DotDD Session 4

Cador has connected.
Witch has connected.
FoxtrotTango has connected.
Dark_Star has connected.
Dark_Star:
What map are we starting on?
VinnyDonuts:
Kleux
Avara has connected.
Witch:
Starting on Kleux, Ruki
VinnyDonuts:
Alright, sound off!
Witch:
HER
Witch:
E
VinnyDonuts:
her e? i thought you didn't play mobas witch
Avara:
hoi
Avara:
also i loaded in on the palace for some reason.
FoxtrotTango:
yo
FoxtrotTango:
sup
Dark_Star:
hi hi
Cador:
Hello.
VinnyDonuts:
That's everyone!
FoxtrotTango:
Ready when you are, Vin nuts
After your successful hunt of the Diqiu-Shayu, one of the Phu-la merchants offers you a ride back to Kleux, free of charge.
He considers it the least he could do to show appreciation for your help, although you were really just doing a job. These small-town types are so friendly!
Once you've arrived back in Kleux, Hitomi intercepts you as you're about to head to the Plastered Pixie for some well-earned rest.

Hitomi:
Welcome back. I've already received word from the Hunters' Guild representatives that your hunt was successful.

Jing:
Very successful. It won't trouble the village any longer.
* Hitomi eyes Nu's fancy new weapons. "I can see that.

Hitomi:
First things first. Your payment for your services, to be split among you.
Avara:
nothing's better for a mercenary band than getting paid for a job multiple times~

Hitomi:
I am aware that you were rewarded by the Hunter's Guild for your work, and they have expressed interest in hiring you for another job sometime. Still, there's the matter of the Company's fee, so consider yourselves fortunate that you get paid twice.
Dark_Star:
Well, hey, technically we were just selling loot.
* Hitomi hands Jing a bag of 120 gold.

Hitomi:
And Tzaozi Ra...
* Hitomi hands him a bag of gold as well, as well as a letter.
* Jing takes the bag and looks at Tzaozi.

Hitomi:
It is with regret that we must terminate our contract. The company contacted us recently, and evidently there is another job that specifically requires your skills.

Hitomi:
My employer has already been compensated for the short notice. You will find the company's instructions in that letter.
Dark_Star:
"A small ragtag army desperately needs a Lord unit, and you're the only one available right now who can class-change to that."
* Tzaozi Ra nods to Hitomi, and then to the rest of the group.
VinnyDonuts:
Isn't he more of a General?
Avara:
yay fire emblem?
FoxtrotTango:
They said it was an Ogre Battle. They were just missing the Ogre.
Dark_Star:
pffft

Tzaozi Ra:
It was a pleasure working with all of you. Perhaps our paths will cross again.

Seishin:
I will miss you, walking wall. May many enemies break upon you, ha!
* Jing nods to Tzaozi and then looks at Hitomi once more. "And you, Tzaozi. Back to the matter of business though."

Shimizu Nu:
Aw. Well, Bye Ra, hope we meet again soon!

Chun-Hwa:
See you again when that happens. Farewell!

Hitomi:
As for the rest of you, my employer has deigned to meet you.

Kamon:
"Good luck in your future ventures, Tzaozi Ra."
* Tzaozi Ra heads inside the Plastered Pixie to read his letter and pick up supplies for his upcoming trip.

Jing:
Where shall we be meeting then?

Hitomi:
There is a ruined palace outside of town. We will have our meeting there.

Hitomi:
It's to the south. If you have any difficulties finding it, I'm sure any local could point you in its direction.

Hitomi:
We will meet in two hours. Do not keep my lady waiting.
* Jing nods. More than likely, she could just step inside and ask the innkeeper or her husband.

Jing:
Understood.

Hitomi:
And make sure you're presentable.
* Hitomi makes a pointed look at Seishin.
* Seishin turns to look at who Hitomi is looking at, but notices nobody behind him.
VinnyDonuts:
are you talkin' to me

Kamon:
"Seishin, she wants you to not be as drunk as usual. And to find some cologne."
* Hitomi mumbles something.
Avara:
perception?
VinnyDonuts:
Anyone who bothers to roll a DC10 perception check can hear that.
Witch:
percep because might as well

Chun-Hwa:
« 1d20+10 = 19 + 10 = 29 » (Perception)
Witch:
« 1d20+13 = 4 + 13 = 17 »

Hitomi:
(And here I was, afraid I'd have to spell it out.)
Avara:
« 1d20+1 = 20 + 1 = 21 »
* Cador rolls: d20+6 => 10 + 6 = 16

