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Scarlet Heroes: The Saga of Riko Akane

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Heinrich perfectly understood the subtle hints, by his reaction."I will take you to the temple. But I'm not going inside. The place gives me the heeby jeebies. I don't think it is 100% empty. When you are ready to go we can set off. It is easier to travel during the day though. Things are still going to try to eat you, but at least you got a better chance of seeing them," replied Hienrich.

Heinrich: AC 7, MV 12”, HD 4, hp 20, #AT 1, D 1-6 bow or 1d6+1 spear, Save F4, AL N, Morale 8

So do you set out now? You got 6 more hours of sunlight and could make it there before nightfall.
 
Akane would realize that he was onboard and would really want to rush out to get to the temple today. Though she thought about it for a few moments. Ting and Rou seemed to be relaxing over on the other side of the bar, Hou was schooling the natives on fine cuisine and in all fairness it might well be best for them to let the rest of the day pass.

"Well, if we get there before dark, would we get back before dark as well?" Akane would muse to herself outloud. That seemed to be the tipping point in her decision. Looking back at Heinrich, Akane would be more decisive in saying, "I think its best that we wait until tomorrow morning to head out. Drink all you want tonight, but be ready for tomorrow yes?"

Hoping that her idea would help morale from the long boat ride over with her companions as well, it was just a matter of joining Ting and Rou to let the night pass by.
 
I am going to break the rules and give The archers a temporary bonus hit die from being well rested and fully prepared to go into the jungle. You have a room at the guest house. You can role play it up with people or just choose to skip to the next morning. Your choice.
 
(Mostly skip to the next morning)

Ting, Rou, and Akame would share a few drinks together as they took some time to bond. Heinrich and Kuso joining in on the fun in short order. Akane would try to get the lot of them to relax. They had a pretty big day ahead of them with probably the fate of the whole village hanging in the balance of if they were able to renew the wards or not. After a few hours the party would die down as they all realized they had a job to do. It would have been easy to drink themselves to oblivion with Akane footing the bill, but Hou was helping a bit from the kitchen by serving up drinks that were non-alcoholic.

With the lot of them retiring to their rooms for the night, the new day would come and Akane would see that everyone was starting to assemble in the main area of the guest house so that they can head out as soon as everyone was ready.
 
With that you are off! Akane, Heinrich, Rou, Ting, and Henpecked Hou all travel through the light jungle and make way towards the temple. You are exactly 3 hexes southwest of the village.'

Encounter check rolls 6, 1, 4.

"Hold up, we are being watched. Weapons at the ready," said Heinrich. As soon as he did 4 Giant beetles come crashing through the bushes! Like seriously, these things were the size of freaking wolves! The giant part was not undersold. To battle!
 
Akane - 14/14 HP, AC 4, To Hit +3
Ting - AC 6, HD 2, To Hit +1
Rou - AC 6, HD 2, To Hit +1

Guest: Heinrich: AC 7, MV 12”, HD 4, hp 20, #AT 1, D 1-6 bow or 1d6+1 spear, Save F4, AL N, Morale 8


Attacks - Akane: Fray - 5, Attack - 3(10) Miss
Ting & Rou: Nope
Heinrich: Attack - 25, Damage 4(1)

Akane would tell Heinrich to get the spear out while Ting and Rou knocked some arrows. Akane would try to serve as a distraction running in first while Heinrich used his spear to protect Ting and Rou as well as try to kill these giant beetles. Akane would do little more than manage to take one of the legs out from the beetle while heinrich landed a fairly solid hit on another beetle. Ting and Rou having never seen anything so big and ugly would see their arrows ineffectively bounce off the shells of the beetles.

Hou would back away with the horse to keep out of the battlefield that was starting to develop. Akane would try to engage the bettles at melee range so that she could keep them away from Ting, Rou and Hou while Heinrich would hopefully support them with his attacks.
 
Two of the beetles attack Akane, while two battle Heinrich. One of the beetles catch Akane's shin in a vicious bite before she kicks it loose. She would hear a male voice cry out "By the maker!" as a beetle bit into Hienrichs arm.

vs Akana 11, 21
Damage 6. Akane loses 2 HP

Vs Hienrich 23, 15
Damage 5. Hientrich loses a Hit Die.
 
Akane - 12/14 HP, AC 4, To Hit +3
Ting - AC 6, HD 2, To Hit +1
Rou - AC 6, HD 2, To Hit +1

Guest: Heinrich: AC 7, HD 3/4, #AT 1, D 1-6 bow or 1d6+1 spear, Save F4, AL N, Morale 8


Attacks - Akane: Fray - 5, Attack - 12(19) Miss
Ting & Rou: Nope
Heinrich: Attack - 2(7) Miss

Akane would render one of the beetles immobile by hacking its legs off, There was still the problem of the other three beetles and Akane would only be able to look on in fear that Heinrich, Ting and Rou were overmatched for such an overwhelming opponent as they were all unable to land a hit that looked like it did any damage. At least one of the beetles was dealt with and Akane was readying to throw the Ironhide potion over to Heinrich so that he could use it.

