JesseLowe/WoodedLandOldSessionNotes

Pre-Session Notes, April 2, 2005

This will be session one of a two-session adventure, the Inaria Caper.

Part One: Glass Shadows. The circle heads into the Obsidian Forest to get loot with which to equip some of their DragonBlooded lackeys.

Part Two: The circle takes out the Royal Family of /Inaria

We begin in media res, in the Obsidian Forest.

How do I make this scene interesting?

In any case, this is where Mason's character and Ginsho are introduced (if Mason makes it -- must send reminder e-mail to him). Ginsho's going to portray himself as a strategist, a skilled advisor. He's also going to come sort of clean, explaining the Sidereal schtick. A bit of prophesying about battles, that sort of thing. Mason's character he'll introduce as a powerful asset to the Circle.

The Inaria Caper

Jay (Hotspur's player) has expressed interest in the group heading down to Inaria to make off with jade goodies to outfit the circle's loyal DragonBlooded servants. (Samurai!) This is the adventure we'll run next time Jay can make it to the game.

Summary: If it's a caper flick, it needs a caper. A caper, as far as I can tell, consists of the following elements:

The mastermind decides to do the caper
Getting the gang together
Planning the caper
Executing the caper
Things go to shit
At the last minute, the protagonist pulls things together to save his butt, often making off with the objective for the caper.

Since a whole shitload of jade artifacts are... not exactly portable... hmmm...

Okay. We'll present the group with a "best bet" target for the caper: An ancient tomb complex that contains the remains of Inaria's royalty -- not exactly deliberately. Over the course of the last two centuries, it's been traditional for young heroes of the kingdom to venture into this shadowland to prove their worth in order to be worthy of the crown. Many of them don't make it out. In short, it'll be a dungeon crawl, where the gang is trekking through this incredibly dangerous tomb to get back a bunch of artifacts.

Pre-Session Notes, March 19, 2005

Important characters:

Erdene Khan, ruler of the Bayajikh tribe.
- He is fond of wealth and grasping. He carries a bejeweled sword and is accompanied by a servant.
Batu, shaman of the Bayajikh
- A schemer who professes your best interest in his heart. He carries a drum and sleeps lightly.

Troops

Tursaga: 3,000 troops

Baga Dogshin: 1,000 troops

Bayajikh: 2,000 troops

Pre-Session Notes, March 5, 2005

Dawn says she wants to firm up the alliances between White Pines and the other towns. I want to introduce the idea that some of the Shanidar tribes are open to allying with the Circle if they can use the Circle to help them get a leg up. That'll be the Tower Kos meet. (Specifically, Erdene, Khan of the Bayajikh tribe, would very much like to become the Khan ilKhan of the Shanidar. Since the PCs have already fought and defeated some of the Tursaga Shanidar, he figures he'll use them, then stab 'em in the back... or something.)

In Jhuku, she needs to deal with a council of elders that's dominated by the Shahbazian and Keoshian clans.
In Tambat's Landing she has to address the Assembly. Oratory?
In Nakhichevan, she'll have to deal with Emasdouhi Noubarian, the Guild Factor. (Hire mercenaries?)

Potential Petitions from Citizens of White Pines

Please build a road from White Pines to Tower Kos / Coramar / etc.

My son (or daughter) needs a position. Got anything?

Questions the Players Have Asked About White Pines

What's up with the clans? How are they reacting to the Cult of the Unconquered Sun? (And for that matter, the Cult of Si Lu?)

The Tournament

Archery Competitors: 6 Exalts (all DBs), 1 Fair Folk noble, 15 God-blooded, 88 mortals
Melee Competitors: 9 Exalts (8 DBs, 1 Lunar), 1 Fair Folk noble, 25 God-blooded, 76 mortals
Equestrian Competitors: 6 Exalts (all DBs), 1 Fair Folk noble, 19 God-blooded, 89 mortals

Exalted & Raksha Competitors by name, in the order of their ranking:
Melee

Esos the Wolf (Changing Moon Lunar)
Silent Rose (Fae)
Badger (Fallen Fire Immaculate)
Cynis Paneki (Disgraced Dynast, Earth DB)
Lu Son (Demon Hunter, Earth DB)
Garsey (Water DB)
Seven Fire Cat (Fire DB)
Hroth Dalgar(Earth DB)
Tanith (Earth DB)
Antares(Water DB)

Archery

Graceful Rose (Fae)
Old Cedar (Bow saint, Wood DB)
Vanil (Air DB)
Tom Dek (Wood DB)
(Fire DB)
(Air DB)
(Wood DB)

Equestrian

Fierce Rose (Fae)
Mira (traveling hero and messenger, Wood DB)
Celadon (ronin, Earth DB)
Tadik (Water DB)
(Wood DB)
(Earth DB)

Series of Events:

Day One

Competitors have been arriving for about a week, putting a bit of strain on the town. This is the last day before the tournament and is the day the Three Roses arrive from the Gossamer Stockade.

