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D&D 3.5 One on One: Tainted Hearts Game

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"Four Oni Lords eh?" he asked, scratching his chin. The title caught his interest. They nicknamed Rikuya 'The Oni' but in reality he has never met an Oni or even know what they're like. He assumed he earned the name because he's big and strong. "So now that you're mine, does that mean i am a crab? Or..How does this work? The Monks never taught us about these things"
 
"Since you are an orphan, you will be inducted into the Furukawa clan. Legally, I will be head of the clan. Which boils down to me dealing with the paperwork instead of you. You and any women who join our relationship will legally answer to me for any issues." She answered, still speaking in her monotone.
 
"I am fine with that! You deal with the paperwork and i'll do the fighting and baby making!" he declared, placing an arm around her shoulder. "Don't you worry Kanae. I'm going to make the Furukawa Clan the biggest, most powerful Clan in all of Rokugan! It will bring honor and prestige to you as Clan leader". It was a big claim and perhaps Rikuya does not realize the scope of his statement, but he does truly believe in his ability. "First, let's start with killing the Biggest Oni we can find!"
 
A raised eyebrow is his visible answer to his statement, but otherwise doesn't act. "Very well. But let's not die, shall we? It would be most aggravating, since I'm certain there isn't another man like you." Kanae said. The rest of the next few hours is spent in discussion of techniques they each have. 6 hours down the road...

Spot and Listen check.
 
Rolling 1d20 + 7
( 18 ) + 7 = 25 *listen*

Rolling 1d20 + 2
( 16 ) + 2 = 18*spot*
 
Rikuya hears a loud crunching sound shortly off the trail to the left and into the darkened woods they've entered in the last two hours. Kanae turns to him and says, "Do you hear that?" As she draws her Dai Katana.
 
Fight-Drink-Fuck and now Fight again? Life is great! Cracking his fists, the big man spun his arms around, doing a quick warmup as he walked towards the woods. "Could just be a wild animal, but let's take a look just in case. Might be a fight" he happily stated, approaching the woods, looking relaxed when he's actually alert.

<If the forest is difficult terrain, Rikuya will use his step of the wind stance. >
 
(It isn't at the moment, but there's on edge of darkness to the forest.)

Several yards through the trees and bushes, they come across a man with his back to them, standing in front of a body on the ground, and muttering. "He was gonna kill me. Didn't have a choice. The voices told me so. He had to die, or I would." The man doesn't wear any clan designations, while the man on the ground wears those of a Crab, a tetsubo next to his corpse.
 
"Voices? You're crazy aren't you?" Rikuya said with a frown, going over to check the corpse. "Now how did you kill this man?". Checking the corpse for any signs of Injury, Rikuya kept his eyes on the other man in case he tries to do anything. He frankly doesn't care who started the fight, but if this man can kill an armed man, maybe he's worth fighting? "Keep an eye on him Kanae, he just killed your kinsman. Might be pretty good"

Rolling 1d20 + 5
( 2 ) + 5 = 7 *heal check*
 
"I'm not crazy!" He replies, looking up and allowing them to get a good look at his face. And wished they hadn't. The skin that isn't rotted to reveal the flesh beneath is pale and covered in pustules. His eyes have sunken in slightly, and his hair is dirty. His clothes, taking a look at them, are dirty, and stained from the inside. "He's Tainted, and given in." Kanae says, disgust and contempt in her voice. "Kill him quickly, before he attracts more." She says, going into a stance before striking.

Roll Initiative.
Kanae: 21
Tainted: 17
 
Rolling 1d20 + 7
( 5 ) + 7 = 12

<if i can, i'd like to deploy between it and Kanae. And if i can change my stance to the stance of clarity, that would be great>

"What in the world?!" Rikuya yelled, abit alarmed at the supernatural sight before him. He has heard about the tainted, and he knew they were real since the head monk wouldn't tell a lie. "Alright! I'm going to bash it's skull in!" he yelled, stomping his feet and planting it to the ground, arms moving in a circle to prepare his stance.
 
(You can start there. But Kanae... She's not gonna stay.)

Kanae moves to the side, getting close enough to attack, which she does with an Insightful Strike, brutally running the man through the heart. The man just grins, and says, "What pleasure!" Before striking at Kanae, barely missing as she pulls her sword free.

Kanae Criticals
Kanae's Damage Roll: 61 total
Kanae's AC increases by 2 from Pearl of Black Doubt Stance.
 
"How is he NOT dead?" Rikuya thought to himself, the strike would have killed HIM. No time to think, he circled around the man, now in a pincer position, he used the superior positioning to grab the man by his neck, tripping his legs and slamming him to the ground.

<Rikuya uses mighty throw, if it succeeds, the man is prone there>

Rolling 1d20 + 12
( 6 ) + 12 = 18 *touch attack*

Rolling 1d20 + 7
( 16 ) + 7 = 23 *opposed str check*
 
The man is slammed into the ground and prone. Kanae moves and strikes him again with an Insightful Strike, a downward cross slash that cuts him open. Pus instead of blood spews from the wound, and the man gets back up, staring at Kanae with crazed eyes.

Kanae Attack Roll: 18+5+3+2
Total Damage to Tainted: 81
 
<do we get attack of opportunities for it getting up? i'm gonna roll it just in case>

Rolling 1d20 + 16
( 19 ) + 16 = 35

Damage: 14

"Oho, a tough one are you? Good!" Rikuya roared, charging his Ki up for a Blazing Flurry, embers flying through the air as he rapidly throws his burning fist at the creature.

