Scenario: The Crane's Gift Shrine and the Phoenix Blessing Shrine have fallen under the control of the enemy army. As the sun sets, the spirits begin to actively desecrate the holy, tearing them apart while insulting the Crane and Phoenix, calling them weaklings and cowards. Worse yet, some of the monks that tend to the shrines seem to have been swept up in the carnage and captured by the enemy. While their treatment hasn't quite passed from "aggressive bullying" into outright torture, it's surely only a matter of time...


Participants: 4 characters

Imperialist Victory: If at least 12 monks are saved, every character in this thread that is not captured becomes the talk of the town for their daring mission. The character gains +.5 Glory, and they may make a special Influence Roll worth double points.

Imperialist Bonus: If 24 or more monks are saved, the rescued monks pledge to do whatever they can to repay the debt they owe the characters. Each non-captured character gains a Influence 2, Devotion 4 Brotherhood Ally.


Traditionalist Victory: If less than 12 monks are saved, the remaining monks are butchered and hung from the shrines as warnings to others. The defilement is the final straw that breaks the bonds of friendship between Crane and Phoenix, leading to greater enmity between the two Clans. The Empire gains +15 Traditionalist Points.

Traditionalist Bonus: If two or more characters are captured by the enemy, their failed raid draws the attention of the Steel Chysanthemum. The remaining monks are corrupted by the influence of Toshigoku and slowly spread through the empire, spreading a false Tao that encourages violence and bloodshed. The Empire gains +30 Traditionalist Points, and the Brotherhood will gain a new sect.



Rules: This event has 3 steps that every character must attempt.

A character can attempt to cast one spell or kiho before every step of this event. If the duration of the spell or kiho is two hours or longer, then it applies to the entire event; otherwise, it ends after that step of the event. Each time a character attempts to cast a spell as part of this event, they must succeed on a TN 25 Stealth (Spellcasting) Skill Roll. On a failure, the character is ambushed by the enemy and taken prisoner, ending their participation in this event (and any further threads on D11).


Through Enemy Lines:

To reach the shrines, the character must sneak over the wall (likely using a lowered rope) and make their way through the disorganized forces of the encamped enemy. This requires a TN 25 Stealth (Sneaking)/Agility Skill Roll. On a success, the character makes it to the shrines. On a failure, the character is captured and taken prisoner, ending their participation in this event (and any further threads on D11).

Stealth Kill:

Once in the shrines, the character must eliminate some of the enemy soldiers without being seen. This requires a TN 20 [Weapon Skill] (Appropriate Emphasis)/Agility Skill Roll. Large Weapons cannot be used on this Skill Roll, but Small Weapons gain a Free Raise. This is not an opposed roll and the character is not in combat, but if the character has techniques or advantages that trigger for attacking an unaware opponent, they apply to this roll.

On a success, the character kills enough enemies to rescue one monk, plus one additional monk per successful Raise. On a failure, the character is caught before they can make their attack, suffers 5k3 damage, and is taken prisoner, ending their participation in this event (and any further threads on D11).

A character can attempt this part of the event up to three times total, with a TN of 30 on the second attempt and 40 on the third attempt.

Begin Evacuation:

Once the character has rescued the monks, they must signal the castle to begin a push against the enemy, distracting them and allowing the character to return to the castle with the monks in tow. Signalling the castle requires a TN 25 Skill Roll using any of the following Skills:


Battle (Mass Combat)/Perception, Games: Kites/Agility, Hunting/Perception, Perform: Drums/Agility, Perform: Flute/Agility, War Fan/Agility

A character with the Tactician Advantage gains a Free Raise on this roll.

On a success, the character manages to alert the castle and escape with all of the monks they have freed. On a failure, the enemy notices the character; they suffer 6k3 damage as they flee back to the castle, and the monks they rescued are brutally cut down behind the character. The character gains the Doubt disadvantage for the Skill they chose for this step.

_________________
Credulous at best
Your desire to believe in
Angels in the hearts of men

Kitamaru snuck into camp easily enough. The guards weren't as watchful as they might have the defenders believe. Managing to find where a group of monks were held prisoner, he went to sneak upon the guards and deliver a killing blow. Unfortunately, when he did so, one of the monks gasped at the all the blood and before he could act further Kitamaru was surrounded by angry Matsu in every direction.