Day Two

The Tournament begins!

Up and Coming

The PCs now have goals that they've set themselves, which should give things a good kick in the pants.

Si Lu: Found a cult dedicated to her worship.
Ragnar and Hotspur: Hold a tournament in White Pines to recruit warriors to the cause.
Kuro Haku: Establish the secret police in White Pines / Calrushan Wood.
Amara Onya: Build a temple to the Unconquered Sun in Calrushan Wood

Si Lu's Cult

Questions:

Is the cult going to operate in secret or out in the open?
Is membership going to be open or will it be more of a mystery cult, requiring initiation?
Can worshippers worship other deities, or is it going to be a "no other gods before me" kind of thing?
Where are you going to start?
Why should people worship you?
Who are your clergy going to be?
What are your strictures, doctrine, and dogma (if any) going to be?
How are you going to deal with competition?

Obstacles:

Immaculate Order nutsos going berserk on her cult
The Calrushan Wood Yozi cult seeing it as competition
Ethical objections from possible supporters, most likely members of the CoI.
Keeping control of the cult
- Maintaining doctrine the way she wants it, stamping out heresy (or not)
- Dealing with fanatics for or against her
- Dealing with splits in the cult itself: factions, schisms, etc.
Convincing people to worship her in the first place
Objections and machinations of the gods

Secret Police

Questions:

Obstacles:

The Yozi cult!
Rogue agents
It starts turning into a criminal syndicate
How far is too far?
It's a bureaucracy...

Temple to the Sun

Is it going to be a Manse, a standard building, or a megalithic earthworks? Or what?
What's it going to look like?
Where's it going to be?
Who's going to design it?
Who's going to build it?
How are you going to pay for it (or do without payment, if necessary)?

Adventure X: In the Spirit Court

Concept: The PCs become entangled in the affairs of a local spirit court.

I'm thinking five members (probably including the two gods of White Pines) and a conflict of some sort -- a Censor showing up? That would be handy...

Adventure 3: Plight

Concept: Refugees fleeing the depradations of the Dowager seek the characters' protection. They are pursued by a small offshoot of the Procession of Swine and have been infiltrated by the Shoat of the Mire.

The Refugees

The refugees are a motley group of all manner of folk who formerly lived on the borders of the Noss Fens. The Dowager is beginning to expand her realm, though, and these folk decided to flee their villages and make for safer country west across the wild grassland. In number, they are almost two thousand men, women, and children -- mostly the last two. They are led by two women, one a shaman and one a God-Blooded. (The god is now dead, having been the victim of one of the Dowager's hunts.) The only fighters they have are about a hundred, maybe two hundred, militia.

The Leaders
- Anna Speaks-With-Beasts -- Shamaness with a knack for talking to animal spirits.
- Mahela -- God-blooded martial artist.

The Problems

The Elders of White Pines are (unsurprisingly) divided on the issue. They are all united in not wanting refugees disturbing the tranquility of White Pines or -- for that matter -- Calrushan Wood, but could be persuaded otherwise.
The refugees are being used as a cover for the Shoat of the Mire, who is following along beside and behind them as she pleases, killing them whenever she needs Essence.
A small horde (about as many as there are refugees) of the Procession of Swine is on their trail. It's not so much hunting them as doing what comes naturally to the undead. Of course, that means wreaking havoc and eating brains, so...

The Plot

We'll start with a quick prelude type thingy -- I'll hand out very very small character sheets and the players get to be scared (and doomed) mortals for about half an hour. Then they get eaten by zombies and / or the Shoat of the Mire. Takes place on the march, at night, on the outskirts of the refugee camp.

Then we'll cut ahead to White Pines.

