The old man looks almost apologetically at the soldier facing him, lifts his hand and blows dust point-blank into the soldier's face.
Befuddle Dust: Affliction 8, Area-Shapeable,
So he gets a dodge DC18, (his current dodge is 0), and then Fort DC18 or 14, (at -5) or Dazed/Stunned/Incapacitated.
Kuro caught the incoming swordstrike with one inhuman hand, turning the weapon aside to create an opening for his free hand to reach out stab at the enemy.
Toughness save: 1d20+8-223, makes it. Attack: 1d20+819 DC 23 Toughness if that hits
The old alchemist blows his magical dust in the bare face of the samurai, who makes every possible angry Japanese face in the dictionary before falling to the ground, out of combat.
For his part, the dark Yokai is not as lucky. His claws hit true but the Hatamoto armour is think, and the wound is but a scratch.
As for Dai Jin, well... She is alive, which considering how badly the goddess of luck has shinned upon her, is a feat on itself.
The enemy retaliates, giving short time to rest. The samurai facing Kuroi retorts his claws with steel, the sword finding the smoky flesh of the yokai once more.
Imagawa snorts at the chinese woman. "Coward? There is no cowardice in preparation, gaijin. Only those short in understanding could think such a thing. Look at your own magician, bet he spend some time preparing all those trinkets. Commendable indeed." he says, before whipping his magical fan at her. A gust of wind envelops the eternal warrior, threatening to send her flying back.
Soyokaze defeats his opponent. Kuroi inflicts another wound. Dai Jin... exists. The Hatamoto battling Kuroi rolls a 23 in the attack roll, damage DC 21.
Dai Jin is hit by an area attack, Dodge DC 16 or be knocked back 6 feet, and hindered and take DC 21 damage. If you suceed the dodge save, you only take damage DC 18 and are not hindered nor pushed back
Soyokaze felt guilt at the pride evoked by the compliments of a greedy opportunistic tyrant.
The reminder of prepared concoctions did remind the 'old man' of the debris-caused wounds in his chest and sides. With shaking fingers he removes some Make Whole Unguent and considers his injuries. They hurt, indeed, but there was another on the battle field that needed his ministrations more.
It mattered not that the creature was not of flesh and blood. The restoration of this salve bridged the material and spirit worlds connecting them with the Celestial Ideals, restoring them to balance. The liquid spread was merely a conduit for that connection. This same liquid that Soyokaze splashed through the manifestation of Kuroi, no matter that it put the healer in range of the last Samurai's sword.
AE: Make Whole Salve; Healing 6, Restorative, Affects Objects Also, Persistant, Stabilize, Activation-Move Healing: 1d20+622 This heals 3 conditions, I think that fully restores the shadow spirit.
Dai Jin HP: 0 Status:-1, (Rounds til Regen: 1) o===)---------------
Perhaps the insult struck home, or it was the fact that her companions were risking their lives. It might even have been her sheer warrior's spirit, driving her forward. Her sword, as mysterious as it is, may've been the one at fault. Yet whatever the reason, Dai Jin seems to have finally snapped out of whatever slump she's fallen into.
The wind does not buffet her even a little, and in fact her stance seems to have actually improved. With a renewed warrior's cry she charges the man straight on, her sword glinting in an absent light as she drives it forward.
The Hatamoto's blade bites flesh that parts into mist, the same mist that Soyokaze's healing arts mend. The old fool put himself into reach of the enemy for it, though, and Kuro moved to make sure he wouldn't suffer for it.
The numbers quickly turn against Imagawa, as Kuroi eviscerates the last remaining Hatamoto. His claws rip armour and flesh, and the man falls forward in a pool of his own blood.
"What?!" The Daimyo exclaims indignantly, and in doing so he does not see Dai Jin approaching to deliver a powerful blade cut. The armour on his chest is the only thing that saves the opposing lord, as the blade rips it apart "Grah!" he screams, taking a few steps back. "You dogs! You still havent win! I will destroy you now!" he threatens, Pushing another plate on the ground. From his back you hear the sound of rope stressed under weight and then suddenly a pole sprouts forth from underneath the ground, shooting rocks in a wide area, catching the three of you squarely.
OOC: Awesome round! Hatamoto fails with a 11 and is out of combat. Imagawa would have also fell, but I make him use his HP for another save, he rolls a 22, so he takes an injury. He uses his traps again, making a cone area catching the three of you in a Dodge DC 16 or be hindered and take DC 21 damage.
Dai Jin HP: 0 Status:-1 (Rounds until Regen: 2), Fatigued Next Round o===)---------------
In a fit of womanly rage Dai Jin manages to reflect most of the trap by slicing it in half with her sword, stairing at the man as she does so with a vicious gleam. She attempts to follow through with her attempt of intimidation, yet even if the man is startled it seems destined to miss him once more.
