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Beautiful Doctor Zhang FP: 3/2 XOOO/OOO Honestly I'm just drawing a nothing on this and my brain isn't connecting to anything, I think I'll let the others do the brainstorm and pass
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Jun 21, 2014 16:03
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| # ? Apr 26, 2024 08:16 |
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Pass noted! Shu Li and Zhu Qiang, I'll be posting this evening regardless if you want to get a post in.
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Jun 28, 2014 16:51
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The painter shakes her head at Yue. "There was no one... no one alive..." Jun studies the name Hong picked out. "The scribe might simply have taken it down incorrectly. Let me see what else I have in my notes though." Notes Trix, go ahead and invoke, then name a fact. Last round for this to establish the hypothesis!
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Jun 30, 2014 01:22
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Yue Turning to Silver Cloud, Yue pouts. "I just can't think of anything else that might help. Can you?" [21:59] <Morphball>: Ridley: empathy: 4 = 4dF(+,-,x,+)+3
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Jun 30, 2014 03:00
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Hong 2->1 Hong scratches his head. "Yeah, I think I'm out of idea- wait. Wait wait wait." He turns back to the busiest secretary (that's secret-keeper, in the old sense) in the Empire. "Jun... who was the scribe?" KZA, ++/++4 = 7 Rapport, invoking on Hundred Fists in Mind and Body to attack the target from a different angle
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Jul 1, 2014 02:13
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Xu Lei "I sense... a lot of wood chi within the sword. Maybe from its previous wielder, or perhaps from where it was shattered. I also sense... evil. Something nasty befell on this." Lei gets a better feel of the sword. "A bit of moss and gunk, as well." They're hard to see with the naked eye, but with chi sense in full form, it appears to him like a beacon. "Could it be possible that the Sword Came From A Cursed Swamp? Something like that, at least." Crafts for the hypothesis: --/+ +4 = 3. I'll invoke my two facts to make mine 7.
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Jul 1, 2014 18:05
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Zhu Qiang FP: 1 -> 0 "Mm, a cursed swamp, boy?" Qiang returns his glaring gaze to the blade and takes a second look. Bypassing the history and the soul of the item, he sees what Xu Lei described and shares a musing nod with the lad. "Yes, I can still see it, even now. Shining sunbeams and songbirds hiding the hungry spirits within." Qiang pauses, lost in thought for the moment. "They say there is a Humble Sagacious Swamp Hermit. He would know the happenings within his home." Aaaaaaaa I'm not dead! (6:26:20 PM) Velyoukai: okay: +2 for a point spent to invoke SPIRIT-WARDER, +3 for CHI, and let's roll some old man kung fu wisdom about cursed swords and kidnapped ladies (6:26:28 PM) Velyoukai: !r 4df+5 (6:26:29 PM) Krysmbot: Velyoukai, +++/+5 = 8 (6:26:31 PM) Velyoukai: BAM (6:26:42 PM) Gorbash: nice
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Jul 2, 2014 00:40
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Looks like Zhu Qiang's gonna have this, unless the Doctor or the Constable make a big move! Moving on tomorrow either way.
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Jul 2, 2014 02:02
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Beautiful Doctor Zhang FP: 3/2 XOOO/OOO Lore: 4dF+4 4 Nope!
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Jul 2, 2014 18:32
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Zhu Qiang gets to establish the hypothesis. In this case, the question was "how will we find the missing heir?" Your hypothesis doesn't have to solve all the mysteries brought up here, so you can have it be about WHERE to look for her, WHO took her originally, or WHO has her now! That will define the next step in this quest, as in who you need to find or where you need to go. You have the facts Gu Poison, Someone Else Sent This Message, and Sword Came From A Cursed Swamp?