The refugees have begun filtering into the forest, seeing it as a place of safety. They arrive over a period of about three days. Complaints begin coming in about strangers in the forest. How the PCs react begins to dictate the rest of the adventure, but if the PCs do nothing, then:

Tension rises between the refugees and the locals. This culminates in a few short battles which the refugees lose.
The Guild caravan being due soon, the Elders decide to sacrifice a few refugees to the king of the wood, sort out some for keeping as slaves, and sell the rest. Anyone unsuited for sacrifice or slavery is killed in a massacre that leaves a few hungry ghosts and plants the seed of a shadowland. (The shadowland seed might happen anyway, just because it's cool.)
The Procession of Swine shows up during this time and causes a lot of problems, problems that are not likely to be solved any time soon.
The Shoat decides she'll stick around Calrushan Wood for a while and begins terrorizing the locals.

In terms of acts (3-act structure) it looks like this is (probably) what will happen:

Refugees arrive. This creates a problem -- it's a lot of mouths to feed and will cause many problems for White Pines. The locals are unhappy. Plus, you've got the zombies on the way.
Presumably the PCs come up with a solution.
The Shoat somehow disrupts this solution at the last minute by killing someone important and making it look like the worst possible person did it. (If it's one of the refugee leaders, there's evidence on the body that points to one of the Elders; if it's an important townsperson, witnesses see a refugee fleeing the scene of the crime.) This leads to mob violence or at least the threat of it.

Adventure 2: Double-Cross

Just Dawn, Chris, and Jason. A local prince challenges the new rulers of White Pines to a traditional battle of champions over a trade dispute; his champion is Ragnar. But it's a double-cross -- the prince is actually an Immaculate sympathizer, and a Wyld Hunt will ambush the characters as the climax of the adventure.

Winter has come and laid white snow on Calrushan Wood. Much of the local wildlife is hibernating or holed up for the season of Air, and most of White Pines' human inhabitants have followed suit. One bright morning in the middle of Resplendent Air, a challenge comes to White Pines: Duke Lu Zhao, ruler of Akita District. As per tradition, White Pines must send a champion to compete in the tournament that determines White Pines' annual tribute.

("What?" the players say. "White Pines, and most of the small nations around here, pay an annual tribute to Akita District. This is an ancient tradition and the amount is based on a variety of politicking and carefull bribery. Officially, it's based on how well the tributary's champion does in the annual tournament, but the tournament is usually staged.")

So, the council would like the PCs to go to the tournament and compete/politick. With any luck, they can get away with a very low tribute this year! (Those who refuse to pay tribute find the markets for their goods drying up, more bandits than usual on their borders, and -- if they're very unlucky -- Duke Lu's army on their doorstep, backed up by a couple of DBs on vacation.)

NPCs

Duke Lu, Immaculate Philosophy devotee and local lord.
- Description: A middle-aged man in severe but well-crafted clothing, mostly in blues and purples. He is not an ascetic, but would like to be, if only his station permitted it. He is always armed with a straight sword, which he knows how to use, and is alwasy accompanied by an assistant and a guard.
- Roleplaying Notes: You are devoted to the Immaculate religion, and sometimes neglect your duties because of this devotion. You believe strongly in order, and have stratified Akita District in your twenty years of ruling. Your one weakness (aside from a tendency toward orthodoxy) is your daughter Lu Mei. In your eyes, she can do no wrong.
Lu Mei, his lovely and naive daughter. (God-Blooded? Could be interesting)
- Description: A beautiful young woman in her early twenties or late teens, with a pale complexion, almond eyes, and green grass for hair. Child of Lu Zhao and a dryad, she has a knack for wood and living things. She usually dresses in rich green or brown robes and carries a fan.
- Roleplaying Notes: You would like to believe the best in everyone, and have had very little reason to do otherwise. You are thrilled by tales of the spirit world and courts, and often dream of exploring the Eastern forest. You dislike the Immaculate monk Shen, who considers you heretical, and delight in irritating him in small ways. You love your father, but resent his devotion to the Immaculates.
Siu-Ming Jiang, Duke Lu's crafty advisor.
- Description: A very, very old man in stately robes of rich fabric. He has very sparse white hair and a long, carefully maintained fu manchu mustache and beard. He's on the small side, and moves rather slowly. He is obviously important, and is at all times accompanied by an assistant or two, and often by a pretty girl to take care of his other needs. No, not those -- more like footrubs and soft music. He's over 90!
- Roleplaying Notes: You've been around the block many times and you have Akita district's best interests in mind. After all, its interests are your interests, and vice versa. You're a canny old bastard and intend to squeeze every last obol of jade you can out of those tributaries. You are not privy to the Immaculate plans, but you smell something in the air.

