Mikl posted:

We can't outrun them in a ship, but of course we can if we swim.

The Buccaneers of Shadaki posted:

You estimate that you are less than a mile from the mainland coast—a comfortable distance for a good swimmer, especially for one who possesses the strength and stamina of a Kai Grand Master.

You say farewell to Captain Radyard and he thanks you for your selflessness. He orders his crew to hoist the sails, and he tells his bo’sun to wave a white flag from the stern deck to signal to Sesketera that he is complying with his commands. A longboat is launched from The Triasus to collect you. It is carrying an officer and six marines, each armed with a half-pike and a Bor pistol. Radyard suggests that you go to the head of the boarding ladder so that you can surrender to the longboat’s officer when he comes aboard.

‘Who said anything about surrender?’ you retort.

‘But … I thought … ,’ stutters the captain.

‘I’ve no intention of surrendering to Sesketera!’ you say, and before Radyard can utter another word, you vault over the gunwale and plunge feet-first into the clear blue sea.

The sea is warm and its clarity makes it easy for you to locate the massive hull of The Triasus. Having filled your lungs before you hit the water, you stay submerged and strike out for the distant shore. Only once you have passed beyond the shadow of Sesketera’s flagship do you come up for air. As you break the surface you notice that the crew of The Triasus are scouring the sea, straining themselves to catch a glimpse of where you are. A marine on the prow deck spots you and, to your surprise, Sesketera’s crew begin to laugh and jeer.

You are trying to fathom the reason for their laughter when suddenly you are struck in the back by a heavy, powerful blow.

We roll: 4.
-5 Endurance: 11/35.

The shock of the unexpected blow knocks the air from your lungs and somersaults you down into the water. You draw upon your Kai skills to numb your pain and gather your senses and, as your vision clears, you discover that you are still in one piece. However, the satchel containing the Moonstone is no longer slung around your shoulder. The strap has broken and you glimpse the bag sinking towards a coral reef, five fathoms below. Suddenly you sense movement in the water and you twist around. Speeding towards you comes a marine monster; it is returning after having rammed you in the back. It resembles a gigantic crocodile, but one with a blunt-muzzled head and scales of dull grey horn. As it closes for the kill its great jaw swings open revealing a ghastly red maw lined with dozens of dagger-like fangs.



Curing (1/10): +1 EP (12/35).

anakha posted:

We can't breathe water yet, so surface.

anakha posted:

We can't breathe water yet, so surface.

achtungnight posted:

If we surface, we expose ourselves to enemy cannon or arrow fire. Fight the Crocodile!

Mikl posted:

Is the croc ticking, perhaps?

No matter, fight it.

achtungnight posted:

If we surface, we expose ourselves to enemy cannon or arrow fire. Fight the Crocodile!

The Buccaneers of Shadaki posted:

You steel yourself to attack the creature as it spreads its massive jaws and gets ready to devour you whole.

Nigumu-sa: COMBAT SKILL 40 ENDURANCE 50

This creature is immune to all forms of psychic attack. Unless you possess Grand Nexus, reduce your COMBAT SKILL by 4 due to your desperate lack of oxygen. You are unable to consume any potions prior to the combat. If the Kai Weapon you wield is ‘Ulnarias’ or ‘Spawnsmite’, you will benefit from the bonus gained due to its unique properties.

The Buccaneers of Shadaki posted:

The monster writhes in its death throes, spreading its blood like a huge crimson cloud through the warm tropical sea. For a fleeting moment you surface to take a breath; then you dive through the cloud of blood and retrieve your lost satchel from the coral reef. Having regained your precious charge, you stay submerged and swim towards the shore.

Aching and close to exhaustion, you crawl from the sea and work your way slowly up the beach to the cover of a fallen toa tree. Here you lie upon the wet sand and look out at the two ships standing half a mile off the coast. The longboat from The Triasus is circling the bloodstained water and its crew appear to be searching for your remains.

Curing (2/10): +1 EP (12/35).
We roll: 9.

While the longboat continues its futile search, you repair your broken satchel strap and then check the condition of your Backpack and Weapons. Whilst doing this you discover that you lost one Backpack Item and one Weapon during your underwater battle.

Erase from your Action Chart the first item which you have recorded on your list of Backpack Items, and any Weapon of your choice.

Curing (3/10): +1 EP (13/35).
Lost a Bow and a Meal.

Soon the longboat abandons its search and returns to The Triasus. You watch as both ships unfurl their sails and depart from the coast, The Triasus heading north and the Seasprite sailing south. Sesketera must be satisfied that you perished during your encounter with the terrible Nigumu-sa. Your only regret is that Captain Radyard and his crew probably believe this to be true as well.