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Jul 3, 2014 03:23
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Zhu Qiang Troubled by the information the party has discovered, Qiang frowns, folding his arms behind his back. The allusions towards that swamp from the remnants and traces on the sword, alongside the dawning realization of just what sort of beings could send things from that spirits-soaked region... All this and a mysterious Gu poison... Qiang sighed, feeling the strain and ache in his bones. Really, another kidnapped whelpling. What was the world coming to that beasts without pride still haunted it without retribution cutting them down like fields of tall grass. He dispelled the Eyes of the Wargod and stepped forward. "I can make no claims to our young heir's kidnapper. Where this unfortunate blade has been, however, is clear; no swamp save That Which Devours Souls could leave such stains of unnatural jin. Whoever, or whatever, sent this broken messenger seeks to draw attention to that dangerous swamp. I believe it to be in our charge's safety and interest to start there." [Call of the Soul-Thief Swamp] --- Gorbash, just let me know (or Trix~) if there's something off here. Wanted to get a post up for us fast and didn't see you. Velyoukai fucked around with this message at 04:22 on Jul 4, 2014 |
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Jul 4, 2014 04:11
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"The swamp? I have heard of it, an ill-omened place." Silver Cloud sounds a bit incredulous, but nods. "Very well, we should start our search there. I will procure horses for the trip. And travel papers." he sighs. "It will take some time, I should have considered that we might need to leave the city. We should meet at the Willow Gate this afternoon." He bows to the group, stopping to speak to Yue before he departs. "Should I hire a carriage as well, miss? The swamp is not far from here but it's not an easy ride." Hawk-Eyed Jun flips through her notes, then a frown creases her face. "How did I miss this... There's no chop for the scribe who took this information." She shows it to Hong. "I fear a conspirator must have infiltrated the original investigation." She looks down, clearly embarrassed. "Much of this material is suspect. Certain parts I can vouch for myself, but besides that..." Notes Your successes are enough to get one free invoke on Call of the Soul-Thief Swamp as well. You can take a little time to prepare before you leave - you can roll any skill you feel appropriate to create an aspect related to these preparations, against standard difficulty of 2. If there's something else you'd rather look into instead, let me know. Dr. Zhang can choose to continue his work on getting his practice up and running instead if he'd like. Yue, you won't get to roll for that aspect! You have a hanging compel that will kick in after your next post.
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Jul 5, 2014 20:00
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Yue Yuck. An icky swamp? Ugh. At least someone is looking out and being considerate! "Yes, a carriage would be good." Yue smiles pleasantly at the gentlemanly Silver Cloud. "I have to go let my friends know if I won't be around for tonight's performance, though," the dancer frets. MollyMetroid fucked around with this message at 21:25 on Jul 5, 2014 |
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Jul 5, 2014 20:57
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Silver Cloud bows politely, then hurries off to see to things. When Yue returns to where the troupe is staying, she's surprised to find no one there. She expected Smiling Shu to be gone, along with most of the acrobats and guards. They were going to some kind of retreat for a few days and left the women behind, but someone should still be here. As she checks around, she finds signs of struggle - overturned furniture, broken bottles. Just as Yue is beginning to really worry, she spots one of her fellow dancers coming back. The youngest of the troupe, Lin has a lot more potential than talent at the moment, a scrawny girl who can't hold still. She looks exhausted and scared, and is wearing a strange black outfit Yue's never seen before. As soon as the girl spots her, Lin rushes up to Yue, shouting. "Yue, Yue! Please, you have to come quick!" Lin hops from foot to foot impatiently. "The others - oh, it's terrible! We thought they wouldn't be able to figure out who did it! Some of us got away, but- We have to rescue them! They'll kill them! They're only holding them hostage right now because they thing Smiling Shu was behind it, but he wasn't, and when he finds out we were working without permission - I don't know what will happen! Please, you have to help us!" She's clearly in a panic, tears streaming down her face. You might be able to calm her down enough to make sense of this, or one of the others she mentioned might be able to explain. Either way, this sounds very bad. The results from the compel from dinner last night for Yue. Something bad has happened, and now Yue has to figure it out, and quick.
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Jul 5, 2014 22:18
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Xu Lei "A swamp is an awful place, but there's a princess on the line..." Lei doesn't know a thing about swamps, much less one that devours souls, so he might as well find someone who does. He returns to town to consult stores and taverns to find a guide, a map, or even some advice to such a dangerous place. Though, given the tales that the old man spun about That Which Devours Souls, he needs to search really hard for this. Contacts to find a guide or map to the swamp: /+// +1 = 2. Good enough for a boost?
