STAR-CROSSED BLADES OF THE GREEN PEONY SESSION XI

This is the eleventh session of our Star-Crossed Blades of the Green Peony campaign for Wandering Heroes of Ogre Gate (session I can be found HERE, session II can be found HERE, session III can be found HERE, session IV can be found HERE, Session V can be found HERE, session VI can be found HERE, Session VII can be found HERE, Session VIII can be found HERE, Session IX can be found HERE, Session X can be found HERE). It is set in Zhang Chang prefecture (which I hope to release a blog entry for). In this campaign, every player rolled randomly to determine who their family are, how many siblings they have and whether individual family members are still alive. The players also gave very rough sketches of their background (no more than a few sentences) and I secretly added a "20-year" backstory to each one. I have implemented a special rule in this campaign that every encounter has a 3 in 10 chance of being connected to their secret backstory in some way. Note in this session I was play testing a specific scenario and the players were made aware prior to play.

CHARACTERS

QI YUN: A roaming martial expert who has secretly learned his martial arts from two different masters (and the masters have no knowledge of one another). 

XING GE: A traveling pipa player and the son of Lu Guiying the Iron Flower. His father died when he was five, and his mother married Gongsun Yuan, the chief of Black Parrot Society. Gongsun Yuan despises Xing Ge. 

TU JIN SHI (THUNDER LEGS): A wandering fighter seeking to be the strongest and most upright hero in the region. His father, Tu Haitao sent his mother away when he was young, after being consumed by grief over the passing of Jin Shi's brother, Tian. Shortly after his father died consuming a lethal concoction in a misguided effort to become immortal. 

LU LI (THE UNFILIAL ARCHER): A traveling physician who comes from a family of successful fishermen. 

THE RAKSHA AND THE SCORPION 

The party dragged the body of the creature to Li An, and found a scholar who was writing a Gazetteer of the region for the emperor to give it to named Master Situ Hai. They sent their men in to notify Situ Hai they were holding the body just outside town. 

"We killed this in the Yaoguai Forest," Lu Li told him when he arrived. 

"You didn't kill this," He said skeptically as he inspected it. 

"We used a special poisoned arrow," Said Qi Yun.

"This gentlemen, is a Raksha Demon of the Yaoguai Forest," He continued to examine it. "Had this been a normal Yaksha, your arrows would have been completely useless against it. Consider yourselves fortunate. How much do you want for it?"

The party agreed to exchange it for copies of the draft of his Gazetteer, with the understanding that they would inform him if they discovered any errors in their travels through the forest. 

The party stayed at the Golden Swallow for three nights, hoping Thundering Scorpion would arrive to clear his name. They sent Xing Ge and his men to collect their persimmon shipment from Lanyin. 

On the second day, a man resembling the poster and flanked by disciples whose attire they recognized, arrived and approached the party while they sat at a table. 

"Thunder Legs! I have a quarrel with you!"

He pointed at Tu Jin Shi, and demanded to know why they were ruining his reputation. 

A heated argument followed where they accused his men of behaving recklessly and attacking them at the Jade Gourd (killing an innocent person in the process).  He dismissed their accusation and countered that they had been transporting a stolen necklace and his men were merely trying to achieve it. He kept trying to bring the conversation back to them ruining his reputation. When they brought up stories they had heard that he and White Scorpion were one and the same, he scoffed, saying he was a righteous hero. Thundering Scorpion kept retuning to the matter of the posters.  

"But your methods are reckless and endanger innocent people," Tu Jin Shi said. 

"Justice is messy," Thundering Scorpion said. "My methods are effective. Our thunderbolts get the job done.....I want these posters taken down and my reputation restored!" 

Tu Jin Shi tried to explain the posters were from their companion Xing Ge, who was away. 

There was further argument with lots of accusation, when Thundering Scorpion insisted on a duel with Xing Ge. Tu Jin Shi became furious and flatly refused. Finally Tu Jin Shi and Thundering Scorpion agreed to duel each other. The terms were: If Thundering Scorpion Lost, he would stop using his thunderbolts inside city limits, if Tu Jin Shi lost, he would call Thundering Scorpion "Father". 

They squared off outside the city by a river. There were onlookers. 

Thundering Scorpion launched into a pressure point technique, but Tu Jin Shi sent him crashing to the ground with a counter. Then Tu Jin Shi flew into a fury with his saber, but missed, not being well trained in the weapon. 

Stepping back fifteen feet, Thundering Scorpion through his thunderbolt into the air. It flew in a red haze, blasting Tu Jin Shi and setting him aflame. The red energy lingered and settled around his heart, making him feel worn and weary. 

As a precaution, Qi Yun took up a thunderbolt ball and got into his stance, preparing to emulate Thundering Scorpion to counter his attacks if things became dire. "I could be your disciple," He said to Thundering Scorpion. 

Tu Jin Shi used Turtles Snaps its jaws, clapping Thundering Scorpions ears to deafen him. 

Lu Li analyzed Thundering Scorpions Thunderbolt attack, and determined it was not a waijia technique. 

Thundering Scorpion sent another thunderbolt flying, blasting Tu Jin Shi again, knocking him unconscious. He then put out the flame and helped him, telling his friends to administer aid. Lu Li treated his injuries and alleviated some of his symptoms. 

After the match, Tu Jin Shi agreed to call Thundering Scorpion father and the party agreed to take down the posters. Thundering Scorpion promised to beat his men for their behavior at the Jade Gourd. 

Before he left, he asked Qi Yun if he really wanted to be his disciple. Qi Yun threw the thunderbolt at a tree and it exploded against it. He then told Thundering Scorpion he did not wish to be.

Thundering Scorpion handed him a thunderbolt and said "Train more with this, if you change your mind, you can come to me to learn more."

He then told them where in the Yaioguai Forest he could be found and departed. 

They spent the next few days getting new clothes and gifts so Qi Yun could head north to meet with his master, Lively Luan. He made sure to have the rest of the party buy better clothes as his master had demanding taste. They then found passage on a boat and journeyed along the river. 

THE LADY OF SHENZHOU 

In their cabin there was a knock at the door. Answering, they saw a sailor. 

"Sir," The sailor pointed at Qi Yun. "A guest wishes to speak with you."

Qi Yun and the rest of the party followed the sailor who led them to a cabin door. Inside were soldiers, among them, one soldier whose eyes were black and vaporous. A woman, in the finest clothing they ever laid eyes on, sat regal upon a chair.

"Welcome Qi Yun," She said. 

"Thank you Madame," He said. "I was told you wished to speak with me."

"Yes, I am Lady Sun Niao." She said. "What business do you have with the prefect?"

"Business Lady Sun Niao?"

"You do wish to meet the Prefect?" She asked. 

Surprised Qi Yun said "I had intended to do so Lady Sun Niao."

"Why do you want to meet with the prefect?" She asked. 

"When one is rising in this world, it is helpful to make friends in high places."

"Do you have any talents or skills that the prefect would find useful?"

"Skills....." Qi Yun began.

