HEARTS OF STEEL: A WUXIA MINI-MYSTERY

Decided to write this up after a small bout of insomnia. It is late so this is just a first draft. Just an initial idea more than anything else. But hopefully people can use this for a short adventure. This takes place in Yu Zhing, which is a city in Hu Qin in the Wandering Heroes of Ogre Gate setting. Apologies for the map, this is just a hand drawn one for my own campaign. 

The purpose of this is to have a really quick and easy to reference mystery adventure without as much detail to wade through. So the GM should probably be very flexible as players investigate. 

HEARTS OF STEEL: MINI-WUXIA MYSTERY ADVENTURE

A killer stalks the streets and Yu Zhing, leaving a trail of bodies. Most have one thing in common: an axe in the heart and to ties Merciless Sword Sect. The trail of mystery leads to a righteous man gone awry, a wicked couple and a corrupt official who secretly leads the Thundering Hammer Sect. 

BACKGROUND

The wicked couple of Merciless Sword Sect, Yang Wenrou and Yang She had a wager with Divine Judge Juishao of Thundering Hammer Sect. Yang Wenrou and Yang She claimed they could turn the great and troublesome hero Lin Yuan into a greater evil than the three of them combined. Divine Judge Juishao felt Yuan's personality was too noble for such a transformation. They each bet their left leg. They set a date of one year as a deadline.

The wicked couple tried for seven months and failed to turn Lin Yuan toward a darker path. Desperate, they agreed that Yang Wenrou should seduce Lin Yuan and trick him into harming the innocent so they could win the bet and keep their legs. Wenrou feigned a gentle and kind disposition. She befriended Lin Yuan at an inn in Hai’an and convinced him she was being chased by a corrupt official and his men, a man named Liang Bao. She asked him to help her escape to Yu Zhing, which he did. During the journey Lin Yuan fell in love with Yang Wenrou and she had an easy time laying the trap. In truth Liang Bao was a good man working to defeat the Glorious Emperor.

She went to Yu Zhing knowing that Liang Bao was going to a meeting of like-minded righteous heroes  at the Laughing Mountain Tea House in the Towering Chrysanthemum. So she made sure they got a room there, got Lin Yuan drunk, then told him that Liang Bao had brought his men to the inn in order to have her arrested so he could force her to marry him. Wenrou had fallen in love with Lin Yuan as well but dared not lose her leg to Thundering Hammer Sect so she continued with the plan.

Jealous, drunk and enraged, Lin Yuan charged into the main dining hall and slaughtered Liang Bao and his men. Wang Wenrou fled and left him alone. Soon he realized his mistake and was filled with remorse and anger. He could no longer be the hero he once was but he vowed to make evil men pay.

Years later he learned the full truth of what happened from a disciple of Thundering Hammer Sect who told him about the bet between Divine Judge Juishao and the wicked couple of Merciless Sword Sect. He killed the man on the spot and returned to Yu Zhing to get his revenge (killing any Merciless Sword Disciples he could find along the way).

When news of this reached Yang Wenrou, she both feared for her life and realized that Lin Yuan could be with her once again. She had grown more in love with him in the intervening years, and guilt had taken root as well. She murdered her husband and left his body in the forest outside the city. She then went to the Towering Chrysanthemum to await Lin Yuan.

Hook

Eager to save himself, Divine Judge Juishao hires the heroes to get to the bottom of the murders and bring the killer to justice at the edge of a blade. He knows perfectly well who is behind the killings. But he wants Lin Yuan killed by someone else's hand. As a local magistrate he empowers the party with the authority to execute the killer and makes them constables. 

Adventure

MAP OF YU ZHING

The players are hired by Divine Judge Juishao to investigate the killings of members of Merciless Sword Sect. Juishao’s past connects him to the case, which he conceals from the party, but he knows the killer wants to murder him as well, so he hopes a skilled group of martial heroes can bring down his enemy.

The trail leads to the murder scene of Yang She, killed by his wife. Which may lead the party to the Towering Chrysanthemum.

New victims emerge and clues tie them to Thundering Hammer Sect. A secret organization of disaffected and malicious officials led by Divine Judge Juishao. If the players learn of this, Divine Judge Juishao could become their enemy and seek to have them killed.

If at any time Divine Judge Juishao has concerns about the PCs suspecting his involvement in the massacre, he will send Thundering Hammers after them.