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Jul 6, 2014 02:41
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Yue [00:23] <Morphball>: Ridley: Empathy to calm Lin down: 2 = 4dF(-,x,+,-)+3 "Lin, it's all right, I'm here now. Slow down! What happened? What are you wearing? Where is everyone? I don't understand what you mean, working without permission." Yue is very worried, and the poor girl's panic isn't helping her to feel calmer about the situation herself.
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Jul 6, 2014 05:26
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Vivacious Yue's Very Bad Day Lin visibly takes hold of herself, and wipes her face roughly with the back of her sleeve. She also studies Yue for a second, before nodding to herself. "You can't tell Shu about it! It was, um, supposed to be a special performance. A surprise! But I guess the person who hired us didn't explain it properly, and they didn't tell us who it was! This awful Triad type was there, and he thought we were thieves and grabbed Fuu and the twins and Jin! He's really strong, his kung fu is almost as good as yours!" "Please, he won't listen to anyone, and we need to get the others back! Before something worse happens!" That's the story Lin is telling, and she's sticking to it. Assuming Yue agrees, Lin leads her to what amounts to a shed down near the river. As you peek around the corner of an abandoned shop, you can see a shirtless man sitting at the door and smoking a pipe. He's covered in tattoos and with a patch over one eye. He's skinny but looks really tough, all gristle and bone. He's got the front door of the shed barred. "They're in there," Lin whispers. "We have to get them out somehow..." An Entirely Normal Day in the City for Everyone Else Xu Lei manages to chase down... not exactly a map, but a fairly cryptic travel guide in an apothecary's shop. The old man who sells it to him claims that the swamp changes constantly, so maps are useless. The guide provides advice on how to navigate the challenges of the swamp safely, in the form of proverbs. It's just the kind of folk wisdom Xu Lei remembers from his home village, so it should do the trick! Notes General difficulty of 2 for creating aspects, so you gain a boost!
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Jul 6, 2014 19:03
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Beautiful Doctor Zhang FP: 3/2 XOOO/OOO Zhang looks oddly excited. "Swamps are incredible places for gathering rare and exotic ingredients and important medicines. If this is ki-touched, then it is all the more interesting! And, of course, we shall be saving the princess there as well. Ah, what a wonderful time." Zhang leaves to prepare for the swamp...and to hopefully get his clinic up and running to USE those ingredients and medicines!
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Jul 6, 2014 20:41
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Yue Something about this whole thing is wrong. Why would they put on a special show without their star dancer, the lovely and talented Vivacious Yue? Maybe that was why this angry man was so angry; she is the star performer of the Waxing Moon Troupe. Still, even if he'd been expecting her to be there, locking everyone else up just isn't the right way to deal with it! Ugh! And he's such an ugly fellow. Well, she's going to have words with her friends after this, for sure. But first, to business. Steeling herself, she marches up to the man. "Excuse me," she begins, piling on the sweetness. "I think there's been some kind of misunderstanding, and I'm here to discuss you letting my friends go."
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Jul 8, 2014 15:57
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Lin tries to grab Yue to keep her from just walking up the guy, but dives into cover behind a few crates when she realizes she isn't going to stop the star dancer. The tattooed man looks Yue up and down as she approaches, and grins at her words, revealing several missing teeth. "Your friends, huh? Never saw such pretty thieves. Think I'll keep 'em." He stands up. More unfolds really. The man is all stringy muscle and bone, but he's one of the tallest people Yue's ever met. "Think I'll add you to the collection." He makes a clumsy grab for her, clearly underestimating how much a threat she is. Notes Stealing one of the few good ideas from Jadepunk - a duel! It works like a contest, so Yue and this Triad will each roll against each other. Whoever gets the higher roll gets a victory. If the higher roll is a success with style, it's two victories. On a tie, I introduce an unexpected twist. First to three victories wins. As a special feature for a duel, if you take a mild consequence, you reduce your opponent’s victory point gain by 1. By taking a moderate or severe consequence, you reduce the gain by 2. This applies only to a particular exchange, you can't retroactively take a consequence to clear victories later on in the duel. The Triad rolls poorly and gets a 0, which creates an opening for Yue to score some victories! [21:09] <skybot> Gorbash: 0 (4dF+2=-, -, -, +)
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Jul 9, 2014 02:10
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Yue [01:21] <Morphball>: Ridley: FIGHT: 1 = 4dF(-,x,-,+)+2 Yue sidesteps the grab with a graceful dodge, grabbing for the man's arm and yanking to throw him off balance. "This is kidnapping! That's a crime!" She is incensed that he would dare to try such an awful thing, and has no idea what he meant by thieves. Lin DID say there was some kind of misunderstanding, though.