"If I may Lady Sun Niao," Tu Jin Shi spoke. "I am not an educated man, and am regarded as an idiot, but Qi Yun has been traveling with us and in our travels, he has accomplished many great things. Just the other day, he killed a Raksha Demon with us. Together we can be of great use I believe."

"I am a talented writer as well," Said Qi Yun. 

Lady Sun Niao nodded and looked at Qi Yun, "Those are indeed valuable skills. I can arrange a meeting with the prefect if you like." 

"Yes that would be most agreeable Lady Sun Niao."

They agreed to go to the prefect in Shenzhou, and she handed them a red talisman to give to the guards at the city gates when they arrived. 

"Thank you for being so kind Lady Sun Niao" Said Tu Jin Shi. 

"It isn't kindness. I am merely looking after the interests of my husband."

They bid farewell and departed. As they were leaving she said to Qi Yun "Give my regards to your masters." 

INTIMATE CONFESSIONS OF A CHINESE COURTESAN

Intimate Confessions of a Chinese Courtesan is Chor Yuen's masterpiece. Do not let the name fool you, this is an outstanding movie with an incredible plot, one of the best revenge films ever made. I recently did a review of it on easternKicks, and would love for my readers to check it out. Anyone familiar with my work on Wandering Heroes of Ogre Gate or Righteous Blood Ruthless Blades, probably senses my admiration for Chor Yuen. 

For me this is the movie that demonstrates his best talents as a filmmaker. It is about as perfect as a movie can be. If you want to hear my full thoughts, check out the review HERE. 

STAR-CROSSED BLADES OF THE GREEN PEONY

This is the Tenth session of our Star-Crossed Blades of the Green Peony campaign for Wandering Heroes of Ogre Gate (session I can be found HERE, session II can be found HERE, session III can be found HERE, session IV can be found HERE, Session V can be found HERE, session VI can be found HERE, Session VII can be found HERE, Session VIII can be found HERE, Session IX can be found HERE). It is set in Zhang Chang prefecture (which I hope to release a blog entry for). In this campaign, every player rolled randomly to determine who their family are, how many siblings they have and whether individual family members are still alive. The players also gave very rough sketches of their background (no more than a few sentences) and I secretly added a "20-year" backstory to each one. I have implemented a special rule in this campaign that every encounter has a 3 in 10 chance of being connected to their secret backstory in some way. Note in this session I was play testing a specific scenario and the players were made aware prior to play.

CHARACTERS

QI YUN: A roaming martial expert who has secretly learned his martial arts from two different masters (and the masters have no knowledge of one another). 

XING GE: A traveling pipa player and the son of Lu Guiying the Iron Flower. His father died when he was five, and his mother married Gongsun Yuan, the chief of Black Parrot Society. Gongsun Yuan despises Xing Ge. 

TU JIN SHI (THUNDER LEGS): A wandering fighter seeking to be the strongest and most upright hero in the region. His father, Tu Haitao sent his mother away when he was young, after being consumed by grief over the passing of Jin Shi's brother, Tian. Shortly after his father died consuming a lethal concoction in a misguided effort to become immortal. 

LU LI (THE UNFILIAL ARCHER): A traveling physician who comes from a family of successful fishermen. 

THE BLACK PARROT SOCIETY 

The players traveled north to the Black Parrot Society so Xing Ge could speak with his mother about his father's recent attempt on his life and an another matter that eluded his memory for the time being. On the way he brought his mother, Lu Guiying, an embroidered weimao (a wide brimmed hat with a long veil to block dust) that she could use to conceal her Iron Hat. For a design he chose a flower, because her nickname is the Iron Flower. 

As they made their way through the dense Yiaoguai forest, Tu Jin Shi, taking up the front, heard the distant murmur of a human voice, seeming to be in great pain. 

"Is anyone there? Are you in trouble?"

A contorted voice responded "Help....Help...."

He followed it into the woods and as he entered a dark green viper launched from a tree and bit him in the thigh. Immediately he felt overcome by heat and experienced localized swelling. 

Lu Li sent a hail of arrows into the woods, killing multiple vipers. He then used the vipers to create an antidote with his exceptional medical knowledge. A cure was administered and Tu Jin Shi survived. 

There they were greeted by high ranking disciples who informed Xing Ge that Chief Gongun Yuan wished to speak with him in his hall. He thanked them and then went to his mother. They met in her garden, the rest of the party present. 

"I must tell you mother, there was an attempt on my life. My step-father's chief assassin, Qian Henglao, ambushed us and tried to kill me with his jade arrows.

Lu Guiying pounded her fist into her palm saying "I knew he couldn't be trusted. That terrible woman, Lady Yu Huang, must have got to him. We should have killed her ages ago!"

"I must tell you mother, we asked Qian Henglao who sent him, and he said it was Gongsun Yuan. It seems he sent him to kill me."

"You are too naive my son," she said. "Clearly that filthy villain Yi Huang, seeks to sew turmoil in our organization, by implicating your father. I just fear we are not ready to contend with her."

"Still mother, Gongsun Yuan wishes to see me, I would like for you to be by my side when I inform him about this matter."

She agreed and they went to Gongsun, who greeted them from his dais and made niceties. 

"Qian Henglao?" Gongsun asked after they had explained everything. 

"Yes, but we managed to kill him."

"Well it is good you put that traitor in the ground. I am glad you are alive, I had heard there was a plot by Huo Long Cavern Sect to abduct you."

Gongsun Yuan thought for a moment then said "I have been meaning to give you this."

He handed a medallion in the shape of a black bird to Xing Ge.

"I want to make you Steward of Black Parrot Lake, it is a prestigious position and will signal to Huo Long Cavern that you have my full protection."

He explained the responsibilities and Xing Ge thanked him but said he could not perform the duties the positioned required as he still needed to travel. As a compromise, Gongsun Yuan offered to make his holding of the post ceremonial. Someone else, likely Master Han, would perform the duties, but he would be given a retinue of ten disciples and have all the privileges of the post. He also asked Xing Ge to keep look out for news on anything that would help them contend with Lady Yi Huang. 

Before departing, Xing Ge took lessons from his mother in the Unveiling the Iron Flower Technique. She also gave him one of her old blood stained iron hats. 

On their way out they stopped to speak with Master Han, who managed the sect's information network. They asked him about Black Leopard Villa, he was able to narrow down the possible location of its headquarters to a thirty mile area. He also told them that the only time the disciples left Black Leopard Villa was to retrieve or track down escaped members. But he warned them that their leader, Jade Leopard was feared for her Jade Leopard Palm and Jade Moon Saber. He then gave Xing Ge a pigeon in a cage to use in case of an emergency (which Xing Ge handed to his men to care for). 

The party then travelled back to Xi An and Xing Ge commissioned a life-like portrait of Thundering Scorpion. He then had his men spread rumors at local teahouses and inns that White Scorpion has been seen along the road between Xi An and Li An. 

From there they set out for Li An to meet with Sheriff Bao. As they traveled through he forest, still under the Demon Moon, they heard a booming voice:

"Delicious meats have arrived!"

They saw nothing, but Tu Jin Shi discerned it was before them, yet not visible. 

"Show yourself!"