MURDER AND RUMORS TABLES

Roll on both of these each day. A body and rumor will arise helping lead the players deeper into the mystery. People in the city know the players are on the case, so news of the rumors and bodies are brought to them by assistants appointed to them by Divine Judge Juishao. The players should be able to acquire this information more quickly through investigative efforts. For this simply use your best judgement about what clues might be available throughout the city.

MURDER TABLE                     

Roll 1d10                     Result

1                                  The Body of Yang She found by farmer in southern woods. His throat was slit while he slept. Ladies at the Silk Farm saw a woman leaving the area hurredly and heading into the city (this is Yang Wenrou, she left to go to the Towering Chryanthemum)

2                                  The body of Iron Tiger Chengda is found, an axe embedded in his chest. He carries a medallion of Merciless Sword Sect

3                                  The body of Constable Gao Liu is found with an axe embedded in his chest. His widow knows little. Gao Liu is not a member of Merciless Sword Sect. If the players search his house, they find a letter from “Chief of Thundering Hammer Sect” that reads: the killings have started. He has returned. Tell the other officials to be cautious

4                                  Body of Shen Tian is found, an axe embedded in his chest. He carries a medallion of Merciless Sword Sect and has an order slip for supplies going to Shu Fine Paper

5                                  Body of Fan Mei found, an axe in embedded in her chest. A nearby witness saw a man dressed in green robes flee toward East Gate (if this person is presented with Lin Yuan she can confirm he is the person she saw)

6                                  Body of Ban Leng found. People in the area can identify Ban Leng as the foreman at Shu Fine Paper. Secretly he is part of Merciless Sword Sect

7                                  The body of Jin San is found, an axe embedded in her chest. There is a blind witness named Yan. He likes to talk and is adamant that the killer smelled like rice

8                                  Body of Ma Shengtong is found near the southern Pavilion. There is an axe in her chest. A trail of blood leads across the Mei Lien Bridge

9                                  Body of Pei Buwei is found. He has an axe in his chest. He is the personal servant of Divine Judge Juishao and secretly a member of Thundering Hammer

10                                Body of Zhu Fei, Inspector of Public Morality, found. He is secretly a member of Thundering Hammer. There is an axe in his chest and a note that says “I am coming for you Divine Judge”

RUMOR TABLE

Roll 1d10                     Result

1                                  A former member of Merciless Sword Sect lives in the southern woods

2                                  Merciless Sword Sect Headquarters is located at Shu Fine Paper

3                                  Divine Judge Juishao was seen visiting Gao Liu’s house (see entry two in above table)

4                                  Locals heard that Master Kuan the Tattoo artist knows something about the murders

5                                  The man who killed the officials at Towering Chrysanthemum years ago is staying at the Lotus of Mei Lien Inn

6                                  There is a secret society of corrupt officials called the Thundering Hammers

7                                  Divine Judge Juishao is not to be trusted

8                                  The murders are connected to a massacre that occurred at the Laughing Mountain Tea house years ago

9                                  A man was seen running across the Mei Lien Bridge to the north the other night, looking crazed

10                                A retired martial hero who uses an axe is staying at the Lotus of Mei Lien Inn

LOCATIONS AND CLUES

These entries are extremely bare-bones, so the information is easy to find. Basically a sentence and a clue.

SHU FINE PAPER: A paper producing facility that is a front for the Merciless Sword Sect (a group of assassins). The sect leaders, Yang She and Yang Wenrou started acting weird when first body appeared and headed south of the city together (haven’t been seen since). Ban Leng is the foreman, but it is possible he is dead by the time the players come here.

TOWERING CHRYSANTHEMUM: This multistory structure contains tea houses, inns, and restaurants. It rests atop the four-way road intersection in the center of the city. The owner remembers the slaughter commited by Lin Yuan years ago.When Yang Wenrou returns here, she goes to the Laughing Mountain Tea House. She is on the cusp of confession or slaughter.


LAUGHING MOUNTAIN TEA HOUSE: See TOWERING CHRYSANTHEMUM. 

SACRED LILY WAY: If the players ask around here, roll on the clue table again.

OUYANG LI: A former member of Merciless Sword Sect. He left after Yang Wenrou confessed her love of Lin Yuan to him. He was disgusted by her lack of commitment to the sect’s ways and became a hermit outside town. He also witnessed the murder of Yang She by Yang Wenrou (and he was not surprised by it at all).