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Jul 9, 2014 06:24
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The Triad is caught completely off guard and sent stumbling past Yue, crashing into the crates Lin was hiding behind and sending her scrambling for new cover. With a snarl of anger, he spins around to face her. "You'll pay for that!" He puts his arms up into a guard and advances on Yue more carefully, suddenly launching a powerful kick at her. Notes Victories Yue - 1 | Triad - 0 More Fight! 21:23] <Krysmbot> Gorbash, -/-++2 = 1
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Jul 10, 2014 02:25
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Yue But Yue is already in motion herself, dancing effortlessly aside to navigate her way round the crates, which she knocks over further into the Triad's path and at the Triad himself. Let him kick one of those! "Just let my friends go and this can all be over!" [10:43] <Morphball>: Ridley: athletics - STORM RUMBLES IN THE DISTANCE: 7 = 4dF(x,+,+,+)+4
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Jul 10, 2014 15:45
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Hong Hong decides to go digging in the criminal underworld- perhaps someone in town has heard rumor of the Venoms. He's sick of worrying, and particularly, he's sick of worrying that Jun is out to get him... Unfortunately, this Jianghu is well guarded against outsiders, even ones that know the sayings and passphrases... KZA, -/--+4 = 1 nope
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Jul 10, 2014 18:04
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Hong drops in to the usual places, and says the usual things, but everywhere he finds wary eyes, closed faces, and shut doors. He gets the feeling it's not just a lack of familiarity. Someone's put the word out not to talk to him. --- Yue yanks her opponent off balance, sending him crashing into the side of a building, with some speed. He rebounds and staggers away, blood running down his face. He whirls back towards Yue, rage in his eyes. "You're loving dead!" He puts his head down and charges her, trying to get a hold on her with those long arms. It's a graceless technique, but probably an effective one if he can get a hold. Notes Victories Yue - 1 | Triad - 0 (Broken Nose) He takes a Moderate to steal those two victory points from Yue, but he's hurt now. Fortunately he has a stunt that gives him a bonus when he's hurt. But it doesn't help his rolls. [17:38] <Krysmbot> Gorbash, ///-+3 = 2
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Jul 12, 2014 22:47
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Yue "You're far too clumsy to ever land a hit on Vivacious Yue!", the dancer crows as she smacks the ugly man in the nose. He's even uglier now! [20:24] <Morphball>: Ridley: fight bapping him in the nose for 2: 4 = 4dF(x,+,-,x)+4
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Jul 13, 2014 01:26
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Shouting inarticulately in pain, the Triad fighter stumbles back, one hand on his face. He lashes out blindly with his other fist. Notes Victories Yue - 2 | Triad - 0 ( Here we go again, and here we go again with his crappy rolls. [11:43] <Krysmbot> Gorbash, --/++3 = 2
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Jul 13, 2014 16:44
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Yue Yue dodges out of the way of the blind punch with ease. [13:41] <Morphball>: Ridley: athletics dodgin' a blind punch: 3 = 4dF(+,-,x,-)+4 "Why are you punching that crate? You're just going to break your hand, you silly man!"