A creature shimmered into view. It was a tall beast, similar to the ones they had encountered in the woods before. Towering and with black claws and teeth it laughed and leapt to devour Tu Jin Shi. 

Though his kung fu could not hurt it, he was able to evade the attack using his martial arts. Lu Li launched a Jade Arrow at the creature and it died almost instantly. 

After the battle, Xing Ge recalled that he forgot to tell his mother, Gongsun Yuan killed his father. 

This is where the session ended. 

MAINTAINING WUXIA CAMPAIGN LONGEVITY PART ONE

This is part of an ongoing series on long lasting wuxia campaigns (and a casual Saturday post while I recover from being sick). I have been running regular Wandering Heroes of Ogre Gate campaigns since we started work on them in 2014, and before that I ran a  number of wuxia campaigns using other systems. When we started work on Ogre Gate, one of my goals was long term play, and I tried to incorporate the things I had observed added to long term play. Here are key things that helped me. 

D&D-ISMS

While I would not compare Ogre Gate to Dungeons and Dragons, or claim it is an OSR game, it does have some D&D-isms. In general these were things I felt were shared by D&D and wuxia (like inns for example). I think it is important to get into because I often see online discussion about wuxia or horror campaigns dismiss D&D or D&Disms. But D&D is a great game and can work for genres like wuxia and horror (I've seen it work for years). Obviously there are system concerns people may have around emulation, and that is a topic unto itself which I might get into later (because I believe Ravenloft was a highly effective Gothic Horror campaign world using the D&D system). But today I just want to focus on features of D&D that can help add longevity to your campaign, not focus on system issues. 

D&D has a lot of features that lend themselves to long term campaign play. You have large tomes of monsters, pages of spells, magic items, etc. It also has concepts like the dungeon, wilderness exploration, random encounter tables, etc. It is a highly gameable approach to play, and I think one of the reasons D&D and its various iterations (whether they be official or clones) is something about its core ingredients and adventure structures, function well for week to week play. When I was working on Ogre Gate, while it wasn't a retroclone or d20 system, and in many ways the polar opposite of D&D, I made a point of not shying away from D&D-isms I felt contributed to healthy campaigns. I had run a number of wuxia campaigns using 1E and 3E Oriental Adventures for example and had noticed certain things lent themselves to long term play but also to reducing GM burnout in terms of how you prep. 

Having some fantastical elements definitely helps. And chief among these is monsters. That is one reason why Ogre Gate has a robust monster section. What having monsters in the setting allows for is a change of pace from human-centric play. Monsters are challenges, they can serve as the basis for an entire adventure. A haunted house for example, almost writes itself once you start with the monster. Anyone who follows my session logs probably sees most adventures are not about monsters, but they crop up from time to time. And I think this element of the setting breathes life into the campaigns. It makes it so it isn't always just about sects and feuds. While monsters are generally not common features of wuxia, there are exceptions, but this is one area where I think leaning into other source material like Pu Songling is helpful. One of the key moments of development for me with Ogre Gate was when I started intentionally using Pu Songling as inspiration for adventure ideas. 

Other elements of D&D are much more at home with the wuxia genre itself. Random encounters for example can help emulate a living martial world. Wilderness exploration certain fits with characters in wuxia stories going on long adventures, often to exotic and dangerous places. But my favorite D&D adjacent feature of wuxia is the dungeon. 

Everyone seems to understand that wuxia has a strong character driven element. Many efforts to emulate the wuxia genre, including my own, Wandering Heroes of Ogre Gate, put great emphasis on character and sect conflict and the drama that can flow from that. But I think people often tend to see wuxia as being less at home with dungeons or classic adventure structures you might find in traditional RPGs like D&D. One thing I tried to do with Wandering Heroes of Ogre Gate was embrace tried and true approaches alongside the more character driven approach. Wuxia often features things like love triangles, sect politics and stories about torn loyalties. But it is also an adventure genre. Even melodramatic wuxia films like The Thundering Sword, have plenty of adventure tropes like the aforementioned Thundering Sword and a trapped tomb where said sword is located. 

Dungeons are perfectly at home in wuxia. Whether it is finding a manual in the tomb of an ancient master, or a complex that is part of a sect headquarters, dungeon exploration adds another dimension of play to your wuxia campaign and helps produce a more robust martial world. 

WEEKLY PLAY

As much as possible, I think weekly play is one key to successful long term campaigns. Life can be challenging, so sometimes sessions have to get rescheduled, but overall I find a schedule of once a week, much better than once every other week or once every month, for maintaining the momentum of a campaign. 

THE CYCLE OF GRUDGES AND VIOLENCE 

This is incredibly important element of my long term campaigns. In wuxia characters are often motivated by a desire for revenge, grudges need to be settled. And these can span generations sometimes. Toward this end, Grudge tables are essential to my campaigns. 

Grudge tables have several ways they can work but the core idea is anytime the players kill an NPC, upset a sect or group, or even embarrass another martial hero, there is always the chance a grudge arises. Generally this should be up to the GMs judgement based on what he knows about the group or characters in question. Once it is established there is a grudge, they are put on a 2d10 table. As each grudge is handled, the grudges move position. The GM then rolls regularly before play to see if a grudge encounter happens that session (and encounter tables have entries for Grudge Encounters as well so they can come up during a random encounter as well). 

Grudges give the game focus. Even if the players are meandering or not following a clear path, a grudge introduces a problem they eventually have to deal with. And the GM can get quite creative with grudges. A grudge encounter can simply mean the players have a run in with the disciples of a rival sect or a specific person they have a grudge with. But sometimes sects and enemies hire assassins. And sending waves of increasingly colorful and skilled assassins when grudge come up is a fun way to liven up play (assassins are just enjoyable to make). 

They also give the game fuel. It draws the players into the cycle of violence in the martial world, which can often be quite endless. 

NOTE TAKING

If you don't take notes, long term campaigns are impossible to maintain. You need to know very basic things, like which NPCs are alive and dead, but also you have to track changes that have occurred to the setting as the campaign has gone on. 

I think note taking has other benefits for wuxia that might not be obvious. I've mentioned in this in previous discussions about 'pinning it down' but frequently in wuxia characters have encounters with random martial experts or thugs, and these are always stark characters of the martial world, people with signature kung fu and weapons, often strange personality quirks. Note taking skills can help you when you need to make NPCs like this on the fly. Through note taking I became very good at inventing techniques, weapons and overall personalities for groups of martial experts...all in the moment. So not taking helps your campaign not just by tracking what happened, but giving you a tool for instant prep when unexpected things come up. And when you write it down that makes it more objective than if you don't. 