(1 beetle down from fray die, 1 injured fighting heinrich, 2 beetles full hp with one on akane and the other on heinrich)
 
At the sight of Akane sadistically cutting off one of the beetles legs, the other beetles panic and attempt to flee. Does the party try to stop them? Or let them go?

Moral roll 11. Fail
 
Akane would see the beetles running and simply put her arms up to let them go. By the looks of it there was nothing to gain by trying to chase them down. Maybe another beetle carcass to deal with? The cost was too great for how little of a benefit that would be gained. Heinrich seemed to not protest the decision while Ting and Rou would take ineffective pot shots at the fleeing beetles.

Now that they could catch their breath a little, Akane would hand Heinrich her Ironskin potion. "If we get in trouble again, use this."

Akane wanted to make sure they were all ready to move forward, but also not wanting to stay where they were for too long. If Heinrich could manage to tend to his wound while they were walking toward the temple, then they would continue on. Otherwise Akane and Heinrich would dress their wounds first before moving forward.
 
Other then the trouble of having to travel through some heavy jungle, the trip was relatively uneventful. As you get closer to the temple you see more wild beast carcasses. They ar missing skin and bobes, but the meat and other parts were left to rot, odd. It takes you 2 hours to get there but you make it to the volcano. Heinrich takes you up an obscure path on the side of the volcano. Without him you would of spent several hours trying to find a way up.

"What is that?" asks Ting. She points out what appears to be a large ruined manor on a hill to the north. "That was the house of the Sorceress. It's been abandoned for hundreds of years," replied Hienrich. He turns to Akane and hands her the ironhide potion back. "You are going to need this more then me. In the temple their are these weird doll things. They look to be made of silk and porcelain. I guess the flame priests use them as servants. But with them gone they just wander around killing living creatures and harvesting them. The forest beasts you saw earlier is their handiwork. I'm going back to the village, good luck," he explains. Hienrich will leave unless convinced to stay.
 
Check 11(13) - Pass

Akane would insist that Heinrich keep the Ironhide potion. "Consider it a gift for watching over Hou until we get back." Sparing him a long ranty talk, Akane would take a look at Heinrich and hope that her looks would be enough to convince him to stick around. "Also, don't you think it would make more sense for all of us to head back together?" Akane would point toward the descecrated carcasses to emphasize the idea of Heinrich going back alone being a really bad one. In a rare display of common sense, Akane hopefully did enough to convince Heinrich to stay. He made it clear that he wants no part of going into the temple, and Akane could respect that.

With Ting and Rou in tow, Akane would look to make their way into the temple. Hopefully this would go quick and simple, they would reset the wards, and then everyone could be on their way back to the town.
 
"Fine, I'll stay. But Hou and I will set up a proper camp at the bottom of the trail. If we set right here some of those dolls might wander by and try to murder us. I doubt you will finish everything before sundown, so a safe place to rest is important," said Hienrich with a sigh. Damn this woman. He could talk him into anything, like his wife used to. With that they head down the trail.

I assume the party enters. They see.

1. SACRED PILLARS: The central pillar is carved to resemble the volcano, with the lesser pillars shaped like Lan Yu’s chief disciples. The walls are carved with once-painted scenes of devotees prostrating themselves before a golden lantern.

"I suppose that lantern will be important in the ritual. Judging by these pictures. We should try to find it," Commented Rou.
 
Looking around, The group would see 5 pillars, once central pillar along with a pillar to the north, east, south and west of the main pillar. Along with the pillars themselves, Akane would notice two directions in which they could proceed. Rou would chime in with a bit of insight, and point out that the lantern seemed to be important. With Ting and Rou in tow, Akane would attempt to venture into the temple to find the lantern.

(The group heads to #2) Monastic Quarters)
 
At that moment Akane come across something truly bizarre. Akane sees the doll constructs Heinrich spoke of. They are called Hollow Children. Each Hollow Child was fabricated of carefully-shaped mahogany bones sheathed in musculature and skin of woven silk. A head of fired porcelain and black silk hair completed the small body, after which certain magical rituals infused it with the fire of life. But now they are covered with excrescences of mold and plant life that have found a home in their rotting silken musculature.

In the dormitory there is a dozen rotting beds that are are surrounded by the bones of the priests. Five Hollow Children are forever trying to reassemble them. As if the priests could be 'fixed' like you fix a table. They all stop and look at the party. The Hollow Children reach for their knives and plan to attack.
 