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Jul 13, 2014 18:42
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The crate shatters under the blow, and the man's hand comes away bloody and splintered. Ignoring the pain, he grabs another crate and hurls it at Yue. He also manages to eliminate Lin's hiding spot. She covers her head with her hands and hopes no one realizes she's there. Notes Victories Yue - 2 | Triad - 0 (Splinters) ( One last shot! He takes a Mild and then makes an attack with a semi-decent result. Still, with the free invoke this is probably the last chance. [13:45] <+Morphball> Gorbash: 4 = 4dF(-,+,+,x)+3
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Jul 13, 2014 18:47
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Yue Yue knows this is it. Her friends are waiting for her--counting on her! Lin is exposed now, and she can't keep playing. When the Triad thug hurls a crate at her, she gracefully spins, kicking out of the way, and her ribbons sail out ahead of the crate to catch it. Continuing her spin, she uses the momentum to swing the crate around and bring it back in an inevitable arc towards the ugly, nasty, mean Triad guy's stupid face! [13:50] <Morphball>: Ridley: (2 fight, 2 free invoke, spending fate point for +2 from STAR PERFORMER for flashy move) to ribbon-catch that crate and whip it back into his ugly face!: 4 = 4dF(-,-,+,-)+6 [13:50] <Ridley>: good thing I did all that junk huh [13:51] <Gorbash>: haha [13:51] <Gorbash>: lets do this [13:51] <Gorbash>: switch one of those invokes for a reroll and do it at +4 [13:51] <Gorbash>: you can choose to add the +2s after you roll so its generally best to roll the flat skill first and then decide what you're invoking and what you're invoking for [13:54] <Ridley>: oh okay [13:54] <Ridley>: .fudge +4 [13:54] <Morphball>: Ridley: 5 = 4dF(x,x,+,x)+4 CRASH! And lovely Vivacious Yue lands delicately, catching herself before she drops into a bow--nobody's watching here but Lin, after all!
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Jul 13, 2014 18:53
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The crate smashes into the Triad's head. It breaks apart, splinters flying everywhere, and he collapses backwards onto a barrel that breaks under his weight. He's out cold before he hits the ground. Lin lets out a yelp, hopping away from the man, then coming back after a second to poke him with her foot to make sure he's out. "That was amaaaazing! Oh, quick, we need to let the others out!" She runs over and unbars the door. She's almost bowled over as the captives within rush out, apparently expecting to have to fight their way free. There's a few minutes of chaos before they figure out what's going on, and then everyone quickly makes their way back to their quarters, pulling Yue along, thanking her and making excuses. Yue keeps catching them watching her out of the corners of their eyes, but they look away when they realize she's noticed. It's up to Yue if she'd like to press the issue. Post by Wednesday will move us to the swamp for the next phase.
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Jul 15, 2014 01:00
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Yue "Is anyone hurt? What were all of you even doing? Without Shu or me around--and what are all of you wearing?!"
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Jul 15, 2014 03:43
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Beautiful Doctor Zhang FP: 2/2 XOOO/OOO Official Documentation in hand, Zhang's next job was to find the right place to put up his clinic. Physical place, that is. A lot of thinking had to go into this! Foot traffic, ease of finding, not to mention proper chi flow and harmonious symmetry. Zhang spends his time before they head for the swamp pouring over maps and charts, walking around the city to feel the flow of energy, and other such important tasks. Investigation: 4dF+2 -1 God are you loving kidding me. Invoking Nontraditional Traditional Medicine Practitioner to reroll Investigation: 4dF+2 0 What the gently caress. Know what, fine, I don't even loving care. I fail. Whatever. Jesus christ, orokos hates me in this game.