RUN CHARACTER BASED CAMPAIGNS

My campaigns tend to be character based. Occasionally, when I am running shorter campaigns for horror RPGs, I may do more monster of the week style adventures, but when I am running Ogre Gate, I always start each session asking the players what they want to do, without any real plan of my own. I may have prepped details I knew were important, NPCs in the setting might be plotting or planning things of their own, but I am not working to fold what the players are doing into any of these things. My campaigns are about letting the players decide what they want to do, who they want to deal with, etc. There is always a back and forth as things go, so if they piss off a sect, adventure might come to them in the form of a grudge, and if they grow their reputation, people may ask for their services, but there is never any obligation for the players to do so. And the adventures they go on just flow from what happens. I don't think in terms of paths or needing to pace things a certain way. That means things never go off the rails, but also that I never get overly burned out. Path adventures, and this is not a knock on them, take a lot of prep. Doing that week to week can burn you out (I know because I did it for years). But a more open character based approach, means you as the GM basically prepare like an hour between each session. You might work on more at your leisure, but that is mostly just world building stuff. It can be more prep before the campaign begins, but once things get started it's about treating the players, NPCs, sects, etc as live things in the setting: a living adventure. 

I don't think this is the only way to do things. But it is a way that has consistently worked well for me. 

PARTING THOUGHTS

As I said, this is what worked for me. I find everyone has a different idea of what wuxia should be at their game table. Not everyone is going to want monsters in a wuxia campaign for example (and if you don't, but like Ogre Gate, you can just push monsters to the side or try the grittier Righteous Blood Ruthless Blades system I co-wrote with Jeremy Bai). What I have learned though is deal with the table have before you. Worry about your game table, what makes things work for you, and make the wuxia campaign you want to make (don't make a wuxia campaign to impress someone on the internet you don't even game with). I will try to get back to this topic in the near future. 

In the meantime, if you found this post helpful, check out my Wuxia Sandbox posts HERE. 

GAMEMASTERING WUXIA: LETHALITY AND BALANCE IN OGRE GATE AND RBRB

Wandering Heroes of Ogre Gate and Righteous Blood Ruthless Blades both take an approach to design that embraces lethality and kung fu techniques that vary considerably in power (even at the same Qi Rank). Balance is not the point of the techniques. This can be contrasted with the parent system, Sertorius, where balance was a goal (and many of our earlier games before that as well). The reason for this shift was two-fold. First, we wanted to emulate the carnage you see on screen in wuxia films like Golden Swallow and Killer Clans. Second, less balance proved more fun in playtest. This was something we initially realized when working on the the first Book of the Archon for Sertorius, where we created a spell expansion that had spells unrestricted by balance consideration. We found they made the game more exciting and when players were offered the balanced versus the unbalanced option, they almost always chose the unbalanced one. It is also much more emulative of the source material. In wuxia and kung fu movies and novels, there are spikes in power. Some characters are amazing, others are not. And we wanted to capture that. None of this is to say there isn't a kind of balance in the game, but for the most part, what balance exists arises organically in the setting and still largely unforgiving. 

Related to this is a central concept introduced in Ogre Gate: The Evolving or Changing Kung Fu Landscape. This is meant to reflect what you see so often in wuxia media: the martial world going through periods of chaos and disruption then returning to equilibrium as new Kung Fu emerges to contend with powerful techniques that upset the balance. Here is the text from the core book:

And I clarified this point further in the Sons of Lady 87 Book here: 

A perfect example of this in the books, and in my own campaigns, is the technique Blade of the Dancing Fox. This was very powerful and players quickly discovered how useful it was. When it first emerged, and started to become known in the campaign, not only did several players start taking it, they soon found NPCs were emerging who knew it as well. This is one way balance can be achieved (a technique simply becomes more ubiquitous as its fame grows and sects covet it). But eventually someone devised a counter: Swift Reply of the Fox (this technique appears in War of Swarming Beggars). Usually that is what begins to occur. The martial world evolves over time, so that there is a natural balance in the world. This doesn't mean characters don't get killed by super powerful technique or some characters don't have better techniques than others, but it means eventually even the most powerful hero with a great technique like Blade of the Dancing Fox, eventually meets their match or eventually the presence of their power alone attracts enemies in larger numbers (whether it is heroic sects uniting to deal with a threat, or challengers seeking to prove they can beat the most powerful people in the martial world). 

As you can see this is crucial to managing powerful techniques in the game. And this is meant to emulate something that happens in both wuxia and Kung Fu: a powerful martial arts technique or weapon is introduced that rocks the martial world by creating a huge power imbalance, but eventually a solution arises to nullify or counter the technique. For this to work the GM needs to understand this principle and be open to new techniques emerging from player characters and NPCs in response. 

Another thing the GM should keep in mind is the sects and NPCs. Many of the more powerful Kung Fu techniques belong to equally powerful sects. So even acquiring them, puts a player character in danger, and using them once acquired can attract the attention of the sect. This doesn't mean the GM is meant to simply spam problems at a player because they have a good technique, but it highlights an important aspect of power in the martial world: everything has consequences and power itself can become its own headache. This by the way was an aspect of Sertorius as well. Players becoming powerful is not really a problem. It can be fun, even its own source of adventure. But the GM needs to understand how it produces complications, as those complications will be things that become a focus in the campaign. 

Characters in wuxia and kung fu films are not always equal in power, some are very weak, some are very strong, and while sometimes this is due simply to the point in training a character is at, often it boils down to individual martial arts techniques being much better or worse than others. The game also doesn't assume or guarantee that characters become great heroes of martial artists. That is often what protagonists in wuxia are, but my approach has been more to emulate the world of Condor Heroes or Heroes Shed no Tears, not the plot lines. One of the things I enjoy about playing is finding out who the players are over the course of the campaign. Do they become one of the greats like Guo Jing, a villain, or simply someone who dies, perhaps giving others reason to get revenge? 

While both games lean into drama, neither leans into story structure, so what this brings in terms of emulation is not a guarantee that your character will survive as a hero or survive to die spectacularly at the end. It does mean, because death is on the table, there are ample opportunities for drama. Death almost always produces drama. A good way to think of it is you never really know who or where you are in the story. You could just be a bit player meant to die under a henchman's sword, and that might launch the real story of your brother coming for revenge. It isn't about story structure it is about situations, drama, bloodshed, etc. 

Take the Venom Mob film Crippled Avengers as an example. At the start of this movie, the entire party of characters is maimed in some way. One is deafened, the other blinded, another has his legs cut off, and one is even made into an idiot when they crush his head in a vice. This all happens at the start of the movie. It is essentially a TPK with an asterisk. And it launches the heroes on their path to training around their new disabilities so they can confront the father and son who maimed them. That is how lethality operates in a Wandering Heroes of Ogre Gate or Righteous Blood Ruthless Blades campaign (particularly the later where maiming is probably more common). Now there is no guarantee they will survive, this is very much a play to find out what happens kind of system. But whatever it is, it will be a solid evening of swordplay. It is also why back-up characters are crucial. 

Generally Wandering Heroes of Ogre Gate is more forgiving than Righteous Blood Ruthless Blades, because it is a bit easier for players to gauge how many more hits they can take in a given fight, but this isn't always the case. Character deaths happen for all kinds of reasons in campaigns and this is something built into the game's design. I am not personally a fan of giving PCs plot armor, and that is something that has been constant in all our games (whether it is Terror Network, Servants of Gaius or Wandering Heroes of Ogre Gate). Sometimes that means characters meet anti-climactic ends because the system is not loaded for only dramatic outcomes in that respect and the GM is not supposed to tip the scales. You are playing to discover what happens, which I think is more exciting and also acknowledges that this is a game using random dice rolls. Fighting against random dice to achieve story goals can be a terrible exercise in frustration for all. 