He attempted to fight his way out, but after a blow to hold him in place with the famous terror inducing Matsu technique, he was prodded by spears until forced to throw his weapon down.


OOC
Stage 1: Stealth 29, success
Stage 2: 2 raises Kenjutsu 26 fail
Damage: 12

Yay.

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Scorpion Clan • Bushi • Quiet • Loyal
Glory: 3 | Status: 1 | Honor: Untrustworthy
Carries: Daisho, Kimono/Sandals, Hat, Kiseru, Cup, Fan, shakuhachi flute
When Allowed: Armor, Yumi/Arrows

(I'm in. More to come after clarification from GMs.)
Editing


In the tumult of a camp settling in for a long siege, nobody notices a plainly dressed man slip over the walls of the city in the shadows next to a guard tower. Nobody notices his robes in the growing dark of the strange time between late winter and early spring, hears the sucking mud of days of rain, or marks the approach of a penitent to shrines that are being torn down even now.

They do not notice the jitte that emerges from within an obi, though they feel the hand clamped around a mouth and the sudden sharp pain of the weapon sliding forcefully up under the ribs on the right side, angling towards the center line, piercing lungs and heart. Maybe they feel themselves lowered to the ground and dragged out of the way, only a small smear of blood left behind them as their lungs fill and froth.

They do not notice the four monks whose bonds are loosened and who follow the shadowy figure back out. They do not notice that a group of five breaks for the walls in the moments that archers fire upon the shrines far above, a lucky insight into the flow of battle. Nor yet do they notice the five scale the rope that still, somehow, hangs unmolested.

But even if it is not noticed, it is a good night's work.

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Kasuga Seitouna
Tortoise Clan
Status 2.0 * Glory 2.5 after D11 * Honor...sure, yeah
Thinking * Speaking Merenae * Speaking Thrane
Generally wears decent kimono & sandals, jitte, wakizashi
Wears extravagant kimono & sandals and wakizashi at court
Almost always has paper and something to write with
Public Profile

The big crow is agitated, and Myo-en knows why. Karasu-san grumbles and creaks anxiously as Myo-en, dressed for war--which, for her, means half-dressed by anyone else's standard--swings her legs over the parapet of Nikesake's wall.

"We will save them, friend. As many as we can," Myo-en promises. Kayou would have. Kayou would give everything. She slides lightly down the rope and lands in a crouch at the wall's foot. The dimming light of the early spring sunset washes the colors from the dense embroidery of tattoos covering her arms and back, turning them to an indistinct pattern that blends into the muddy ground and scattered brush. Karasu-san circles silently above the enemy camp--one carrion crow among many--while Myo-en creeps between the campfires on silent bare feet.

This is not the way she had meant to make her return visit to the Twin Shrines, but Fate is strange that way.

She slips noiselessly into the temple complex, scales an outbuilding, and flows up onto the tiled roof of Asahina's shrine, keeping below the roofline so the moon will not cast her into silhouette. There, just below her--two slaughter spirits, faintly glowing with that unearthly red halo, making sport of about half a dozen terrified monks and nuns. Myo-en sets her teeth and swallows the growl that wants to climb out of her throat.

A sudden thump and clatter across the temple courtyard draws the spirits' attention. Something winged, black, and angry has just landed heavily atop the small Shinsei shrine, dislodging several roof tiles to shatter on the flagstones below, and set up a chorus of furious cawing. By the time Myo-en's keen eyes flick away from the disturbance and back to her distracted targets, even more crows are circling in to join the racket.

I could have managed alone, Karasu-san. But thanks.

She rolls off the edge of the roof and hits one of the spirits in a gravity-fueled tackle that breaks his neck instantly. Before he's even hit the ground, she rebounds to down the second in a flurry of swift, vicious punches. "Brothers and sisters, this way. Come with me if you want to live." That sounded like something a hero would say, right?

Karasu-san and her kin keep up their raucous distraction, falling out of sight and sound as Myo-en leads the monks out a back way and into cover. Some distance from the shrines, after a few minutes of quiet, speedy hiking, Myo-en cups her hands by her mouth and whistles to imitate the call of a nightjar, the signal she'd pre-arranged with the reinforcements.