= Wyld Hunters

Cathak Silent Oak, Wood-Aspected Dynast
- Description: A young female noble in a green jade reinforced buff jacket, with a powerbow by her side. Small white flowers grow in her hair, and her eyes are a deep, deep green.
- Roleplaying Notes: You live for the hunt, and put all else second to that thrill. You are a careful warrior, and skilled in using terrain to your advantage. You get along rather well with Lu Mei, and might go out of your way to help her. You respect Sesus Kodoru (and have dallied with him on occasion) and consider Shen a good man.
Sesus Kodoru, Fire-Aspected Dynast from Greyfalls
- Description: A young man in red jade lamellar armor, surrounded by a hot wind. His skin is red and he speaks in quick sentences -- but is still pleasant to listen to.
- Roleplaying Notes: You're a warrior, dedicated to the idea of hunting down the Anathema. You believe strongly that Grayfalls and the surrounding bastions of Realm power are critical to keeping the Realm safe, and are trying to gather enough support to move one of the House Legions here.
Shen, Earth Immaculate
- Description: A young-ish man dressed in simple white robes and trousers, carring a huge tetsubo. He is shaved bald and well-groomed, and has pleasant, thick features. He is careful in everything he does, treading through life like an ox in a field of flowers it does not wish to trample.
- Roleplaying Notes: You have heard of Anathema in the area, and have arranged with Duke Lu for one of them to be present at the tournament. With the aid of your fellow Dynasts, you will make Akita District safe for the Immaculate Philosophy. You dislike Lu Mei, for she represents a deviation from the usual order.
250 Elite Soldiers (Kodoru's personal troops)
25 scouts (Silent Oak's personal troops -- Just mess with the Elite profile)

Set Pieces

Pre-Tournament Festival/Banquet
Throne Room Battle
Interrupted Duel

Important Locations

Akita District: Located on the western bank of the Rock River, more or less due east of White Pines. It's good-sized, with (more to the point) a pretty good-sized military, and is a client state of Greyfalls (and hence the Realm).
Lu Castle: A large construction in Akita City, it is situated on a man-made island that has been carved out of the banks of the Rock River. It is Japanese in style.
The Duelling Ground: In Lu Castle, the soldiers' training area is converted to an arena. The arena is a round sand circle about sixty feet in diameter and enclosed by a fence. Seating surrounds it, and there are preparation areas for the duellists. The royal box is toward the Western side of the arena.
The Throne/Banquet Room.
Akita City

Session 1 Notes

Basically: A town in the East is about to get sacked by Fair Folk raiders from the Gossamer Stockade and would very much like not to be sacked. Therefore, it gets hold of some protectors: The PCs.

Beginning date: Second of Ascending Air, RY 768. The Fair Folk army will show up on the first of Resplendent Air.

Secret Missions

Si Lu: Convert one major family in White Pines to the worship of the Unconquered Sun.
Hotspur: Summon a demon and make it your servant.
Kuro Haku: Ambush a significant foe and win. (This need not be you alone.)

White Pines

The city is in that small clump of forest (Calrushan Wood) directly south of the Gossamer Stockade. It is both on the ground and in the trees, although not nearly as much as Haltan cities are.

Population: 10,000
Politics: Independent city-state ruled by a council of elders. (Technically, by all adults, but in practice by the four or five most popular adults.)
Economy: Dependent on trade with the Guild, exporting a variety of forest products and such.
Religion: Ancestor cult + careful reverence of local gods.
Military: About a dragon's worth of militia and a scale's worth of regular infantry (the officers). (They're screwed.) Fights as four talons.

There are five outposts surrounding the city, each about five miles away. Each outpost is on the edge of the forest and is built around the lower branches of a colossal pine tree and manned by two fangs of militia. They primarily function as border guards and watchposts, and can communicate fairly quickly with White Pines by way of (very carefully tended) signal fires and lanterns atop each tree.

Aside from White Pines itself, there are numerous small villages and settlements, rarely more than five families large, scattered throughout the forest. These are mostly small farming and pastoral communities, and there are about twenty to thirty of them.