There is another element that these games embrace, particularly Ogre Gate, which is some of the gonzo quality in many wuxia. Everything in wuxia feels heightened, the characters, the battles, the situations, etc. Some movies and books leans into this in a very heavy way, like Web of Death or Holy Flame of the Martial World, and those influences are certainly there. But it is also present in more typical examples like The Condor Heroes trilogy or Smiling Proud Wanderer. Or take some of the film versions, like Swordsman II* or Brave Archer Series. One of the things that makes these films so exciting is how wild and inventive they are, and the kind of plot turns they lean into. 

Something I discovered taking this approach from the early playtests to now (with Ogre Gate in particular as that is the primary system I run week to week), is this really lends itself to long term campaigns. And making long-term, sustainable, wuxia campaigns was a major goal from the outset. When you get out of the mindset of plot armor and hinging the story on a single character, even if their stories are important while they live, it opens the game up to more durable sources of fuel and attention. A total party kill for example is not the end of the campaign, it is a great beginning. An important character dying, can mean an exciting new direction for the campaign. A character obtaining an overpowered technique puts them at the center of conflict in the martial world, the adventures start to write themselves as other clans seek to deal with that person. Characters who find themselves weak or feeble, have solid motivation for finding a solution to that weakness. They may seek out a powerful technique/weapon or die trying. When you combine this with many of the other classic elements I have discussed before (sect conflict, wuxia dungeons, etc) it has given me campaigns that last for years. 

I will talk more about Gamemastering wuxia campaigns future posts based on my own play at the table. Feel free to send me a message or comment about something you would like to see me discuss.

*By part III of this series the movies deviate wildly from the books, so I mention this one as it is well regarded by many fans because it was marketed in the west as a stand alone movie under titles like The Legend of the Swordsman. 

 

THE ANGRY RIVER REVIEW

Released in 1971 The Angry River is directed by Huang Feng and stars Angela Mao. It is about a woman whose father is poisoned by the Moon Cult's Seven Deadly Thorn. To save him she must travel far across the Angry River, into a dangerous valley where the only remedy, Ganoderma Atrum, is protected. She faces the temple's guardians and discovers to leave the temple to bring her father the cure she must let the guardians disable her Kung Fu. What unfolds is a story of a martial hero, stripped of her powers, braving a long journey home, while in possession of a highly prized herb that not only cures the Seven Deadly Thorn poison, but increases a person's martial abilities. By making the hero so vulnerable for such a long duration of the film, we see how strong her will and character truly are. It also reveals the virtue and vice of everyone else around her. 

Huang Feng made several Angela Mao films, including Lady Whirlwind (1972), Hapkido (1972), The Tournament (1974) and When Taekwondo Strikes (just to name a few). And he directed The Crimson Charm (1971), which I reviewed HERE. The others I have covered on the podcast, and I recommend all but would single out Hapkido as my favorite. 

Angela Mao is known to all I am sure, but for those who haven't seen her movies, she brings real martial arts to the screen and is well known for her kicks. Her movies don't always get the level of quality her talents deserve but as a former Taekwondo practitioner myself, I adore her kicking and the overall explosiveness of her martial arts. The Angry River isn't a kung fu movie though, so this is not the kind of performance we see from her in When Taekwondo Strikes or Hapkido. It is closer to a movie like Broken Oath (1977) or The Invincible Eight (1971). 

There is some confusion over whether this is the first Golden Harvest movie or not, as the title also seems to be taken by The Invincible Eight. Similarly there is confusion over whether this is Angela Mao's first role. It seems The Angry River was the first Golden Harvest production, but The Invincible Eight was released first. Also Angela Mao was in the The Eight Bandits in 1968, so it appears her first role was actually years earlier. 

The Angry River is an impressive film. It is a bit sharper than many other early Golden Harvest Movies, both in terms of visual presentation and in style (some of this could be due to the transfer being clear). It has one-foot firmly planted in that late 60s Shaw Brothers wuxia era, but still feels like a refreshing change. I think it is one of the their best efforts and sure to please anyone who loves the classic wuxia style, but is open to more fantasy elements. 

The music is great, it freely samples from On Her Majesty's Secret Service for wonderful effect for example. And the incidental music all adds to the mood. 

There are plenty of practical effects and some work great, others not so much. I rather enjoyed the giant lizard man in a rubber suit scene. It is what it is, but fun and surprising. But the rope crossing, which is essential because it takes place over the Angry River itself, was something of a disappointment. It looked like very shoddy blue screen (or something similar). 

The Angry River was an interesting threat. It wasn't entirely clear what its full nature was, but anything that fell into it, caught on fire. So that felt suitably dangerous. However it is less central to the plot than one might think from the title. More of an important threshold for the hero to cross. 

As mentioned this is a movie where the heroine loses her kung fu. That is a genre staple, though it is more typical for side characters to be the recipients of this fate. Here it works, and reminded me of a later film, Superman II. I loved it for many of the same reasons I enjoyed that movie as a kid. I won't spoil anything, but I will say when she loses her powers she is told if things get too disastrous, she can restore her Kung Fu and regain her powers by eating the Ganoderma Atrum. This would mean there would not be any left for her father, but it puts the possibility on the table of her regaining her abilities at some point. 

What is interesting is just how much loss of martial ability affects her. It does not only impacting her fighting. It affects her ability to endure the long journey itself, to ward off illness, etc. The film makes the point that Kung Fu is about more than just swords and fists, these characters are exceptional in all kinds of other ways, which explains why they can stand so easily outside of normal social convention sometimes. But here, she is suddenly vulnerable and often reliant on the good will of other heroes. We see this clearly in the contrast between her journey to the Angry River, which is fairly effortless, and the long, painful trek home. 

We also don't know who she can trust, because once it is known she is powerless and carrying this valuable and coveted herb, characters who once seemed righteous, suddenly behave differently. I found myself on the edge of my seat from set-ups as simple as her recovering at an inn after nearly dying from a long journey. Righteous heroes turn into vultures and any time she is resting, or weak from travel, I was worried someone would steal the herb from her. There is even a hero who almost rises to the level of love interest, and becomes her protector, but in the back of my mind, I wondered if he could be trusted. 

The fights are solid. This is an early Angela Mao film, and she only gets sharper with time, but here the performances work and the fight choreography, by Han Ying-Chieh and Sammo Hung work great. It is worth mentioning I discussed them in my review of The Invincible Eight as they served as martial arts directors for that movie too. And the fight with Pai Ying's King of Hell is awesome (in some ways it reminds me of his performance in Dragon Inn). The fight scene are are a little more old-fashioned than the later Golden Harvest movies, particularly post Bruce Lee films, but anyone familiar with late 60s Shaw Brothers action should enjoy this. 

This film looks great too. Not just in the filming itself, but the sets, the costumes. With the exception of the aforementioned rubber lizard man suit, everything looks stellar. I strongly recommend The Angry River. Not only is it notable as the first Golden Harvest Production, it is an important Angela Mao film and has a unique take on the protagonist losing their martial arts, which allows it to tell a much different story. 