DIVINE JUDGE JUISHAO RESIDENCE: This is a large courtyard house belonging to Juishao. However the servants here can attest that there are secret meetings in the gardens of local officials. These are meetings of Thundering Hammer Sect. His servant Pei Buwei is secretly a member of Thundering Hammers.

RICE DEPOT: Lin Yuan works here during the day porting rice to the ships.

YU SUPERIOR PAPER: The workers here despise the inferior products of Shu Fine Paper and made a point of following She and Wenrou when they left. They saw Wenrou return from the woods heading toward the Towering Chrysanthemum.

LOTUS OF MEI LIEN INN: This is a inn where Lin Yuan is staying.

MASTER KUAN’S TATTOOS: Master Kuan is not a very good tattoo artist. Treat his skill rank for giving a tattoo as 1d10. He does not refund money. He has heard a rumor that the killer who massacred the people at the Towering Chrysanthemum was seen on Sacred Lily Way

NPCS

DIVINE JUDGE JUISHAO

Divine Judge Juishao is missing his left leg. He wields twin hammers and uses the left one to compensate for his missing leg. However he pretends not to know martial arts and conceals his hammers at all times. The judge was involved in the business surrounding the massacre ages ago and just wants this to go away. He is hoping that the party will simply kill Lin Yuan but is terrified that his connection to Thundering Hammers will be revealed.

Defenses: Hardiness 8, Evade 4, Parry 6, Stealth 6, Wits 8, Resolve 7

Key Skills: Grapple: 1d10, Throw: 1d10, Arm Strike: 3d10, Leg Strike: 1d10, Light Melee: 1d10, Medium Melee: 3d10 or 3d10 with Hammer, Heavy Melee: 3d10, Small Ranged: 1d10, Speed: 2d10, Muscle: 3d10, Institutions (Imperial Bureaucracy): 3d10, Talent (Poetry): 3d10, Classics (All): 2d10

Qi: 4

Max Wounds: 9

Weapons: Twin Thundering Hammers (6d10 Damage, -1d10 Accuracy)

Expertise: Medium Melee-Hammer

Flaw: Missing Limb

Key Techniques (Waijia 2, Neigong 2): Hurl of the Hammers, Iron Spirit, Knock of the Meteor Hammer, Naga Palm, Iron Body (Counter)

Hurl of the Hammers: You smash your hammers into two different targets, then throw them at two other targets. Make a Medium Melee Skill roll against the Parry of 2 targets, rolling normal damage on a success. Then make a Medium Skill roll against the Evade of two more targets, doing normal damage on a success. Cathartic: As above but each attack does 1 Extra Wound.

THUNDERING HAMMERS

The Thundering Hammers are officials who enjoy indulging in illegal activities. Most have a particular vice that draws them to the organization.

Defenses: Hardiness 5, Evade 4, Parry 6, Stealth 6, Wits 7, Resolve 6

Key Skills: Grapple: 1d10, Throw: 1d10, Arm Strike: 1d10, Leg Strike: 1d10, Light Melee: 1d10, Medium Melee: 2d10 or 2d10 with Hammer, Heavy Melee: 2d10, Small Ranged: 1d10, Speed: 2d10, Muscle: 2d10, Institutions (Imperial Bureaucracy): 2d10, Talent (Poetry): 2d10, Classics (All): 1d10

Qi: 2

Max Wounds: 5

Weapons: Twin Thundering Hammers (5d10 Damage, -1d10 Accuracy)

Expertise: Medium Melee-Hammer

Key Techniques (Waijia 2, Neigong 2): Knock of the Meteor Hammer, Iron Body (Counter)

LIN YUAN

Lin Yuan was once a righteous hero now he is filled with remorse and anger. He also still carries the pain of the betrayal of his affection. He is venting his rage at those he believes to be responsible (see the background information above). However his personality has changed due to those events. He enjoys killing now, and when he is done with his revenge, he will continue to kill. If the party stands in his way, he will not hesitate to kill them. He is only just beginning to realize the reality of these intentions. He is staying at the Lotus of Mei Lien Inn.

Lin Yuan wears fancy green robes and fights with an axe.