Seishin:
« 1d20 + 6 = 19 + 6 = 25 »
Avara:
nat20 perception. kamon is on the ball with pointless rolls.
Kamon hears everything. The ocean waves crashing upon the shore, the bustle of the market place, people buying and selling, Hitomi's annoyed sigh, and the calling of the sea-birds.
For but a moment, she is completely aware of everything happening, and once it's passed, she feels a bit more zen.
VinnyDonuts:
kamon gets a +1 morale bonus to skill checks for the rest of the day
Cador:
The sound of that monk waxing his bald head.
Avara:
yay~
Dark_Star:
base DC is 10 I think, +2 for every 10 feet, another +5 because whisper...
VinnyDonuts:
It wasn't really a whisper, it was just something she said under her breath.
Avara:
stage whisper is stage
Dark_Star:
Ah, then in that case, I'm pretty sure everyone heard it.
VinnyDonuts:
yes
FoxtrotTango:
yeah, it's a stage whisper if you mutter it loud enough to be heard but don't want to belt it out
FoxtrotTango:
VALJEAN
* Jing ahem.

Jing:
Anything else?

Hitomi:
That is all.
* Hitomi seems to have realized that she probably said that thing she mumbled a bit louder than usual and excuses herself before anyone can point it out.
VinnyDonuts:
a bit louder than she'd intended, even

Jing:
2 hours then. Go change if you have an extra set of clothes or something.

Chun-Hwa:
Right.

Seishin:
Mmmm... I must dress... well, then? These robes are favored by the spirits!

Kamon:
"Should we be presenting for high nobility or for regular clientel, in your opinion?"

Jing:
Dress nice, but not too nice.

Seishin:
Hmmm...

Jing:
A bit higher class won't hurt.

Kamon:
"Hmm... I may need to go shopping."

Seishin:
Can we go shopping for drinks first?

Kamon:
"Seishin, no. This person doesn't like spirits all that much."
* Chun-Hwa enters, pays for her room, and retreats to it for a short while to switch out of her current clothes and into a fresh set, spending extra time to freshen up with her grooming kit*

Jing:
Maybe AFTER the meeting.
* Chun-Hwa then spends a little longer messing with Sleeves of Many Garments, trying to decide on an outfit that's formal but not too formal.

Jing:
No drinks before then or during.

Seishin:
Aaaargh... The boat over was so long...
* Seishin may be suffering from alcohol deprivation again, which for most other people is still two drinks above the standard.
* Kamon considers for a moment, then activates her armor's Glamour enchantment to appear as regular clothing. "Will this work?"
* Jing looks over to Kamon. "Well enough, I suppose. I've not been one to care too much about my own appearance and I don't think anyone cares after they notice the horns." She then enters the establishment, walking up to Lily. "Good morning. Wouldn't happen to have some directions for an old palace around here, would you?"
* Innkeeper Lily raises an eyebrow.

Seishin:
If we must go shopping, then let us shop! I will buy the finest clothes!

Innkeeper Lily:
The old palace, huh? Why are you looking for a dingy old place like that?

Jing:
Just a bit of business.

Innkeeper Lily:
Huh. Well, If you take the road south out of the rich part of town, it'll start turning to the right to merge with the main road.

Innkeeper Lily:
But if you keep going straight, you'll find dirt path, though I can only imagine it's overgrown by now.
Cheung is manning the bar tonight. Seems like today's one of the days Lily has off, considering the bottle of sake she's nursing.

Jing:
Thank you.

Innkeeper Lily:
Though, there's a pretty sordid story behind that place.

Jing:
Oh?

Innkeeper Lily:
Some upstart merchant came into town with his own personal parade a few years ago.

Chun-Hwa:
Hmm? *just walked out of her room at that point*
* Seishin stumbles over to the bar with the grim-faced look of one who's been cut off already.
* Jing takes a seat to listen in.

Innkeeper Lily:
He made a huge deal of himself. Oceankin kid. He'd come into a lot of money, somehow. Probably inheritance.

Innkeeper Lily:
Called himself a prince, and threw around his money like it was a ragdoll. That palace? He got it custom-built.

Innkeeper Lily:
Halfway through, though, he just dissappeared.

Jing:
In the palace?

Innkeeper Lily:
It wasn't even finished yet.

Innkeeper Lily:
All of a sudden, he just up and vanished, and none of the builders got paid.

Innkeeper Lily:
He left his henchmen running the place, and once the masons and the carpenters got mad enough to start a riot, they bailed.

Innkeeper Lily:
The whole thing burned down overnight, and hardly any of it is left standing.

Innkeeper Lily:
People say it's haunted, now, and not even the beggars go near that place.

Jing:
Well, guess I get to see if that part's true now.

Chun-Hwa:
Creepy...
Cador:
I do not have a good track record for Haunted places in Vincent's games.
* Innkeeper Lily starts doing a spooky voice.