THE INVINCIBLE EIGHT REVIEW

The Invincible Eight is a 1971 Golden Harvest  wuxia film directed by Lo Wei. It stars Nora Miao, Tang Ching, Angela Mao, Paul Chang Chung, Lee Kwan, James Tin Chuen, Lydia Shum, Pai Ying, Patrick Tse Yin, and Han Ying-Chieh. It is about a group of eight revenge-seeking heroes whose fathers were killed by the corrupt and cruel General Hsiao. 

The movie was recently released in Blu-ray by 88 Films, which is the version I am using for this review. This appears to be Lo Wei's first Golden Harvest film, and possibly the first Golden Harvest release as well: there is some confusion over this which I will get into in my review of The Angry River (1971). But it seems The Angry River was the first to go into production and this was the first to see release. 

The Invincible Eight is built around a large ensemble cast. That can often go either way for me in wuxia. If things get too big and become more about events than the characters, that go south. But films like The Brave Archer trilogy (1977-1981) and The 14 Amazons (1972) are examples where I think it is handled well. Here the large cast works. It is never confusing, each person is clearly drawn and they function together like a proper troupe. And while there is a political element to the story, the movie doesn't get bogged down in court politics or larger events. The focus is on the characters and swordplay. The result is a solidly entertaining movie with great performances from an ensemble cast, thrilling action and memorable characters. 

Lo Wei is a great story teller in my opinion. And I like the way the film sinks into its location, and allows the story to emerge largely through pieces of backstory revealed in dialogue. Most of the movie is set at General Hsiao's fortress where the would be assassins are taken prisoner. There we also find two other people, Miss Chiang, the adopted daughter of the general, played by Nora Miao, and Hai Tao, played by Patrick Tse Yin. The latter is an adopted son of the general, and his number two, but as the story progresses we learn things are more complicated for both of them. 

Another element of Lo Wei films that stands out here is telling the story through action and alongside the action. The movie effectively begins with a sword fight, and from that point on, we get sword fight after sword fight, with rests in between where characters are introduced and developed. 

And the swordplay is all well choreographed by Han Ying-Chieh and Sammo Hung. Sammo Hung probably needs little introduction here as his name is widely known, but he often did martial arts direction while also serving as an actor in these early Golden Harvest films, including a number featuring Angela Mao. Han Ying-Chieh is not only a veteran actor whose face you have surely seen, but he is responsible for the fight choreography in films like Come Drink With Me (1966), Dragon Inn (1967), A Touch of Zen (1970), The Big Boss (1971), and Fist of Fury (1972). 

Both marital arts directors appear in this movie. Sammo Hung is one of the whip masters, but Han Ying-Chieh plays General Hsiao. The latter is a very smart choice as the General serves as the final boss and needs to sell a fight against eight heroes. Not only is Han Ying-Chieh a great fight choreographer, he looks dangerous and believable on screen. 

The secondary villain, Wan Shun, played by Pai Ying, is rather interesting. And here I am going to get into spoilers in order to talk about him, so I recommend viewing the film before reading this paragraph. While he is initially presented as one of a number of subordinates who the general trusts, it is revealed he is the mastermind behind the general's rise, and in private he speaks down to the general like he is the one truly in charge. It is not unlike Samuel L. Jackson's character in Django Unchained (2012). The shift in perception of his power is even handled in a somewhat similar way and feels like a dangerous shift, because this mere lackey is suddenly shown to be so much more powerful than anticipated. 

For those not familiar with Pai Ying, he often plays antagonists, and was notably the Eunuch in Dragon Inn. He also played Hell King in The Angry River and folks might also recognize him from Royal Warriors (1986). He is genuinely frightening here. The man has a presence and an ability to radiate menace and power. While General Hsiao is the ultimate foe in the end, as he is the one the eight finally face off with, it is Pai Ying's Wan Shun who creates the greater sense of threat and unease through most of the movie. 

The Eight are all well cast. Everyone is good in their own way. Angela Mao really stood out with her Kuei Chien Chin, who dresses as a man to infiltrate the fortress. Something interesting here is everyone around her realizes she is a woman, and it is discussed behind her back, which adds a little twist to the trope. Nora Miao is also wonderful. She plays one of the more formidable characters as the general's adopted daughter, and I thought they captured her lightness martial arts nicely. She also just had the right look for the character. Tang Ching is always a solid performer and he works well here as Feng I Fei. He is skilled at portraying heroes with an emotional depth, often characters who seem haunted by their past or a burden of duty. Here he helps ground the film. And the man can brood while remaining stoic. For great examples see The Jade Raksha (1968) or The Black Enforcer (1972). Lee Kwan as a kind of hapless chef, who ultimately proves to have more grit than we first think, helped balance out the movie with light comedy. Lydia Shum, who plays the loud-mouthed Chiao Hsiu Hu, was memorable and also helped give the movie a more comedic tone from time to time. But her volatility and unpredictability also injects a sense of risk. None of the comedy overwhelms the seriousness of the story, it just added some contrast. James Tin Chuen plays a hot-tempered axe wielder whose fury pairs nicely with Lydia Shum's sharp tongue and temper. Paul Chang Chung brought level-headed gravitas to the movie as Swordsman Ho. 

Something gamers might appreciate about The Invincible Eight is the way the heroes deal with the whip masters at the general's fortress. The whips prove to be a formidable weapon and in order to counter it, they create special shears with a pair of duel-wielded swords. But because there are eight of them, they need 16 blades in total, which they have to take time to forge. This felt like something that would arise organically in a wuxia campaign. 

I give this movie an enthusiastic recommendation. I think it has something for everyone. One element that is missing is a love story, but with such a big cast it would have been hard to give attention to that. This is very much about characters on a clear mission. Lo Wei is a highly consistent director who never disappoints me. I might recommend people first check out Vengeance of a Snowgirl (1971) or Fist of Fury (1972), but I think this is also a perfectly worthy point of entry, and a notable film in the Golden Harvest timeline. 

ESCORT MISSION TABLES

This is a concept that came up in my Thursday game session this week. The players decided to work as escorts*. These appear all the time in wuxia novels and movies, often serving as important plot elements or as an excuse for a big fight scene with a group of bandits. In this case the players were closely aligned with the Tu Association, as one of the members was of Tu Lineage, and they asked the chief, the PCs brother, if they could take some escort missions (the brother has been giving them association resources and in exchange he simply wanted occasional help from the party using their martial expertise). It became clear I needed a way to help me determine what types of escorts would be requested. I could just decide this myself, but I wanted the core components to be decided by a table. As GM I would still try to work these elements into something interesting. 

Bandit Encounters for Escorts: Before getting to the table, it also occurred to me that characters serving as escorts face greater risks, as thieves and bandits, or rival sects, may learn of what they are transporting. So I came up with three approaches to handle this: 1) Have there be a 20 percent chance each day of such an encounter. 2) Have there be a 50 percent flat chance of a bandit encounter at some point along the way. 3) Roll an additional Survival Roll each day to check for a bandit encounter. I opted for 2, though I think in future I will use 3. The math of all of these options is very different and produces very different results.