Defenses: Hardiness 7, Evade 4, Parry 7, Stealth 9, Wits 7, Resolve 6

Key Skills: Grapple: 1d10, Throw: 1d10, Arm Strike: 1d10, Leg Strike: 1d10, Light Melee: 1d10, Medium Melee: 2d10 or 3d10 with Axe, Heavy Melee: 0d10, Small Ranged: 1d10, Speed: 1d10, Muscle: 2d10, Athletics: 1d10

Qi: 6

Max Wounds: 13

Weapons: Axe (3d10 Damage)

Expertise: Medium Melee-Axe

Key Techniques (Waijia 3, Qinggong 1): Blade of the Dancing Fox, Fierce Strike, Slaughtering Axe Blade, Whirling Dodge

Slaughtering Axe Blade: You throw your axe in a line through multiple foes. Roll Medium Melee against Evade of up to 6 Targets (the axe can curve to hit them but they must be before you). On a success do Normal Damage plus 3 Extra Wounds Each. Cathartic: As above except does Normal Damage plus 5 Extra wounds. Must retrieve axe after.

YANG SHE

Yang She is the husband of Yang Wenrou and the co-chief of Merciless Sword Sect. He is dead, so has not stats. 

YANG WENROU

Yang Wenrou is one of the leaders of Merciless Sword Sect. When their disciples started getting murdered, she killed her husband and returned to the Towering Chrysanthemum. She has no interest in leading Merciless Sword any longer. Over the years her love for Lin Yuan has grown, while her hatred for her husband and all he stands for has increased. She is willing to tell the players her side of the story if the PCs find her, as she has bottled up her feelings for a long time and wishes to vent them. However she will not let them stand in the way of her re-union with Lin Yuan. She is also slightly unhinged at this point, not sure if she wants to love or kill. 

Though not a member of Heiping, she had a sister who was a Heiping Nun and secretly observed her training to learn some of their techniques. 

Defenses: Hardiness 5, Evade 4, Parry 7, Stealth 7, Wits 6, Resolve 7

Key Skills: Grapple: 1d10, Throw: 1d10, Arm Strike: 1d10, Leg Strike: 1d10, Light Melee: 1d10, Medium Melee: 3d10 or 5d10 with Jian, Heavy Melee: 0d10, Small Ranged: 1d10, Speed: 3d10, Muscle: 2d10, Athletics: 2d10, Deception: 2d10, Persuade: 2d10

Qi: 4

Max Wounds: 9

Weapons: Jian (3d10 Damage, +2d10 Accuracy)

Key Techniques (Waijia 2, Qinggong 2): Blasting Blade, Rising Swan Strike, Rising Swan Stance, Sword Stance,  Swan Taming Strike, Turn of the Zhen Bird (Counter), Weapon Stride (Counter)

Rising Swan Strike: You lift into the air and spin around, slicing all around you before leaping away to safety. Make a Medium Melee attack roll against the Parry of all adjacent targets. On a Success you do Normal Damage and can make an Athletics Roll TN 7 to leap 40 feet in any direction. Cathartic: As above except you to Normal Damage plus 2 extra wounds and can leap 80 feet in any direction.

MERCILESS SWORD DISSCIPLES

These are assassins who enjoy killing and make a point of eliminating all witnesses, no matter who they are. They can be found at Shu Fine Paper.

Defenses: Hardiness 3, Evade 4, Parry 5, Stealth 7, Wits 6, Resolve 7

Key Skills: Grapple: 1d10, Throw: 1d10, Arm Strike: 1d10, Leg Strike: 1d10, Light Melee: 1d10, Medium Melee: 2d10 or 4d10 with Jian, Heavy Melee: 0d10, Small Ranged: 1d10, Speed: 2d10, Muscle: 2d10, Athletics: 2d10, Deception: 1d10

Qi: 1

Max Wounds: 3

Weapons: Jian (3d10 Damage, +2d10 Accuracy)

Key Techniques (Waijia 2, Qinggong 2): Blasting Blade, Sword Stance

DISPOSABLE DISCIPLES SESSIONS 53-57: THE UNRIGHTEOUS DEEDS OF SHEN CHUN AND DA MEI MEI

This is a log for my ongoing Disposable Disciples of Bone Kingdom campaign. You can see the previous session log HERE.  Note that I began recording sessions, so this has allowed me to do more detailed session logs.