When you can no longer see the two ships, you take out your map and unfold it on the sand. Aided by your Kai tracking skills, you determine that you have come ashore at the tip of a mainland peninsula, at a point close to the Isle of Kobra. The nearest city is Masama. It lies over 300 miles away to the southwest, beyond a wide expanse of dense jungle and hills. The thought of traversing this uncharted territory, alone and on foot, is one that fills you with dread. But you take comfort in the knowledge that you survived your battle in the sea and that you still possess the Moonstone.



You are tired and hungry after your ordeal. Unless you possess the Discipline of Grand Huntmastery, you must now eat a Meal or lose 3 ENDURANCE points.

Curing (4/10): +1 EP (14/35).

You set off along the shore, keeping the waters of the Gulf of Serpents in sight to help you gauge your progress. The jungle bordering this coast is teeming with wildlife yet you detect no sign of tribal inhabitants. After your encounter with the natives of Dlash-da Ralzuha, you decide that perhaps this is a blessing. You spend the first night encamped on the beach, and then you begin your trek early the following day.

Fine weather, wild game, and an abundance of freshwater streams make your trek far easier than expected. On the fourth day you happen upon an ancient track that climbs into the hills and joins a newer trail. Your tracking skills reveal human footprints but your excitement wanes when you determine that they are more than six months old. Steadily the trail climbs higher into the hills until you lose sight of the gulf waters. As darkness approaches it begins to rain. Within an hour it has become a torrential downpour that turns the trail into a fast-flowing stream. It becomes impossible to continue and so you search for somewhere dry to spend the night. Your tracking skills lead you to a cave, but when you enter you realize at once that you are not the only creature seeking shelter here tonight. You see the glint of amber eyes at the rear of the cave and you detect growling, loud enough to be heard above the noise of the pounding rain. Your instincts tell you that there are two creatures lurking here in the recesses of the cave, and that they are both hungry, scared, and potentially dangerous.

Curing (5/10): +1 EP (15/35).

TooMuchAbstraction posted:

When in doubt, Kai-Surge. It feels like that ability's been uncommonly useful in this scenario in out-of-combat situations.

achtungnight posted:

Kai-Surge these unknown critters!

JOEEEEEEEE posted:

After your encounter with the natives of Dlash-da Ralzuha, you decide that perhaps this is a blessing.

TooMuchAbstraction posted:

When in doubt, Kai-Surge. It feels like that ability's been uncommonly useful in this scenario in out-of-combat situations.

Runcible Cat posted:

Ooooo, ick, they were dirty. And smelly. We don't want to associate with people like that.

gently caress sake, they were friendly. We're hardly in a position to turn down friends, local knowledge and possibly boats, are we.

Bloody snob.

The Buccaneers of Shadaki posted:

You summon a Mindblast and project it into the depths of the cave. The creatures lurking there are susceptible to your powerful psychic charge and it makes them howl in pain and frustration. In a state of blind panic, two wolf-like animals suddenly rush past you to disappear into the rain-swept jungle. Confident that they will not return, you settle yourself down upon a bed of soft mosses and drift off to sleep.

Curing (6/10): 16/35 EP.

You wake the following morning to find that the torrential rain has ceased. Lying in the mud at the mouth of the cave are several orange-shaped fruits which have been dislodged from the surrounding trees by the deluge. You soon discover they are edible and you enjoy some for breakfast before continuing your trek. (There are sufficient fruits for another 3 Meals.)

The heavy overnight rains have transformed the hill track into a muddy ditch which makes the going difficult. Yet it is still the quickest way through this jungle territory and you stay with the track until it comes to the bank of the swollen River Ocka. There was once a bridge at this point, but your tracking skills tell you that it has been washed away during the night. You are about to set off along the bank in search of somewhere to cross when suddenly you hear a desperate cry for help. You turn and see a man being swept downstream by the river. His head is barely above the surface and you can see at once that he is near to drowning.

Automatically took two Meals.
Curing (7/10): 17/35 EP.

achtungnight posted:

Always use a Kai power, Elementalism in this case, when the alternative is to be mundane.

Helios Grime posted:

Let's use Elementalism and go full Jesus with walking on water to save this person.

_{At least I hope this is what will happen.}

Runcible Cat posted:

I’m up for making this a rule.

nelson posted:

Elementalism also. Personally I’m hoping we can part the waters like Moses.

The_White_Crane posted:

Voting against this as a rule, because it would have robbed us of wonderful scenes like Lone Wolf triggering a trap by hucking a rock at it.

Also Elementalism.

Decoy Badger posted:

FORD THE RIVER, none of this elementalism nonsense!