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Jul 17, 2014 00:38
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Moving on post e: Sorry for the additional delay but I'm a little under the weather and this will be a fairly involved post. Comrade Gorbash fucked around with this message at 00:51 on Jul 18, 2014 |
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Jul 17, 2014 02:17
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Dr. Zhang has a terrible afternoon. He manages to rule out several parts of the city after a number of annoying interactions with pushy shopkeepers, crazy old men, and beggars, plus getting stuck in the worst laid out location he's even had the misfortune to enter. The owner was practically offering to pay Dr. Zhang to take the place. If he wasn't a skilled doctor, he would probably would be suffering from an imbalance after going in there. But this trip promises a chance to work out those frustrations. ----- Lin jumps in before anyone else can answer Yue. "Everyone's fine, just bumps and bruises. It was a special event! It was supposed to be... based on the legend of the thirty-six thieves!" Quick nods from the others. "I think someone was playing a prank and using us for it. Well, jokes on them, they already paid and we aren't giving it back! Thanks so much for helping us out Yue and please don't tell Shu." A chorus of voices second this, and offer to handle Yue's chores and lend favors in exchange. Yue can interact a little more on the side, but we're going to move on as well! ----- The Willow Gate is so named for the massive, ancient willow tree that stands just beside it. The tree has a small shrine at its base, and even from a distance its calming influence can be felt. Its considered an especially auspicious gate to leave the city by at the start of a journey, and as such is always quite busy. Silver Cloud has the pull to skip the regular queue, but even he has to schedule a time. He's gathered up enough horses for you, plus a carriage, driven by a middle aged man named Sang. He greets each of you as you arrive. He has his own horse, but it doesn't take much convincing from Yue to get him to join her in the carriage, letting Hawk-Eyed Jun lead his horse. She turns out to be a surprisingly competent rider. Soon enough your turn comes and you leave the city walls. It's still a good hour before you get out of the surrounding suburbs that have grown up near the gate. The rest of the day is spent passing seemingly endless fields and rice paddies, following the curve of the great river. You spend the night at an inn in a small town that's grown up almost precisely at the point travelers need to bed down a day out from the city. The next day you make much better time, starting early and quickly escaping from the heavy traffic as you take a less-traveled fork in the road. How less traveled becomes apparent when you come upon a bridge that's been washed out by the rain. You can try and cross at the ford here, a risky proposition, especially with the carriage, or you can go around to another bridge, but that will cost time. Silver Cloud frowns at the obstacle. "So, what do we do?"
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Jul 19, 2014 02:03
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Yue Yue nods as Lin explains. That makes sense! "Wellllllll...all right, but you have to promise to do my chores for sure, because I have to go do something. Oh, um...and I guess return those costumes to whoever it was that paid us--not the money but make sure the costumes are gone. They're terrible and Shu will definitely notice those kinds of costumes showing up. I mean they don't even look real. Anyway you should return them because otherwise we're stealing them and then people will think we really are thieves. Keep the money though." She nods. That is entirely fair! ~~ Yue is happy to ride in the carriage with the wonderful Silver Cloud, sitting as close to him as propriety will permit. She's almost a little flustered in his company, but she tries her best not to let it show. The bridge being out the next day is a problem, though, but clever Vivacious Yue knows just what to do. "I think it would be too much time lost if we go around looking for another bridge," she offers, "but if we have to leave the carriage then...then I'll be okay. Only...I'll have to ride with you, since we didn't bring a horse for me..." She looks at the ground shyly.
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Jul 19, 2014 06:38
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Xu Lei "Wait, that swamp guide gave me a proverb about this. Sometimes about a river not being what it seems..." Xu Lei wracks his brains for a moment, then realizes something. "Look, we should try to ford this. I don't think it's as deep as it looks. We can make it!" He leaps off the carriage. "But, I'm going to take a look at this bridge as well. Hard to believe they'd build such a flimsy thing in a place like this..." He frowns. It only takes a moment to see that the rain wouldn't break the supports like this. More like chopping tools and ropes. "...And of course they wouldn't. Someone knocked the bridge down." I have a boost I can pass if anyone wants to drive this carriage through this! Also rolling crafts to investigate that bridge: +/-- +4 = 3. I got a response from Gorbash, so we know we're not wanted here. Mitama fucked around with this message at 01:43 on Jul 20, 2014 |
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Jul 19, 2014 18:51
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Hong "Seriously?" Hong looks around suspiciously. "If I were a group of bandits, or assassins, I'd have an ambush waiting for us while we're stopped here. Keep your senses sharp." He begins scanning the forest. "We could really use that Hawk-eye now, hey?" KPrime, +/+-+2 = 3