Player Characters: 
Shen Chun/Crazed Raksha
Little Bai
Qui
Ong Lao
Min (Feiyan)

Disciples of the Sect: 
Red Eagle (Little Bai)
Mount Dao/Biggest Sister (Little Bai)
Filial Cricket (Little Bai)
Dim-Witted Chen (Shen Chun)

Sects: 

The Righteous Outlaws
Calamity Star
Ou Jinghzhu
Tea Master Houzhou

Stone Palace Sect (Also called Golden Way)
A gambling hall and criminal network in Yun Hu. Currently under control of party, with Weeping Lotus managing it. They've absorbed many other sects into this organization including Crocodile Sect, Blades of the Weeping Lotus, Temple of the Jade Mercies, Relentless Corpse Sect and more. Recently they joined with Relentless Corpse again when Shen Chun arranged a marriage with their leader Da Mei Mei. 

Members:
Shen Chun (King)
Da Mei Mei (Queen)
Weeping Lotus (Right Vanguard)
Silent Dagger
Feng (Accountant)
Gu (Head Chef)
Little Bai
Min
Scholar Shen (a scholar who has been writing a story about Little Bai's life)

Dancing Scorpions
Criminal network in Yun Hu

Relentless Corpse Sect
Da Mei Mei

Temple of the Jade Mercies (see Stone Palace)
Abbot Wei Zhao
Abbess Bao-Yu
Yao Tu-On
Yao Chun
Yao Ba

Southern Hill Sect
Yellow Mantis
White Chysanthemum
Green Mantis (Dead but important)

Twin-Fisted Eagle Sect
Twin Fisted Eagle
Jade Fist

Bone Breaking Sect
Destroyed and taken over by Drunken Hero Kang

Glorious Death Cult
Led by Supreme Master Tung, who says he is a god of death

I am about five sessions behind on session logs as I've been working on the Tournament of Daolu Book (an upcoming adventure for Wandering Heroes of Ogre Gate). So this session log will try to bring people up to-date for the last five sessions. I may go over some territory already covered and may also breeze through major developments just so I can get this one up on the blog before I forget major details. 

Following the Battle of Dee, where the party wiped out the forces of Thundering Guan and many martial heroes died, Shen Chun discovered that the Yan were heading to the city to occupy it. Realizing that there were not enough heroes to defend it and that some of the sects in the city were willing to work with the invaders, he withdrew his people to his headquarters. 

They held a council of all the leaders of the martial world they felt could be trusted, including the Five Masters of Dehua and Lady Plum Blossom. Shen Chun proposed unifying the sects to meet the threat. There was some resistance to this idea, and much of it around Shen Chun's reputation for cruelty. 

The Five Masters of Dehua Sect expressed reluctance to work with a man who didn't abide by the key tenets of Dehua. He let them know that he was turning over a new leaf and would accommodate their concerns. However this move only made Lady Plum Blossom reluctant. He reached a compromise, giving both the Five Masters and Lady Plum Blossom special importance in their sect hierarchy. He also promised to commit righteous deeds. 

Ong and Min headed to the Kushen Basin, so that Min could help find a cure for her condition (she had become empty-hearted after receiving a special tattoo from the Holy Killers of Daolu). There they found a master physician. He gave here another tattoo to counteract the previous one. This time it was an image of too opera performers. When the process was complete she found her emotions returned but the sight of performers drove her into a rage. 

Meanwhile, Shen Chun and Qui took men to seek the Temple of Ageless Wisdom. Passing through the mountains they were attacked by more elemental heroes of the Yan. This time a large group who used ice-based attacks. They barely escaped with their lives, and Qui's Northern Dragon leader was killed. When the fight was over they questioned one of the commanders learned that the elemental heroes had crystals that could detect the presence of Qi cultivators. 

There they met with the abbot who brought them before the chained torso of an ancient monk. They were told the monk was effectively immortal, that he could be killed for a price and would go before the Eight Magistrates in the underworld but soon return due to a book keeping error in the Book of Living and Dying. They could ask him a question for a fee, and then send him on his way to see if he could find an answer. 

They asked many questions and tried to learn more about the Yan. Shen Chun also asked how to gain the Mandate of Heaven and was basically told to follow the virtues of propriety, filial piety, altruism, rite, wisdom and justice. Qui asked about the Chariot of Daolu (an object Shen Chun had recently acquired) but he didn't share what he learned. 

On the way back to their headquarters, traveling through the yellow forest, they went to the Temple of Enlightened Disarray to ask for magical artifacts to help them face the Yan. Shen Chun was given a drinking vessel. Qui became obsessed with a fabric necklace the abbot wore and demanded to know more about it. This escalated quickly into combat, but both men backed down eventually. However the seed of conflict was sewn between Shen Chun and Qui in this moment. 

