Dark Script

245MoDaSc

The party stared at the sheets of paper in front of them. The small droplets of blood that clung to the parchment left a trail as they slid to the ground. The letters, maps and notes that lay out infront of them revealed a side yo the Oni that they hadn’t seen. And one they wished they hadn’t.

Diagrams for a ritual in a large antechamber were revealed. A large altar or pedestal looked to be in a large bowl or recession in the chamber. The drawings indicated sacrifice of spirit folk, oni, humans and other races deemed lower than the oni.

The ritual looked to be one of creation. Binding bones, flesh and blood together to form a new body for something. The ritual pages finished here but there other pages that looked to be schematics for a fortress within a mountain. It mapped plans for guard rotations as well as the hidden path for escaping the citadel in case of emergencies.

Taking the plans, Gin and the surviving members of the plan they head back to the wall. The captain, Kyoko and the messenger for Kuang were all eagerly waiting for the party when they arrived.

After some time they started discussing what it could mean in hurried conversation before they turned to the party for advice.

Thoughts.

Hopefully there is enough in the description (more coming Thursday) to cover the meaning of these scraps of paper. The idea really is that the ritual, the vision from the wall guard who recovered from affliction and what they have witnessed will them to the right conclusion.

The next part of the puzzle is how to get them motivated to get to the mountain.

Pursuit of the Oni

244MoPuOTOn

With the retreat of the Oni and the cracking open of the mountains peak the party woke up feeling refreshed. After the defeat of the ice queen and defence of the wall against her magic the wall guard offered them the best room and comforts available to them. Four walls and a bed each.

In the morning the party emerged to find the wall quiet. The land beyond the wall was even more so with only the occasional movement at a forward base camp the shadows minions had on the ridge further towards The Shadows Throne. The oni and their slaves, the Butatō, were the only things that could be seen as left over from the battlefield. The Spirit folk and other creatures that had been fighting the party and the wall guard had disappeared which gave the wall guard a day of repairs to the wall.

“Message from the General. Lord Toshio was found dead in his tent and his troops had surrendered. Apparently they have all claimed enchantment and enthrallment from the Yuki-onna and the warriors claim that Lord Toshio took his own life when he heard his wife had been killed.” The messenger from the general recited to wall captain Hou and Kyoko. “The General has begun to detain and question the Toshio troops but Lord Harimasu has pardoned them on condition that they return to their homelands and begin to broker peace between the two families again. The general is on his way here to make an attack on the mountain. He will be here in two days however he needs what ever intel we can provide him.”

Kyoko frowned at this and asked for a map of the battlefield from what the scouts had been able to map out. “This camp of Oni. How defended is it?”

“We estimate that it would be a few dozen Oni, their leaders and slaves at a minimum. A frontal attack would go poorly but if there is another way that we can get the intel without risking more lives or leaving the wall undefended then I am all ears.” Captain Hou replied as he pointed towards the map, indicating where he would suspect the intel to be kept.

“Sir, I volunteer to lead the operation to retrieve the intel.” a voice said from the door. Wall Guardsmen Gin Seng stood there looking determined and fatigued. “I’ve grown up training to fight these creatures, to defend this wall. If I can help finish the war then I want to be involved… Sir.” he added with a moment hesitation.

“This mission is too crucial to leave it to one person. But too difficult and risky for a large scale attack.” Kyoko said as she nodded to Gin Seng.

“Perhaps these heroes from across the sea would be able to be of assistance once again?” Kit Hou said as she smiled at the group. “They seemed to have saved half of Ryokughan already from the Oni and the Shadows influence so what’s one more mission?”

General Hou frowned at his daughter. “We put too much pressure on them. They have done enough. We can not rely on them forever and I fear that there may be worse things up in those hills which we just haven’t seen yet.”

Kyoko smiled to the party. “It’s up to you. But we may need help distracting the main force if we were to send in a smaller group of wall guard to retrieve the intel. If you can help with either endeavour I would feel more confident in our success. The entire Oni force would know of you by now and surely they would want to have a chance at gaining the Shadows favour by attempting to best you in combat.”

Thoughts.

Bit of a weird one tonight. Two options this week are laid out for our party. Distraction duties by attacking or bolstering a smaller force to distract the Oni from the insurgents or… They are the insurgents who are looking for intel. Either way I have a feeling they will be fighting Oni, Butatō and what ever else they have in those hills.