The Buccaneers of Shadaki posted:

As the man’s head dips under the water for the last time, you dive into the muddy river and swim across its surging current. Guided by your Sixth Sense, you locate his body and then pull him to the surface. You fight to maintain your grip as the powerful current sweeps you downstream, and you are propelled along for more than a mile before it finally deposits you on the opposite bank. As you drag the man from the water, you notice a group of huts in the distance. You are about to haul the unconscious man over your shoulder and set off towards them, when suddenly you detect that he has no pulse. Using your Magnakai Discipline of Curing you are able to restart his heart and empty the water from his lungs, yet you are unable to restore him to full consciousness. The sudden sound of voices makes you look towards the huts where you see a group of natives pointing excitedly in your direction. They are all wearing jerkins and loincloths made from animal hide, clothing that is identical to that worn by the man you have saved from the river. You call to them and wave your arms to attract their attention and they quickly respond. You are expecting them to be pleased that you have saved one of their kinfolk, but as they come closer you are shocked by their unexpected response.

Curing (8/10): EP 18/35.

The natives are angry. They come running towards the river bank, screaming and slashing the air with their primitive weapons. Their leader shouts at you and, although his dialect is unfamiliar, you are able to understand enough to hear that the man you have saved from the river is a thief and a murderer. He escaped from the settlement last night during the rainstorm, and the leader is accusing you of being his accomplice and of helping him to escape. He says that the river gods have brought you back to their village to pay for your crimes. You attempt to protest your innocence but the leader refuses to listen. He confiscates all of your equipment, including your Kai Weapon, your Belt Pouch, your Backpack, and the satchel containing the Moonstone, and then he has his men march you away to their village where you are locked in a hut. Shouting through the closed door, he tells you that the village elders will meet tomorrow at noon to decide your fate.

A few hours later you overhear two guards outside the hut and you are shocked to learn that the man you saved from the river has since been executed. They say that the elders of the village decreed that he should be weighted with rocks and thrown back into the water. You have no wish to suffer a similar fate and so you quickly set about finding a way to escape from this hut.

Curing (9/10): EP 19/35.

achtungnight posted:

I highly doubt we can dig a tunnel with our hands fast enough to make a difference. Use Kai-Alchemy!

nelson posted:

Mikl posted:

Let's Shawshank Redemption this up.

The Buccaneers of Shadaki posted:

Using your bare hands, you dig a hole in the soft loamy floor of the hut and burrow your way under the bamboo wall. It is a long and tiring method of escape (lose 2 ENDURANCE points), but one that you accomplish successfully.

Endurance: 17/35.

Night has fallen since you were first imprisoned in the hut and you are able to use the cover of darkness to avoid being seen. You are anxious to escape from this place but you are not prepared to leave without first retrieving the Moonstone, your Weapons, and your confiscated equipment.

You allow your Kai Sixth Sense to guide you to where your Kai Weapon is being stored. It is a large wooden shack at the centre of the settlement, and it is occupied by the village elders. Soon the news of your disappearance prompts the leader to order a search. You stay hidden until the shack is empty and the coast is clear, and then you enter it by means of an open window. Inside you discover all of your confiscated equipment, as well as several other items which could prove useful during your quest:

• Bow
  
• 6 Arrows
  
• Spear
  
• Rope
  
• 3 Fish Hooks
  
• Bottle of Rice Wine
  
• Soap
  
• Short Sword
  
• Lantern
  
• Crystal Prism (Special Item)

Having restored your equipment, you leave the shack and make your way into the jungle. Your Kai skills enable you to avoid the villagers and make a swift escape westwards into the hills.

Curing (10/10): EP 18/35.

Three miles from the village you discover a jungle trail. You keep to this trail and stay on the move all night, foregoing rest in order to distance yourself from the hostile natives. Shortly before dawn, you crest a wooded ridge and see the port of Masama in the distance. It lies astride a wide river that is dotted with many trading ships and fishing boats.

As you approach the port, your muddy and dishevelled appearance attracts jibes from the children of Masama. Stung by their rude remarks, you decide that you are in desperate need of a bath and so you go down to the river bank to wash away the worst of the grime. While you are here you notice that the two halves of the town are connected by a series of wooden bridges. The opposite side of the river is home to the business district. Here are wharves and warehouses and a quay that is filled to overflowing with trading ships and barges. The Seasprite was bound for this port, and although you cannot see her moored among the scores of ships at the quay, you decide to go there and check if Radyard and his crew are still in port.

You cross the river by bridge and enter a market square bordered by warehouses, taverns, and busy trade emporia that are crowded with foreign crews. As your keen eye wanders around this bustling scene, you try to decide where first to look for Radyard and his men.