Min and Ong went to Ong's new island and organized the men. Ong devised a scheme for his men to set free prisoners in the empire and Banyan, then brought to the island to become part of his new Gushan Sect. The island had been created through an arrangement with Qinwen the Master of the Seven Talismans. However the place was filled with spirited beasts. They spent much of their time clearing the wilderness of these creatures (and Min captured as many as she could). 

They spent time on the island and also going to Xuanlu to recruit. At one point they found a phoenix demon in deep in the forest of the island. She managed to grab Ong in her beak and break his arm but Min captured the creature. However the phoenix demon had mentioned a sister that had been transformed into powerful artifacts. Once Min had the creature contained, it began flattering her and telling her that she was the true leader of the martial world. 

Eventually prisoners arrived. Among them was a man named Red Crane. There was also an incident involving a foreign ship. Men from another land approached the island by boat and sent soldiers to the shore. There was a great battle replying them, but Ong used his Winds of Gushan to sink their main ships. He learned they came from a series of islands far to the east. 

Qui and Shen Chun arrived separately at the sect headquarters. Qui arrived first and confronted Da Mei Mei, demanding to see the chariot. She refused but he had men with him and threatened her if she didn't allow it. She brought him into their chambers and showed it to him. However on his way out, Qui was blocked by hundreds of disciples. They had a standoff and Da Mei Mei decided to have him killed. 

The fight was brief as Qui used his Swift Stride technique to escape. When Shen Chun returned Da Mei Mei told him about Qui's betrayal and they organized a better system of security for the headquarters. 

Shen Chun then restructured the sect toward the purpose of having his men perform righteous deeds in the world. He made an announcement to his men and then went to Xuanlu so he could perform them as well. 

In Xuanlu he followed rumors of a local boss who owned a workshop but basically tricked his workers into contracts that made them little more than slaves. These were all perfectly legal. So he went with his men to the workshop and told the owner to stop what he was doing. The owner and his men resisted. Blows were exchange but Shen Chun and his men defeated the boss who reluctantly agreed to change the terms of his contracts. 

As they were leaving a constable approached Shen Chun and asked for him to come to the local magistrate's. He was informed that he was under arrest. 

Initially Shen Chun said no, but he eventually agreed. Before magistrate Sima Tong he learned that he and Da Mei Mei were wanted for the murder of minister Wen and his three daughters. They had three witnesses who claimed to have seen them commit this act. 

The magistrate tried to render a guilty verdict, but Shen Chun walked to him knocking out solders that stood in his way and demanded to know who was behind the accusations. None of the magistrate's men stood a chance against Shen Chun and when he was threatened with death, the magistrate said that the House of Paper Shadows was behind the whole thing. 

Shen Chen left and returned to his sect headquarters. There he noticed a number of singing lanterns all over the halls. He asked Da Mei Mei and said she received a large quantity of them with a letter from him saying they were a gift. He began instructing the men to take them down. 

As that was occurring a woman wielding a bian approached the gate and demanded that Shen Chun face her. She accuse him of killing her friends, the family who operated the Burning Chrysanthemum Lantern Shop. Shen Chun asked what made her think he was responsible. She said that she saw him with her own eyes. She had seen both him and Da Mei Mei leaving the Burning Chrysanthemum. He believed her. 

Saying her name was Shao Fei, she demanded a fight. Shen Chun agreed but able to defeat her in a duel without harming her. Da Mei Mei said he should kill her, but he decided to let her go. Da Mei Mei approached Shao Fei with several disciples and said that Shen Chun decided to be merciful but that she should never come to the sect again. 

At this time, Min and Ong were also in Xuanlu conducting business. They had been working with Golden Centipede to secure silk worms and silk makers to bring to their island. Min decided to go to the sect headquarters and introduce a new disciple, Red Crane, to Shen Chun. 

Shen Chun met with Red Crane, who appeared sickly and kept coughing up blood. Min asked if they could make use of his physician and Shen Chun agreed. 

The physician gave Red Crane pills to take regularly which would alleviate the cough. 

On their way out Da Mei Mei approached Min and informed her that they were going to attack the House of Paper Shadows. She wanted Min and Ong to help and told Red Crane he owed them a service anyways after using their physician. 

This is where the session ended. 

WEB OF DEATH DISCUSSION

Join me, Kenny, Lady Cao Feng and Adam for the latest Bedrock Talk podcast discussing Web of Death, a classic wuxia film directed by Chow Yuen. This one brings together all the best elements of Heavenly Sword and Dragon Saber, throws in a dash of condor heroes and brings it all together with a lethal spider-based super weapon. It is a tale of intrigue, romance, betrayal and heroes blinded by their own righteousness.