THE ESCORT MISSION TABLES

These are just the quick tables I put together in my notes as the session was starting and it was becoming clear the players were to go on escort missions. I put these in my campaign notes but they are exactly as they appeared in my written notepad (except the text of the complication section, which was just a note about percentage):

*In wuxia escorts guard and transport people, goods, etc traveling or being shipped from one location to another. 

OCTOBER MONSTERS FOR RIGHTEOUS BLOOD RUTHLESS BLADES

Art by Jackie Musto 

In the spirit of October I am converting monster entries from Strange Tales of Songling for Righteous Blood Ruthless Blades. These are supernatural creatures inspired by Pu Songling's Strange Tales from a Chinese Studio. I will be doing a few monsters each post and not including every monster as Jeremy and I have been developing certain creatures for an intended expansion. Today I am going to cover Ghosts. Ghosts can come in endless variety and these are just a handful of example. 

BITTEN GHOST
Bitten Ghosts often come at night when people are falling asleep. Their exact nature is not well known, but they typically appear as recently deceased corpse in mourning or burial attire. They have pale and bloated features, with enigmatic expressions that induce fright. Bitten Ghosts press themselves on a victim's body, pinning them with great force so they can draw out their life energy through their nostrils. 

Defenses: Hardiness 7, Evade 6, Wits 6

Key Skills: Life Drain: 3d10, External Arts: 2d10, Muscle: 4d10, Speed: 0d10

Max Wounds: 5
Type: Ghost 
Resist: 0

POWERS

Bitten Vulnerability: Bitten Ghosts are vulnerable to human bites. When bitten they recoil and flee, and take 2 Extra Wounds from such attacks. 

Weight of Many Corpses: Their body presses heavily on victims. On a Successful External Arts roll the target is pinned and must make a Muscle Roll TN 8 to lift the Ghost off their body. 

Life Drain: A bitten ghost can draw out a person's life by inhaling near the target's mouth with their nostrils. Roll 3d10 against Evade. On a Success, the target loses 1 Hardiness which recovers at a rate of 1 per week. 

Immunities: Bitten ghosts are immune to mundane attacks but vulnerable to Signature Abilities, rituals and magic weapons. Each one is also vulnerable to a key substance based on its history and all are susceptible to human teeth. 

INVISIBLE GHOST 
Invisible Ghosts cannot be seen by the human eye. However, animals can sense them and are able to harm them as well. These ghosts are both playful and vindictive. They often haunt a chamber or hall to frighten away the residents so they can have the place to themselves. Provided they are not interfered with, they leave people elsewhere in the abode alone. If any dare enter their space, they attack through the night. 

Defenses: Hardiness 4, Evade 4, Wits 7

Key Skills: Attack: 3d10, Detect: 3d10, Speed: 4d10, Muscle: 1d10

Max Wounds: 5
Type: Ghost 
Resist: 0

POWERS

Invisible: Invisible Ghosts are unseen and hard to strike. In order to hit them, one must first make a Detect Roll against TN 8. Otherwise the attack is made at -3d10. Animals can see and harm invisible ghosts. 

Attack: Invisible Ghosts attack by throwing objects. They can hurl anything for 4d10 damage. 

Immunities: Invisible Ghosts are immune to mundane attacks and any Signature Ability that isn't magic or specifies it affects Ghosts. They can be hurt by Peach Wood swords however (so a person wielding one with a Signature Ability, could affect them). 

LOVING GHOST 
Loving Ghosts are benevolent spirits who cannot be eligible for reincarnation until they've dealt with some unresolved matter of fate regarding a lover they had in their previous life. They typically help their former lover deal with a present challenge or difficulty. Their presence is highly disruptive because they usually arrive after their lover has reincarnated many times. A person who meets their Loving Ghost becomes greatly confused as memories of their previous life come flooding to the foreground and overwhelm them. 

Defenses: Hardiness 4, Evade 5, Wits 6

Key Skills: Attack: 1d10, Detect: 2d10, Speed: 3d10, Fly: 2d10, Muscle: 1d10

Max Wounds: 3
Type: Ghost 
Resist: 0

POWERS

Awaken: When a Loving Ghost is in the presence of their former lover, that person forgets their present life, and the memories of a previous life spent with the ghost dominate their mind. This is very disorienting and the effect remains until the Loving Ghost can move on. 

Fly: Loving Ghosts can fly freely. 

Immunities: Loving Ghosts are immune to Mundane Attacks and Signature Abilities that are not magical. They are affected by magic and sunlight (causes 2d10 damage each round of exposure). They can also be harmed by weapons made from objects dear to their former lover. 

PEONY GHOST

A Peony Ghost is the returned spirit of a person who was offered a shortcut to rebirth if they can find true love for three years. They are sustained by feelings of affection and usually seek out a spouse so they can marry and have children. However, if they are ever discovered to be a ghost by their spouse, they must return to Diyu (Hell) and face their full punishment before being reborn (averting this requires extreme means contending with the ghostly officials and demons of diyu). They look human unless they are exposed to light from direct candle or the sun (moonlight, reflected light, and distant candle light has no effect on them). When exposed to these by sun light, they are seen for what they truly are: a rotting corpse. Still they are able to live as normal people, eating, having children and all the rest. They also have the ability to dampen and freeze a person's heart with a touch (though each life they take in this way creates additional challenges they must face when reborn). 

Defenses: Hardiness 5, Evade 6, Wits 7

Key Skills: Attack: 2d10, Persuade: 2d10, Empathy: 2d10, Speed: 2d10, Detect: 2d10, Religion: 2d10 

Max Wounds: 4
Type: Ghost
Resist: 1

POWERS

Heart Touch: By pressing their palms to a person's chest, Peony Ghosts can chill it and even cause death. Roll Attack against Evade. On a Success the target is Drained of 2 Hardiness as their heart chills. When they reach 0 Hardiness their heart is frozen and they die. 

Deathless: A Peony Ghost regenerates 1 wound per hour and returns in 1 day if destroyed. 

Weakness: Sun and direct flame will reveal a Peony Ghost to be nothing more than a rotting corpse. If this is ever discovered by their spouse, they must return to Diyu and face punishment. If they eat or drink anything made from Peonies they are permanently destroyed. 

THE SONS OF LADY 87: REVISED FAN XU MAP

This is going to show up in the PDF and print versions eventually, but here is a slightly revised map of Fan Xu Prefecture for Wandering Heroes of Ogre Gate and for the Sons of Lady 87 book. There was an issue with one of the legend elements not exporting. Recommend referring to this one for overland travel. 

 

CELESTIAL PLUME MASTERS SESSION 20

This was the Twentieth session of my Wandering Heroes of Ogre Gate wuxia sandbox campaign, the Celestial Plume Masters, using the Sons of Lady 87 book, which was just released in print. You can see the first session HERE. You can see the nineteenth session HERE.  

