciate their quality."

Third Minister was grateful for the beans and promised to put in a good word. And Jade Peony Guan Hua asked their ritual master to contact Conquest Immortal because she wished to speak to him. 

Later that night there was a loud knocking at the door. Conquest Immortal had arrived with a retinue. 

Jade Peony Guan Hua made a production of Conquest Immortal's presence and offered him accommodations. He wanted to know why she had summoned him. 

"This may sound unusual Conquest Immortal of the Nine Suns, but since you blinded me, I have not been able to see anything in my mind's eye but you. You have conquered my heart and I wanted to talk seriously with you about marriage."

"This is an unorthodox approach," Said Conquest Immortal.

"Please I am sincere," Said Jade Peony Guan Hua. "I will do whatever you ask if you agree to marry me, and you need not heal my vision till after we are wed."

"If I marry you," Conquest Immortal said. "I would not heal your vision. It would be misperceived were I to do so."

"Understood," Said Jade Peony Guan Hua. "I would of course send a master to train you to fight without your sight, so you need not worry."

Conquest Immortal paced and considered her offer. "I need an alliance with with King An-Naqi of the Majestic Hosts."

"If I helped you secure this alliance, would you agree to marriage?"

"Yes," Said Conquest Immortal. "His powers of resurrection would be most useful and he has a vast army. He resides at the Gates of Paradise, said to be accessible by an icy stairway deep in the deserts of the Kushen Basin and only visible to believers. Do this and I will marry you."

Jade Peony agreed and immediately put out word that she needed a true believer of the Majestic Lion cult. 

The party then reorganized their company, clarifying different positions in the organization. They also trained their disciples. Bao Long and Jade Peony each had a small group of disciples at the headquarters and worked to improve their skills. They asked Guan Nuan to function as an official liaison between themselves and the 87 Killers, which she agreed to. 

Fu Yao spent time with Dancing Corpse Queen Wan Mei, who taught him the First Breathe Technique, in preparation for becoming an immortal. 

A blind master, named Meng Anzhi arrived. At first Jade Peony Guan Hua refused to work with him, because he was filthy and refused to bathe. When she realized he was the master sent by Conquest Immortal, she begrudgingly took his tutelage provided he trained her outside. 

Soon Third Minister returned and brought a chained prisoner with him and a golden plaque. The Plaque read "The Endurant Obsidian Dragon Bao Long" and was a gift from the Emperor. 

"This prisoner, is Priest Li Lian," Said Third Minister. "Another gift from the emperor as word reached us you were in need of a believer. Do with this man what you wish." 

The prisoner spat at Little Guan Hua and Third Minister threatened to have him beaten, but she assured him it was okay. 

"Thank you Third Minister of Rites Xue Ren," She said. "Give our thanks to the emperor and please accept these bath beans as a gift." She offered him a large quantity of high quality bath beans for the emperor. 

When Third Minister left they spoke with Priest Li. He agreed to take them to the Kushen Basin and guide them to the Gates of Paradise, if they promised to release him and allowed him to preach along the way. Then they secured 1000 grade A bath beans and 10,000 grade B bath beans to present to King An-Naqi as a gift.