SCOUNDRELS OF DAOLU SESSION 3: THE KILLING BIXIES EXPAND

I started a campaign set in the city of Daolu. It is an every-other-week campaign with a competitive bent and evil characters (or at least characters who are bandits, assassins and thieves). I structured the XP a bit differently to reflect the competition and darker focus. All the players in this campaign understand that killing another PC is entirely fine. I may get into that in future blog posts but here I talk about the most recent session. 

There are four player characters in this campaign: 

CHARACTERSLimb Taker
Xiao Li
Li Xun
Feng Yao

GANGS AND SECTS SO FAR
The Divine Vipers: Control the Pleasure Quarter, led by Bamboo Viper
The Killing Bixie's: Specialize in forged documents and black market items, they are led by Sun Leng. 
Green Tigers: Control the area around the Embroidered Dragon fighting platform. Pretty big group. 
The Orphans: A small band of pick pockets and opportunists who are led by a woman named Jia and operate in the Pleasure Quarter and Slums. 

The party continued its criminal activities in the slums of Daolu. They spoke with Sun Leng, the leader of the Killing Bixie's, and she told them it would be a good idea to expand into Green Tiger Territory. She said she'd give them 10 Knife Men to see what they can do. 

Art by Jackie Musto

They decided to check out the area under Green Tiger control. First they went to Master Shan's apothecary and told him he'd have to pay protection. He explained he was already paying money to someone called Smiling Asura. They said they'd be back in two days to collect. 

In the meantime they went to the Golden Tael to find a woman named Hidden Scorpion. She was known to hire her information gathering services. They were brought into her private dining area, where she continued to eat and drink as they greeted her. 

Xiao Li bowed and said "Greetings senior, we would like to discuss making a business arrangement with you."

Hidden Scorpion looked Xiao Li up and down, then continued drinking her wine. "My prices are high."

"I just want some information on Smiling Asura, where he will be on a particular day," Said Xiao Li.

"My usual price for that is well over 2,000 spades and you don't look like you can afford it....but I can lower my rate if you provide some other service in exchange."

Feng Yao stepped in and said "I am a musician, I can write a song for you."

Hidden Scorpion thought for a moment, then said "What sort of song would you write about me?"

"I can write about your hidden talents," He said. 

"I don't want people to know about my hidden talents. Write about my beauty instead. No, wait, write about how magnificent I am, then sing it through the streets of the whole city and I will do the job for 2,000 spades."

They agreed to her terms, though Feng Yao talked her into limiting his performance to the Killing Bixie District and the Fortune Quarter (to avoid running into trouble with rival gangs). 

They departed after agreeing to meet Hidden Scorpion the next day at the Silk Thread Wine Shop. Feng Yao went to the pleasure quarter to speak with the Orphans. On his way he was trailed by someone. He looked back and saw golden cloth of a robe fluttering from an alleyway. He approached to find a sharply dressed man leaning against the alley wall and spying on him. 

The man stepped out confidently and said "I came to challenge you. You killed my friend Silver Immortal. In two days, you and all of the people present at the book shop, come to the edge of the city and we will settle this score."

"Who are you?"

"I am Eye-Gouging King," said the man. 

"Very well," said Feng Yao. "In two days we will meet."

He turned and walked away, then as Eye-Gouging King left for another part of the city, Feng Yao lobbed a rod filled with Divine Powder at him. Eye-Gouging King unfurled his golden robe and it swatted away the rod before it burst in flames. 

"That was a very bad idea," Said Eye-Gouging king. "Two days, outside the city, you and all who killed Silver Immortal, meet me then to die." 

Feng Yao left and tended to the matter he had come for (to no success). He then returned to the Pearl Dragon (Killing Bixie's Headquarters). 

Knowing they needed to prove they could earn money to gain Sun Leng's respect, Li Xun and Xiao Li decided to sell their services in the temple quarter. There they found work at the Temple of the Bold King. 

As they approached the temple an old woman came up to them and said "I notice you are going to the Temple of the Bold King, can you do a poor woman a favor?"

They nodded. 

"You two look like brave men, and my husband has been missing for days. I heard he was last seen going into the temple, can you see what you can find for me?"

"Why should we do that?" Said Li Xun. 