Akane - 14/14 HP, AC 4, To Hit +3
Ting - AC 6, HD 2, To Hit +1
Rou - AC 6, HD 2, To Hit +1


Attacks: Akane - Fray - 8 (2 HD), Attack 10(20) - Damage 5 (1 HD)
Ting & Rou - Attacks 8(16) & 14(22) - Damage 7(2 HD)

Akane would ready herself for a battle. These silken automatons did not seem to be reasonable as they would simply draw their knives and approach the women with their weapons drawn. Akane would charge forth and cut down three of the dolls while Ting and Rou would nail another one. With one doll remaining, Akane would see the last arrow shoot past her that would destroy the final doll.
 
5 hollow children constructs are destroyed. Ting lets out a deep breath and says,"That was freaky. The temple are full of those thing?" Rou just nods.

You search the room or move on?
 
With the hollow children defeated, The group look around the room itself for anything of value. Trying to see where the hallway would lead there was only a ruined section that was completely blocked. The only way out of the room that they would see were three closed doors that they would open and investigate one by one (2B, 2C then 5). If any of those lead to another area they would attempt to explore them as best they could.
 
Rou looks in the underpreists room and finds the jacinth snuffer. "This looks like an important ritual thing. We should take that," said Rou. She picks up the golden contraption. When you search the room nextdoor you find a woman! She is just lying on her bed eyes closed. What does Akane do?
 
Akane would look about the room to the right while Rou looked in the room to the right. Rou would make a declaration that she had found something, but Akane was distracted by finding what looked to be a woman. Was she a real live woman or one of those constructs that they had just obliterated? Calling the other women into the room, Akane would try to do something about the woman.

Could she be woken by normal means? It was certainly not a normal thing she thought, but why would a woman otherwise just be laying there ?
 
Upon closer inspection, she was dead. Once the leman of the high priest, her bones have been reassembled with obsessive care by the Hollow Children. Painted porcelain and rotting silks combine to make her appear alive at first glance.

With that revelation, the party moves on to room 5. As they enter the room a pair of spider's drop from the ceiling and attack! They dropped on Ting and Rou! Akane has been surprised! Rou dodged out the way of one and the second didn't bite past Ting's armor thankfully.

Giant Crab Spiders (1d4): AC 7, MV 12”, HD 2, #AT 1, D 1-8 + poison, Save F1, AL N, Morale 7, XP 38. These spiders will pounce from the trees, surprising on 1-4 on 1d6.

Surprise roll 3.

to hit 26, 18
Damage 1. 0 hit point loss.
 
Akane - 14/14 HP, AC 4, To Hit +3
Ting - AC 6, HD 2, To Hit +1
Rou - AC 6, HD 2, To Hit +1

Spoils: Jacinth Snuffer


Attacks: Akane - Fray 3 (1HD), Attack 14(24), Damage 5(6) (2HD)
Ting & Rou - Attack 12(20) & 12(20), Damage 4 (1HD), 4 (1HD)

With the spiders dropping down behind Akane, there was nothing she could do to stop them from attacking Ting and Rou. Surprisingly they did not seem as surprised as Akane was and Rou was able to avoid the spider entirely while Ting just had a part of her armor torn away by the spider. An easy enough fix for when they got out of the temple and back to town, but for now it was their turn to strike back.

Akane would skewer one of the spiders with a direct hit that killed it instantly. Payback for attempting to hurt Ting she figured. With all three women looking at each other, the last spider had no chance at all as they all attacked at the same time and obliterated it. With both spiders dead, they could now hopefully look around the larger room to see if there was anything of importance here. They had found a snuffer in the last room so hopefully they could find something of value here as well.

With the exits on the other side of the room, The group would pick the one to the right (leading into room #8) were they able to fully explore the room and leave nothing left to do in the room.
 
5. ENTRY HALL: Toppled statues and fallen stone litter this vast hall. The east end is blocked by rubble. A bronze statue of Lan Yu remains intact along the south wall. Her right hand holds an ornate lantern, while the left grasps bronze images of a scroll, a snuffer, and a stick of burning incense.

"Judging by the statue we need four things. A Snuffer, a scroll, incense, and this golden lantern. Well one down at least. I suppose the scroll will be in some library thing," said Rou.

8. LIBRARY: Vast shelves of black stone drip with the rotting remains of books. "Well bugger. I suppose we should get looking," laments Rou.
 
Rou would end up regretting her words as they walked into what looked like a library. Looking over the statue they had found previously it would seem that they had already found one of the key items that the statue was referencing. Now that they were in what looked to be a library, Akane would say for everyone not to get too far separated from each other as they went about searching for what Rou believed to be a scroll that they would find in this room.
 
As they search more hollow children show up. 3 of them! Except one is different from the others. Stitcher Hollow Children are more sophisticated varieties that have reinforced their body with stolen hides and foreign bones. They attack with long bone needles and thread of dried sinew. Upon seeing you the trio decide to attack!
 
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