While she's listening for the return signal, a heavy black shape swoops out of the heavens and lands possessively on her shoulder, croaking quietly but indignantly into her right ear. "Well," Myo-en points out, "We could hardly use a crow call, could we? Too many real ones around."

The crow fluffs up but is silent, so Myo-en chats with the monks instead, reassuring them that the Empress's very living army has their backs.

--
Crunch:
D11 EE First Blood--step 1, Through Enemy Lines, Stealth TN 25. VP.: 6d10o10k4 31
Pass Step 1

D11 EE First Blood--step 2, Hiiii-yah! first attack, Jiujutsu/Agi TN20, 3 cr + 1fr for TN 35 and 5 monks, VP: 9d10o10k5 40
Pass Step 2.1, rescue 5 monks
D11 EE First Blood--step 2, Hiiii-yah! second attack, Jiujutsu/Agi TN30, 1fr for +1 monk: 8d10o10k4 32
Pass Step 2.2, rescue 2 monks
7 monks rescued in all

D11 EE First Blood--step 3, Evacuate?! In our moment of triumph?? (Narrator: "Yes, actually."). Hunting/Per TN25: 7d10o10k4 35
Pass Step 3, escape intact

D11 EE First Blood--bonus Influence check for Imperialist side, Courtier/Awa, adding 4 of 6 bonus dice from Crane tattoo, VP, 3 raises (TN 30): 9d10o10k4 48
Pass, 4 Imperialist Points (doubles to 8)

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Dragon • Tattooed Monk • Ascetically Under-Dressed • Crow Companion • Experienced
Honor: What is Expected • Glory: 3.4 • Status: 1 • Profile
Speaks Naga, sometimes. Carries: Jade pendant, walking staff, small pocketknife, divination coins. Padded jacket if working outdoors... maybe.

Chen was told there was a mission to rescue some monks that were dumb enough to get captured. Chen sighed as he put on his dark grey clothing counted his shuriken and wrapped cloth around his head leaving only his eyes visible. He stealthed out of the castle becoming one with the shadows as he broke into the enemy camp and found a group of monks.

Flash of steel as two small projectiles sprouted from their guards throats and a soft gurgling sound was all that could be heard as they collapsed. A dark figure pointed toward the castle wordlessly commanding the monks where to head.

Another group a little deeper in the camp, luckily their guards forgot their helmets that day and the well placed stones cracked into their temples causing the guards to crumple.

With his six monks in tow Chen headed back to the castle and once near he played a few sharp notes from a little flute to signal their entry. A path was made and six monks made it in but their rescuer was no where to be seen.

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d11 monk rescue stealth roll tn 25: 10d10o10k6 61

d11 monk rescue attack! Ninjutsu/agility free raise from small +2k0 from R2 tech 2 called raises tn 30: 9d10o10k4 31 4 monks rescued

d11 monk rescue attack again!! Ninjutsu/agility free raise from small +2k0 from R2 tech tn 30: 9d10o10k4 50 2 monks rescued

d11 monk rescue signal the castle perform: flute vp +1k1 tn 25: 6d10o10k5 49

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Scorpion Clan • Bushi • Archer • Well Oriented • Friendly • Clumsy •
Honor: Honorless Dog | Glory: 2.5 | Status: 1.0
Carries: Daisho, Samisen
When appropriate: Light Armor, Yumi
Profile Mask

Hearing the commotion nearby, Seitouna lifts up his voice in the growing darkness.

"For the Empress, and for the Imperial Heir!"

He had not meant it to ring quite so much as it did, though.

(Success for 2 points, doubled to 4 by the event, but, man, I should've called more Raises!)

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Kasuga Seitouna
Tortoise Clan
Status 2.0 * Glory 2.5 after D11 * Honor...sure, yeah
Thinking * Speaking Merenae * Speaking Thrane
Generally wears decent kimono & sandals, jitte, wakizashi
Wears extravagant kimono & sandals and wakizashi at court
Almost always has paper and something to write with
Public Profile

Imperialist Victory: Kasuga Seitouna, Togashi Myo-en, and Bayushi Chen gain +.5 Glory.

Kasuga Seitouna - +4 Imperialist

Togashi Myo-en - +8 Imperialist

_________________
Credulous at best
Your desire to believe in
Angels in the hearts of men