<Rikuya uses Burning Fist and Flurry of Blows>

Rolling 1d20 + 12
( 17 ) + 12 = 29

Rolling 1d20 + 12
( 9 ) + 12 = 21

Damage: 23 and 19 respectively
 
Rikuya's strikes finally down the man, a sickening smack with each blow. The man falls, and after a few moments, pus began flowing out of every opening in streams. "This is why we fight the Shadowlands." Kanae says quietly, cleaning her blade. "The Taint can touch all, and consume the unwary. It is a blight, and makes a mockery of all humanity. We Crab fight, to prevent this." She walks over to the fallen Crab, and kneels next to him. "I do not know you, but you died with honor, fallen kin. You fought against one of the Shadowlands to your dying breath, and there is no shame in that." Kanae begins a soft chant. As she chants, the wind seems to gently touch the Crab, taking his possessions off him (except his clothes) one by one. The ones not ruined by water are gently soaked by a sudden, localized rain. "I having shugenja training, but only for healing and minor things." Kanae says quietly. "I lack the innate connections to the elements to truly master the art, and I prefer my blade over magic."
 
"Say" Rikuya asked in a softer tone than usual, realizing the importance of the ceremony. "What's to prevent us from being tainted ourselves? I mean..What was the difference between that man and us? Is it like a disease that we can fight with medicine?". He was reminded of the old monks, those men can resist disease and curses due to their training and it is only now that Rikuya wishes he would have stayed around to reach that level before leaving on his adventure.
 
Kanae shakes her head. "A disease of the spirit would be the closest thing to call the Taint. Jade, normal, artificial, and pure, can protect you. Certain magics can protect you. And with a strength of will, you can resist it. Few those who can spread it, that aren't Oni. Extremely powerful Maho Tsukai can spread it, like Iuchiban, the original Maho Tsukai, blood sorcerer." Kanae replies, before picking up the Crab's things. "They have been cleansed of his death, and I will see that his clan gets them. His body will have to wait, and hopefully the next town with send hinin (unclean lower class) to recover him. But if not, then nature will take care of him."
 
It scared him that there is an enemy you cannot hit, one you cannot see coming and one you ultimately cannot kill completely. "Jade..Yeah, that's a good idea" he said, trying to sound unafraid. "We should go, find some Jade. You think the next town sells Jade?" He asked again, not realizing how worried he sounded.
 
Kanae nods. "All towns close to the Kurokaze Wall sell jade. It is mined in the nearby mountains." Kanae sees and hears his worry, but does not comment. It isn't something to mock.

Night falls 3 hours down the road. The two have set up camp in a clearing a little bit off the path, and eaten a deer Kanae hunted down. Kanae stands after eating, and steps into the large tent she pulled from a bag of holding, and slowly disrobes. "While I do not need protection yet, I do appreciate the gesture." She says, before walking further in, disappearing from view of their campfire in a clear attempt to entice Rikuya inside.
 
He eyed her naked form appreciatively. "When we find a city, i think i should shoot my seed inside you again, just to be sure" he called out from outside the tent. Eating the last of his food, Rikuya sat cross-legged by the fire, keeping an eye out for any signs of danger.

Rolling 1d20 + 7
( 14 ) + 7 = 21*listen*

Rolling 1d20 + 2
( 1) + 2 = 3*spot*
 
(Wow, that sucks for the spot check. But...)

Nothing seems to be around, except for the typical forest critters who, for the most part, ignore humans.

(I'll assume you want to continue on with the next day.)

The next two days pass peacefully, unfortunately. However, the next day the pair arrives in the small city of Doryu, a mining city on only a day's journey from the Kurokaze Wall, and the final stop before entering the edge of the Shadowlands.
 
"You think they mine Jade here?" He asked, still worried about the taint. "We should get some more for you and our baby" he nodded, trying to make it seem like it's not just fear for himself that is talking. In truth, it isn't. Most likely, he already has children coming from all the women he knocked up, but this time the child will be around him and it got him to mellow out slightly. Not much though.

Walking into town, he looked around for an inn. It's been awhile since he slept in a soft bed. "So, who is in charge here?" He asked his lover.
 
"Lord Goshi Honma is the local magistrate. His clan is the Crab's main source of earth wu jen and shugenja." Kanae responded. It was nice of him to worry about their possible child, she thought to herself. "Yes, they mine jade. It is their main export, and what most of the city deals with." After walking the streets, they find a shop that sells fingers of jade (a piece of jade literally the size of a finger). Kanae bought six fingers for each of them, which would last them at last a month, unless something went horribly wrong. She then land them to Lord Goshi's castle, where she asked Rikuya to keep quiet while she dealt with clan matters. After an hour, Kanae was done dealing with politics, and led them toward the Jade Oni to stay the night.
 
Raising the jade to the light, Rikuya examined them. They seem so..mundane, he wasn't sure how they can protect someone from turning into a horrible abomination, but if Kanae says they can, then they can. She's been doing this for a long time afterall."So, what news? Any Oni Sightings Nearby? Any more of those Tainted?" he asked like an over-eager puppy. Now that he has the Jade, he feels safe from the taint. It doesn't scare him anymore and in fact, he relished the chance to fight them again, afterall the last one was tough enough to live from such a fatal beating, it would definitely be a good workout.

Once inside the Jade Oni, he quickly went to the receptionist. "You have a hotspring? And Sake!"
 
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