Call of Darkness

243MoCaOfDa

As the Yuki-onna fell to the ground and the remnants of ice cold ichor flowed from her wounds the battlefield fell silent. Then with the sound of a great exhale a gust of wind blew with such ferocity that the wisps of the shadowy smoke that hung to the ground and creatures were sucked into a vortex of wind which hurtled back towards one of the large peaks in the Shadowy mountain ranges. Then, bit by bit the clouds above the wall shifted and sunlight shone down upon the warriors, oni and spirit-folk.

With a shambling upheaval the undead fell to the ground, the dark magics that animated their bodies banished. The spirit folk looked around in fear and confusion before cheering as one and running for the hills. Most dropping their weapons.

The Oni however bellowed for a retreat and fled towards the peak in which the shadow-laden wind retreated to. That’s when the first tremor was felt.

Gradually a low murmur turned into a deep sorrowful moan as the ground itself seemed to lament the passing of the Ice queen. Then with a building of pitch the crescendo was reached and an almighty ping was both heard and felt as a monumental portion of the Shadows Mountainous peak sheared clear from the mountain itself. As the rock hit the ground it took a few heartbeats before the shockwave was felt and an colossal boom was heard for miles around. Just after the ringing in peoples ears started to diminish a large wave of dust moved across the land and stopped just a few hundred feet from the party and the wall.

The Shadows Throne. The unholy seat of power from where it commanded its troops and moved its pieces in the grand game lay open. A faint red glow could be seen coming from beyond the cloud of dust in the open wound of the mountain.

“The way is open to the mountains heart, to the Shadows throne.” Kyoko said as she appeared at the parties side. “We have never been able to penetrate the mountains defences. But now it looks like we have a chance to defeat the shadow. Killing it or pushing it from these lands for good.”

As the wall guards rejoiced a horn bellowed from the top “Captain!” Gin Seng called. “Officer Yuon has awakened!” With that Captain Hou, his daughter, Kyoko and the party rushed towards the wall. Officer Yuon was one of the afflicted who had been confined to the infirmary since the parties first encounter with the Wrath Wraith.

As the party stepped on top of the wall, great sheets of rough ice made for an easy way up, Gin ran to meet them.

“Captain! She says she has seen it. A way into the throne room. A way to the Shadow its self.” he said breathlessly. “and…” he paused as he looked at those gathered “she says it is vulnerable.”

Thoughts.

The last of the end of this years campaign where we reach our crescendo with a dungeon delve. It’s been a bit of a wild ride and I still have so many things that I want to achieve. But the format of the blog is that I have a certain amount of time, and only so many hours a day to write so I am pleased at where we are at and what is left.

Chilling Call of the Queen

242MoChCaOfThQu

As the Onikage snorted with barely contained violence and hunger, Yukri watched the humans from its back. The yuki-onna knew that the Shadow, the one who had given her powers to rule as the Ice Queen, wanted these humans dead. But killing these humans had proven difficult, even the enlisted help from the Laelóng but the vain beast failed.

“Queen. The humans have escaped back on top of the wall. They have powerful weapons and we have to retreat…” a hesitant voice spoke from her side. The Oni looked down at its feet and braced for the worst but it didn’t come. A second voice spoke, much older, darker and more influential than the lowly Oni.

“You must stop them. Those weapons are cursed by the dragons and elves of old. Their magic has the power to bring down your kingdom. You must kill the wielders and stop them from taking everything you have fought for” The Shadow whispered in her ear. The sound of its voice so filled with power and malice that all other noises, thoughts and reason drifted from her mind. Eventually the sounds of screams, pleading and The Shadows intent washed her thoughts away until there was nothing left but overwhelming rage.

All she had worked for. All she had sacrificed and for what? A group of humans and magic swords to take it from her. Not likely. She watched her warriors and the creatures she commanded flee from the wall, all except the mindless undead, and her frustration grew. The frustration and rage boiled up within the Yuki-onna and it overflowed. Screaming her hatred and rage across the battlefield her intensity of her thoughts mixed with her magical abilities and a wall of frost formed over the fleeing warriors.

“Cowards…” she muttered as she looked upon her frozen troops. “Tomorrow they will take the wall. I don’t care how many it takes I will not have everything I worked for taken from me.”

Thoughts.

The start to the end of the week and we have a bit of a fun one planned. A siege firstly followed up by something a bit more… Regardless it looks like it will be a good week and a good closure to the month.