PLAYER CHARACTERS 

Wei Ziying: A skilled poisoner and physician, with ties to the Relentless Corpse Sect, Wei Ziying is a disciple of the Celestial Plume Masters. He also has a longstanding friendship with Kuo Qingzhao, who wishes to know more about the poisons that killed his wife (poisons Wei Ziying knows the secrets of). Grudge: Ravenous Nun Xuanji (for the murder of Red Eagle)

Wang Haoyang: A master of stealth, Wang Haoyang is one of the Celestial Plume Master disciples. He has a lifelong friendship with Pei Ye of the Vermillion Bird Teahouse, but has attracted the affection of another member of that organization, Fan Zhen'er (he does not return the affection but wishes to avoid creating friction within the Vermillion Bird Teahouse, and possibly creating enemies). Grudge: Guan Nuan (for a duel he escaped, she feels she lost face because he was weaker than her and should have been an easy victory)

Hei Ling: A one-eyed chief in the Celestial Plume Masters, Hei Ling is the father of Li Liang, whom he wishes to cease practicing her Toad Style kung fu because of the physical toll on her body. He had Li Liang with Qixia the candied fruit in his youth and since then Qixia has grown hostile. He has a working relationship with the Wu Sisters. Grudge: Qixia the Candied Fruit Vendor (of Hai'an). Grudge: Qixia (many reasons related to their pre-existing relationship)

Iron Tiger: The newest member of the party, sent by Night Thorn to help them expand. He has a longstanding friendship with Iron Beggar Sun Kang, whom he wants to leave his lap of luxury in the House of Flying Lanterns so he can train with the Nature Loving Monks and improve his Kung Fu. Iron Beggar in turn wants Iron Tiger to leave the Celestial Plume Masters. Grudge: Pei Ye (he murdered her favorite client, Golden Cobra).

BROKEN BONES AND SEVERED LEGS

Wang Haoyang's attack failed. His wife's, did not, and she cut into the hag, Bingyin. 

The next moments saw a blaze of fists and steel. Blood became a mist hanging in the air.

Of the three, Bingyin proved most formidable. But the momentum turned to the party's favor when San, the sister of Bone Breaker, and Chen, sworn brother of Bone Breaker, leapt to attack Hei Ling, only to have their legs cut off by his leg maiming strike. 

Their bodies collapsed to the floor, their mind's conscious but their legs scattered. 

Iron Tiger broke Bingyin's knee cap. She then arced her back and unleashed a wave of blue Qi energy against the party. This had some effect but she surrendered after Iron Tiger's fist sent her crumpled to the ground. 

Hei Ling and Iron Tiger recognized San as Bone Breaker's twin sister. 

Fearless Cat
Art by Jackie Musto 

"You can go, and you can take him," Hei Ling said to Bingyin as he pointed to Chen. "But she stays. She will be treated as our guest, and you can tell Bone Breaker if it is a war he wants, it is a war he will get. Or we can deal with this like civilized people and have a real conversation."

Iron Tiger spoke to the crone as she lifted Chen and hobbled out of the boat, "Tell Bone Breaker this was a misunderstanding. He was given false information by Bronze Master." 

On the trip back they were able to speak with San. Iron Tiger had heard of her dislike for Bone Breaker's wife, Fearless Cat and suggested perhaps the ambush was her idea and not Bone Breaker's^. 

"Yes, she is a despicable woman," San said as she was recovering. 

Over the course of the journey San would put the blame for all her sect's missteps and evils on Fearless Cat. 

PARASOL AND BEGGARS 

Back in Mai Cun another of Iron Tiger's recruits arrived*. It was a woman dressed in the fashion of the empire's upper crust. She presented herself as Twin Dagger Zaun Shanhu. 

They allowed a demonstration and she appeared to display tremendous lethality using two daggers. When asked if she knew the Storming Daggers technique, Zuan Shanhu scoffed and didn't seem to think much of it, preferring her own approach. Then she was permitted to demonstrate the full force of her technique on Hei Ling, who willingly let her blades cut into his flesh. The effect appeared impressive. 

Iron Tiger offered her a position. Zuan Shanhu said she had two requirements: 

"Know that I will never walk anywhere. I expect to be carried by palanquin and have sufficient men for the job, whatever the mission. Also I would like to continue living in the manner I am accustomed. My chambers should be exceptionally high quality and I will receive a stipend**."

Iron Tiger agreed and saw that she was given adequate quarters until more permanent arrangements could be made. 

Iron Tiger then hired a famous local detective named Liu Wan to investigate the matter of the Nature Loving Monks siding against them in the conflict. Wang Haoyang wasn't concerned, but Hei Ling and Iron Tiger were more worried about it. 

Liu Wan carried a parasol and seemed confident in his abilities. He asked for one golden tael upfront and two when he finished the missions. He told them he would find out about the beggars in a say's time. 

LIU WAN RETURNS 

Carrying a sack saturated with blood, Liu Wan bowed to Hei Ling. They could see a recent wound upon his face, a rather ghastly one. 

He calmly removed a head from the bag. "The Nature Loving Monks tried to ambush me, but I managed to make this one speak before I cut off the head."

"We are sorry you were attacked but you seem to have handled yourself well," Said Hei Ling. "Please tell us what you learned."

"It seems that he," Liu Wan said pointing to Wang Haoyang, "was seen by a beggar murdering Drunken Cricket, the wife of Chief Qu Wanli. So they have turned against you and you should expect them to attempt assassinations against Wang Haoyang in the near future."

Liu Wan was thanked for his service and given his two golden taels. Iron Tiger asked to retain him permanently and he said he would consider it over the next ten days. Iron Tiger offered to have him a new parasol crafted by Master San in Mai Cun. 

They debated how to handle the matter. Hei Ling sent a gift of 50,000 spades to all the regional Nature Loving Monk chiefs except for Chief Qu Wanli hoping to turn them against him and earn their loyalty. He also included a message that read: 

There was an unfortunate incident involving Drunken Cricket. We did not mean to offend the Nature Loving Monks. But you should also know the truth about Chief Qu Wanli: he was selling dangerously low quality celestial plume that was causing death and social disorder in Tung-On.

This is where the session ended. 

^Prior to the battle, I had asked the players to make a roll to see whether these characters were part of the setting canon or if all the Bone Breaker material was part of the Bone Breaker campaign canon as they are very different. In the campaign, San despised Fearless Cat with a passion. In the books this is described more as a fear of Fearless Cat, but in the campaign, San wanted Fearless Cat to die. This roll also would affect whether members of Bone Breaker sect had certain items and abilities. 

*Iron Tiger had put word out that he was seeking to hire several great masters into his service. 

**For each of the masters that Iron Tiger recruits, I make a roll to see how closely they align with the criteria he gave to his men, then I use the Bedrock App to make a random character and establish the NPC's personality and history based on their kung fu and skills. In the case of Zuan Shanhu, she had a number of skills that seemed more aristocratic so I quickly put together details that included she was born into a wealthy family, had a quirk that she demanded her employers provide a palanquin (but despite this she still trained most of the day to help explain things like her 4d10 Athletics). The visual that hit me was the Eunuch in the original Dragon Gate Inn movie, who spends the entire film being taken to the final battle on a palanquin by his servants. I imagine that is how she approaches all her missions.