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Jul 21, 2014 00:07
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Jun doesn't respond to Hong, but she's scanning the treeline as well. After a moment she happens to glance at him doing the same, and she shrugs. Now that he's looking for it, Hong can see signs that a sizeable mounted group moved through here recently, and obviously pulled out of some of the wooden posts supporting the bridge, but he doesn't see anyone nearby. Silver Cloud rubs his chin. "That wouldn't be a problem. I'm more worried about the supplies I loaded onto it. We probably can do without most of them, I suppose. All right." He pulls off the most important equipment, and tells the carriage driver to head back to the last town and wait there. During the unloading it becomes apparent most of the 'supplies' you're giving up are luxuries, not necessities. You won't lack for anything important. Fording the river is wet and tiring, but managed without much trouble. The road on the other side of the river is even more overgrown, and follows a tributary of it as it meanders into the swamp. As you progress, the forest gets damper and boggier. You'll be in the swamp proper before too long. Still, it's a lovely day to be out for a ride, and as the shadows start getting longer thoughts turn to finding a place to camp. As you round a bend into a large clearing, Jun suddenly sits up. "Something's wrong..." Hong too senses trouble, and looking around spots the glint of metal off to one side. That gives you just enough warning to spur your mounts as the ambush is tripped! A Thrilling Chase Through the Woods! Horsemen, clad in the furs and dark leathers of Northern barbarians, burst from the treeline. You've thrown off their timing, so the main body is badly out of position. You should be able to lose them... If you can keep the group that races out of a hollow just off to the side off you! Six riders with bows in hand, and three of the massive maned war dogs the barbarians are famed for. The bandit leader comes on at the back. His huge black eagle leaps into the sky to whirl above you. For a moment there's still a chance to get away. A narrow spit of dry ground between two bogs to your left is promising, and Silver Cloud turns his horse towards it - and Hong is only able to head him off in the split moment before a massive greenish thing erupts out of the water, cruel yellow claws and horns tearing at the air. The horses shy away from it in terror, and then everyone is tearing off down the road. The smell of it, the sight of it, the feel of its twisted chi - Dr. Zhang has seen its like before. The monster and the war dogs nip at your heels as you race away, Jun in the lead, leaning close over the back of her mount but eyes scanning the road for more danger. The raiders thunder down the track in the rear, but they won't stay there for long. The Northerners are skilled horseman. In the distance behind you, the main body of their force gets itself reorganized and comes on at a less desperate pace. You dare not stop with as long as they have your trail. Notes A Map! | Aspect Document It's a chase scene! Be sure to check out the aspect document for special rules. Anyone with a brown marker has a horse. I ended up compeling Yue's The World is My Oyster aspect to give up the carriage to ride with Silver Cloud, so they start this scene riding double. Don't worry about making riding checks (which use Drive since its the Core skill list) unless the doc says you have to. You're all decent enough riders for it not to matter (unless someone wants to take a compel  ). For initiative, you guys will go first, then the opposition. It turns out the actual inits would work out nearly that way anyways, so let's just keep it simple.The Pursuit represents the problems of the chase, both the pressure of the trailing body of raiders and the general risks of racing down a narrow dirt path through a swampy forest. Yes, it has mental stress. Attacking the Pursuit can be done in a variety of ways. Physical attacks can come from Athletics and Physique in addition to Fight and Shoot. Yes, it has mental stress too. This represents outsmarting the pursuers or figuring out a safe way to navigate the hazards. Attacking it this way would primarily be via Lore, Deceive, or Provoke. Lore is for figuring out hazards, Deceive can be to create misleading clues that send the pursuers off on wild goose chases. Provoke is similar but makes them take dumb chances. Think action movies and Warner Brothers cartoons. If there are any questions, let me know! Edit: Oh yeah I forgot. You can also invoke your horse as an aspect for a +3 bonus. You can't do this to Silver Cloud's or Jun's horses though. Comrade Gorbash fucked around with this message at 23:46 on Jul 22, 2014 |
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Jul 21, 2014 21:42
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Xu Lei "Yes, there is something definitely wrong!" Xu Lei leads his horse exactly opposite of the approaching horde. "Go! Go!" Then the war dogs come. And then the monster. This is going to be another of those days. Good thing that he set up a snare trap right behind them, just for this occasion. Always use the terrain to your advantage. Master Long would hit him with a cane if he didn't do otherwise! I invoked (Second) Finest Craftsman in the Jianghu to declare that I retroactively set up a trap beforehand to keep them from crossing to Zone 3. And my roll to make this advantage? ---- +4 = 0. Although...  he expected bandits on foot to come after them, not a trampling horde!
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Jul 23, 2014 01:50
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