Dodge area trap: 1d20+8+530 not hindered, lower dc toughness(?). Toughness: 1d20+8-217still failed I think, additional -1 toughness
Light as a feather, Soyokaze leaps and twists out of the way of most of the stones. The ones that do hit him though hit hard. He lands with a gasp of pain.
Unable to put it off further, the old man backs away and out of a strait line from the others to hopefully force the rival shogun to choose whom to catch in his deadly traps. But to make him a more tempting target than his fellows...
"Surrender, your reign of violence is done!"
With a whispered word of power quills once again launch themselves from the old man, streaking toward the crafty war leader.
Attack: 1d20+621
If hits, Will DC20
AE: Paralytic Darts: Affliction pr 10, Ranged, Accurate 3, Homing 2, Extra Condition, Limited Scope (Resist by Will, Vulnerable and Impaired, Defenseless, and Disabled)
Kuro spun away from the rocks, but the sheer number of them meant that some of them hit him. Paying no heed to it, the dark yokai wove a series of feints around Imagawa before launching his true attack.
The daimyo is startled by the display of swordsmanship. He didnt believe Dai in to be capable of such feat, and his confidence is undermined. So much so that he didnt see Soyokaze's feathery darts incoming. He felt the effect of the paralytic concoction in his vain just in time to be plunged by Kuroi's claws.
Imagawa was in shock, his eyes as big as they could stretch, a hand holding the gash in his abdomen. "Impossible... how could you..." he blurbs, as he falls to one knee. "I... I will not surrender the Imagawa clan to the Oda dogs!" He says, and in a flash of motion, draws a short sword, and pierces his stomach. A surge of blood sprays from both his back and his mouth, and Imagawa Yoshimoto, head of the Imagawa clan fell.
Dai Jin HP: 0 Status:Fatigued o===)---------------
She stands above the downed man with a grim look of satisfaction. Though she would never respect this man for the life he had led and his atrocities, she was at her core if woman of the blade. He had died with full honors, and as such she knew to respect it.
Hun turned toward the battlefield, and moved with confidence. It was time to spread the word, the Oda clan has prevailed, and the battle was over at last.
Am I dead? Am I alive? The answer may surprise you!
------------
"What a week, huh?" "Doc, it's only Wednesday."
The days that followed the battle of Owari were long indeed. Hours of tiresome work, enduring the exhausting hours of task after task. The battle itself seems like a far off dream, a distant memory you are uncertain if you ever actually experience. It is in moments of respite, perhaps leaning on a shovel, looking over the busy city in reconstruction, that flashes of memory come to you more vividly. The red blood, freshly spilled. Yours and your enemys. The final moments of Imagawa Yoshimoto and his defiance. You recall with a smirk the compliments, and the joy of that day. The hope filled eyes of the soldiers and housewives, as you marched victorious into Owari once more. The wisdom filled gaze of the Tiger of Owari, as he thanked you for a job well done. Those bittersweet eyes that longed to see his son among you.
You share those eyes now, as you scan the city, your city. Some people are working with joy, some carry not only timber over their backs, but also the memory of a cherished person, lost in battle. You can see that in their eyes, you recognize it because you see it every morning on the mirror. You the virtues have also lost good friends, without whom you wouldn't have won, 13 days ago.
But you take spirit, you are heroes after all. The people cant see you worrying and sad. With renewed energies, you take to your tasks, with the quest of finding your leader resting in a corner of your mind.
OOC
My dear players! We have made it to the end of the line here! Thank you very much to have tolerated my absences, my long hiatuses and the re-recruiting that lead to nowhere. Hopefully this game was enjoyable for you as much as it was for me. I planned this to be the first chapter of this sandbox series, but considering the ammount of dropoffs we had I am assuming there is not enough interest in that. It may change in the future, So....
I would like to have a piece of each making closing remarks, perhaps visions of the future if you will. And also your opinion as a player on what could I have done better, what can I improve and if you liked the style or not.
Thanks for playing!
Kuro stalked the streets of Owari, flitting from shadow to shadow. Those that saw him, even for a brief moment, were reminded of the toll that the Siege had taken on the living, of those that drew their last breaths in that battle. But then, when he passes, so too does the shadow over the hearts of the people and they realize that with victory came a new morning and the lives of the survivors continue ever on. This small sense of hope he instills is beyond Kuro's understanding as it falls outside his nature.
The surviving Virtues had performed admirably, even the mortals. Kuro could take pride in standing by them as they looked for their missing Master, or proof of his demise. The yokai had time and patience on his side and eventually he would be free again. Until then, this was not a bad existence.
Thanks for the game! It was an enjoyable experience and the system you implemented gave some interesting ways to handle larger scale combats. I especially appreciated the different ways to affect the battle, instead of just relying on a set Battle or Siegecraft skill.