The area around the Calrushan Wood was once the territory of a nomadic tribe friendly to White Pines. The people of the myrit-bird totem acted as a buffer, allowing White Pines to focus on civil life. Both sides benefitted, the myrit-bird tribesmen from the cheap goods and White Pines from the security.

Unfortunately, when a myrit-bird tribesman gave offense to the Fair Folk noble Jawara, the tribe suffered. It was almost wiped out, and the survivors have fled west. Some would-be heroes from White Pines attempted to help their friends, and Jawara swore to ravage the city for the month of Resplendent Air. One of the adventurers escaped to warn White Pines, which leads to the present situation.

In the center of Calrushan Wood is a level 2 Wood-aspected demesne. It is uncapped. The people of White Pines consider it a sacred place and do not go there.

Major NPCs

Council of Elders
- Elder Avedis: Favors the PCs getting involved, is popular, but not terribly competent. Paralyzed by indecision. (Hesitation / Charm)
- Elder Kohar: Is trying to persuade everyone to flee the city. Most respected thaumaturge in town. (Cowardice / Wisdom)
- Elder Vartavar: Believes the city can fight off the Fair Folk on their own; is jealous of the other Elders. Head of the militia. (Hubris / Courage)
- Elder Perouz: Played by ? Supports the efforts of the PCs, but keeps trying to play the angles to benefit her family. The local Guild factor. (Greed / Compassion)
Local spirits.
- Ancient Spindle: One of White Pines' two gods, he has grown distant and detached, and is loath to do anything that might require effort. In fact, it's hard to even get his attention. The reason for this is simple: He received a visit from a Sidereal a few years ago and in the course of their conversation had an epiphany. He now wants nothing more than to return to the proper Celestial Order. Unfortunately, he thinks that the best way to do this is to ignore mortals. (Sloth / Propriety)
- Bogdash: The other of White Pines' two gods, he is nervous about the Celestials' presence; what if they report him to one of the Censors? Ever since Ancient Spindle's about-face, Bogdash has been pushing for sole worship in White Pines, albeit a bit subtly; if Ancient Spindle changed his mind, he could thrash Bogdash. (Ambition / Diplomacy)

Militia Talon

Magnitude: 3 (125 militia)
Hand to Hand: +? to Attack / +? to Damage
Ranged: +? to Attack / +? to Damage
Armor: 1 (buff jackets)
Drill: 1
Might: 0 (Ordinary Mortals)
Valor: 2
Order: Relaxed
Movement: 280
Initiative: Charisma + Presence - 2

Jawara's Horde

Character sheet is here: Jawara.

Jawara commands a force equivalent to a dragon, composed entirely of fey. It is usually split into four talons, each commanded by a cataphract. Each is composed entirely of hobgoblins.

His hobgoblins are armed with short spears, not chopping swords, and slings. That gives them the following stats:

Hobgoblin of Jawara's Horde

These creatures are long-limbed humanoids standing about five feet tall. They are covered in fine brown fur with pale brown feathers in spots. Some have beaks, others fangs. They run with a long gait, bent over and looking from side to side.

Attributes: Strength 4, Dexterity 4, Stamina 4, Charisma 2, Manipulation 2, Appearance 1, Perception 2, Intelligence 2, Wits 3
Abilities: Athletics 3, Awareness 4, Brawl 4, Dodge 3, Endurance 4 (Marches +2), Melee 3, Presence 1 (Terrorizing +3), Resistance 2 (Disease +1), Stealth 3, Survival 3, Thrown 2.
Virtues: Compassion 1, Conviction 4, Temperance 1, Valor 4
Willpower 7, Essence 2, Essence Pool 20

Base Initiative: 7
Attacks:
Short Spear: Speed 12, Accuracy 9, Damage 10L, Defense 8, Rate 2
Sling: Accuracy 5, Damage 6L, Rate 1, Range 100
Dodge Pool: 9, Soak: 7B/5L/0A (Tough hide, 3B/3L), Health Levels: -0/-1/-1/-2/-2/-4/-Incap

Mail & Steel Units

Hobgoblin Talon

Led by a standard unmounted cataphract.

Magnitude: 3 (124 hobgoblins)
Hand to Hand: +4 to Attack / +3 to Damage
Ranged: +1 to Attack / +2 to Damage
Armor: 2 (natural, no Fatigue)
Drill: 2
Might: 1 (minor supernatural creatures)
Valor: 4
Order: Relaxed
Movement: 320
Initiative: Charisma + Presence - 1