"Because you are righteous heroes."

They nodded and told her they would see what they could do, then continued on to the temple. 

The Abbot of the temple instructed them to guard the doors and let no one in from dusk to dawn, saying he would pay them 245 Spades and offer more work in the future. 

They stood guard. Eventually a pretty woman in colorful robes and an upper-class hairstyle approached the doors. They both stepped in her way. 

"No one may pass," Said Li Xun. 

"But I live here," Said the woman. "My name is Feng Guai, now let me through."

"The abbot said not to let anyone in and he didn't mention you, come back later," Said Xiao Li. 

Feng Guai produced a golden medallion with the image of the Bold King upon it. "Now let me through."

"Go to one of the inns," said Xiao Li. "Find some place to stay for the night and come back in the morning."

Visibly irritated Feng Gaui said "Then go in and talk to the Abbot, he knows me, I live here."

"The abbot said no one can go inside, that includes us, so we can't go in and ask him anything," Said Li Xun. 

"This is the last time I will ask, strike the gong and speak with someone at the temple. I am expected."

Li Xun and Xiao Li debated the matter and finally decided to hit the gong. A monk emerged and told them she was indeed allowed to come in. 

The next day the Abbot gave them a contract to guard the doors four days of the month for 265 spades each shift. The monks also explained who was allowed in and who was not. 

From there they went directly to the Silk Thread Wine Shop to get their monthly protection money and to meet Hidden Scorpion. When they arrived a man dressed all in black and covering his eyes with a conical hat, lounged at one of the tables. No one else appeared to be present.  

"This place is under my protection now, your little money making scheme ends today," Said the man. 

"Who are you?" Xiao Li asked. "I am Black Whip and more than anything else I hate those who bully the weak and extort hard working people. Leave here and never come back."

The party encircled Black Whip. 

Feng Yao arrived and pretended to act like a normal customer. He sat down and demanded wine. 

"Come back in an hour my friend, the wine shop is closed for now," said Black Whip. 

Feng Yao launched a surprise attack but Black Whip stood up and kicked a bench to intercept his weapon. 

Black Whip lashed with a whip to restrain with his right hand and sliced with a dagger with his left. He wrapped his whip around Xiao Li's wrist, but Xiao Li evaded the dagger slash. He also threw benches and tables at the party as they swarmed around him. It was a long fight, and Black Whip was tough to bring down, but they managed to overwhelm him with their strikes. 

They debated what to do with Black Whip. Xiao Li and Feng Yao fought over the issue. The result was Xiao Li stabbed Black Whip, killing him. 

Hidden Scorpion arrived soon after. She said down and told them that Smiling Asura would be staying at a room in the White Rat. She also explained that he was planning to ambush them when they arrived at Master Shan's apothecary for their protection money. 

"He has a brother you know," She said pointing at the body of Black Whip.

"Who?"

"White Whip," she said. "He lives in Nansun, about seven days from here."

They thanked her. Feng Yao spoke with Hidden Scorpion and persuaded her to go with him to fight Eye Gouging King. She agreed for a small fee. She also told him they would need others to help them and to watch out for his eye taking technique. 

That night they planned an assault on the White Rat Inn. Dressing as merchants, they took their knife men and got a room there. When Smiling Asura went out to the main hall alone, they surprised him, charging down the stairs. Smiling Asura whistled. The attack went well but Smiling Asura cracked Li Xun in the head, knocking him out completely. Feng Yao had given several of the Knife Men exploding rods. After a Xiao Li led the attack with several swift strikes, the Knife Men bombed Smiling Asura and he collapsed. At that moment, his men poured out from rooms on the second floor. Xiaoli threatened to kill Smiling Asura if the men approached and this gave them room to escape back to the Pearl Dragon. 

At the Pearl Dragon they interrogated Smiling Asura and were planning to kill him. But he offered to go quietly, even helped them, if they allowed him to retire comfortably. He promised useful information. So Xiaoli sealed the deal by becoming sworn siblings with him. She felt he wouldn't go back on the offer if they formed this bond. He then told them that the man they wanted to kill next was Saffron Physician (he managed most of Smiling Asura's protection rackets). He also said that Saffron Physician would have 25 men, but that they would soon be attending Saffron Physicians annual celebration and perform the Lion Dance in his honor. There would be a moment during the lion dance, when the 25 men were to be particularly vulnerable, balancing very high in the street. He suggested attack at that time. 

This is where the session ended.