Atop the wall

241MoAtThWa

As the party arrived at the wall the first thing that they noticed was the sheer lack of people. For such a crucial point in the defence of Ryokughan it was shockingly unmanned. A head appeared at the edge of the wall twenty feet above the ground before calling out. “Princess Kyoko is here! Reinforcements have arrived!” the voice was overcome with emotion before several others echoed with joyous cries of relief.

“Kyoko. I don’t think our message hawk arrived here safely. They believe we have more reinforcements for the wall” Takeo spoke in a hushed whisper to Kyoko and the party. “How did you want to handle this?” he added looking from Kyoko to the party who were in fact the reinforcements.

After a few moments a platform was lowered over the side and the party, the princess and the spy were lifted atop the wall. Despite the low numbers of people on the wall they all were veterans. Heavily armed, armoured and trained they carried themselves with a martial poise that was lacking in many. As they rushed towards Kyoko they greeted Takeo and the party, the exhaustion on their faces replaced by joy and relief.

“Before we continue the pleasantries I believe I need to have a word with you lady Kyoko” a particularly grizzled and hard man said from a nearby door to a small tower. “There is something that is of great urg…” he began as he held up a fist and listened to the quiet that his signal instilled. “It comes!” the wall captain roared as every single soldier drew their weapons and surrounded the party and princess.

In a moment of chaos clouds of shadow-smoke appeared around the wall in sporadic bursts. Soon the sound of steel clashing, grunts and combat rang out around the party as the unknown adversary launched itself at the walls defenders. After a few moments the creature disappeared and the shadow-smoke dissipated soon after.

“To your posts. Prepare for combat!” roared the captain who eyed his men and women closely, inspecting for wounds. Finding one he pulled them aside “to the infirmary,” he said with a sigh as the realisation set into the face of the woman in front of him. “you’ve been stung. You won’t be seeing battle again until you’ve recovered” he added as he clasped the soldiers shoulder.

“yes sir!” the soldier barked obediently as with a great deal of sadness she handed over her weapons in resignation to the captain before retreating down a nearby set of stairs. As she disappeared into the bowels of carved and fortified stone.

“We are hounded by a creature that does not kill, it barely wounds but what it touches quickly dies. Normally at the hands of the victims allies.” the captain said as he grabbed a helmet and moved to the wall. “Those unfortunately enough to get injured by it recover after some time. Normally after heavy sedation. Some don’t and they choose to live on the outside of the wall so that in their condition they can still benefit their brothers and sisters.”

“What do you mean wall captain Hou?” Kyoko asked as she moved over to the wall before clasping a hand to her mouth.

“They go mad. Their blood boils and they cant detect friend from foe. They will kill anything in sight. Lethally trained warriors who can’t tell friend from foe and who have a lust for blood that a demon would envy. I haven’t seen it before. Our healers can only sedate and hope that their spirit is strong enough to fight the affliction. If they can’t resist then they spend their final days ripping into our enemies and serving us in their death.” the captain said with great reverence as he saluted a human who stopped pacing by the base of the wall, bloody froth covering its mouth.

After a moment the human, one a warrior that defended the wall turned and charged away from the wall, picking up a crude looking sword as it charged headlong into a mass of charging Spirit folk. The brutality in which the warrior cleaved into the fey creatures was outstanding and hard to watch. But that wasn’t only sight on the other side of the wall. Dozens of injured and dying lay strewn about the battlefield on both sides. Humans, those afflicted as well as the minions of The Shadow, all of them calling for help or crying out in pain or fear.

“We have tried to recover our wounded or dead and we started to lose more men than we saved…” a wall guard said from next to the party. Nodding towards the captain who pulled on a helmet and drew a magnificent longbow as he climbed a nearby watch tower. “He lost his daughter. She was a fine warrior and led the last recovery mission. She was cut down by a Oni.” The guardsman nodded towards a banner that stood high amongst the bodies, rocks and toppled trees. “She lies somewhere over there. Some men swear they have seen her moving about the battlefield but I think they are just seeing things.” he sighed. After a moment he ran off down the wall to continue to guard as creatures started to reach the wall.

Thoughts.

A few things for this week. A creature that attacks by teleporting which aims to spread an affliction – a blood rage if you will. Those afflicted by the blood-rage affliction who cant shake it being amongst the dead and rubble of the battlefield fighting non stop for their last few days. And lastly, a missing daughter to the captain. All of which can help drive action from the party. But what will they do? Maybe Wednesdays post will help us tease that out.