Innkeeper Lily:
Sometimes, on nights JUST LIKE THIS ONE, he'll start roaming the streets...

Innkeeper Lily:
And if he sees you, he'll SUCK OUT YOUR SOUL!

Chun-Hwa:
Meep! O_O
* Guardsman Cheung coughs.
* Jing chuckles.

Seishin:
Mmmm... spirits in need of help... and me without my spirits...

Guardsman Cheung:
My Lily, I know you're not working right now, but please don't scare our guests.

Seishin:
I punch harder when drunk... May need a new weapon to replace the drink...

Kamon:
"Chun, would you mind if I borrow your room for a moment to get ready for our work?"

Jing:
Ah right, that reminds me. I'll leave you to your drink.
* Jing gets up and heads over to Cheung. "So, are all the rooms here single or are there doubles?"

Chun-Hwa:
Ah, yeah, go ahead Kamon.

Guardsman Cheung:
We do have double-bunk rooms, yes.

Guardsman Cheung:
Obviously, there's an additional charge.

Jing:
Right. How much then?
* Seishin gives Chun a shoulder poke.

Chun-Hwa:
Hmm?

Seishin:
« 1d20 + 6 = 1 + 6 = 7 » Perception
Witch:
okay ft, what does seishin see
Cador:
one, two, three, floor?
FoxtrotTango:
Well, given that he's on the downslope of being drunk...
FoxtrotTango:
I doubt it's that amusing.

Seishin:
You... you look like...
Witch:
Seishin only now realizes that Chun is a dragon.
FoxtrotTango:
Oh, he occasionally recognizes it when he's low on the drink or she startles him out of sleep.

Guardsman Cheung:
Three gold.

Chun-Hwa:
...Yes?

Seishin:
... a dragon...
* Seishin blinks slowly as his brain starts to process reacting to a dragon. Chun is unfortunately familiar with this, since it's happened occasionally when he's low on drink.

Chun-Hwa:
Hoo boy... Okay, everyone, might wanna spread out a bit.
* Jing goes ahead and pays up. After all, she'd just made several times that counting the last payment alone.

Shimizu Nu:
Hm?

Shen Wu:
wait what's going on
* Shimizu Nu grabs Shen and Artist and pulls them away from Seishin.

Chun-Hwa:
When he gets low on drink, Seishin's Hoshi instincts start coming back.

Shimizu Nu:
...
* Artist resents being picked up by the scruff, but allows this.
* Shimizu Nu pulls Shen next to the wall and sets a table in the way.

Seishin:
Dragons... they are... are...

Innkeeper Lily:
uh hey buddy i was kidding about the ghost calm down
* Jing looks back and sees what's now going on. "Right, hold on a moment."
* Seishin holds up a paw in front of his face, looking at the claws.

Shimizu Nu:
Well, this is going to get crazy.

Shimizu Nu:
Good seats for it at least!
* Chun-Hwa calmly places her hand on her sword's sheath, ready to knock Seishin out if she has to

Jing:
Seishin, have a drink.
* Jing steps up and places a goard of sake right in front of his face.
* Shen Wu has a talisman at the ready in case something happens.
* Seishin then blinks slowly and looks at Jing.

Jing:
You seem a bit parched.
* Kamon is readying spells mentally in case something goes wrong.

Seishin:
... Yeah, alright, ha!
* Seishin takes the gourd and chugs it.

Chun-Hwa:
...Whew.
* Shimizu Nu looks over the table

Shimizu Nu:
False alarm?

Kamon:
"This is why we let the drunkard only get 'less drunk than usual' rather than 'sober' when we meet with clients."

Shen Wu:
Y'know, I was kind of wondering why he had be be drunk all the time...
* Seishin just keeps drinking happily, the dragon in the room completely forgotten as the spirits take hold.
* Jing looks over at Nu for a moment. She actually begins to grin at the almost comedic flipped tables.

Jing:
It's fine.

Chun-Hwa:
Yeah. He's a happy drunk, but mean when sober.
* Shimizu Nu sets the table back to normal
* Seishin then finally lets the gourd go and smiles happily, not quite sober anymore but definitely not belligerently drunk, a happy medium for meeting people.

Jing:
Better?

Seishin:
Mmmm... much better!

Chun-Hwa:
Right, Kamon, that's why we don't ever let Seishin get sober.

Jing:
Great.

Seishin:
Let us go buy funny clothes, ha!
* Jing takes her gourd back before then looking at Chun. "Say, why not fill me up with some of that new stuff you've been talking about making."
* Shen Wu puts his talisman away, happy he didn't have to use it on Seishin.
* Seishin burps happily, the Hoshi's inner darkness drowned out once more.

Kamon:
"Noble clothes aren't that funny. They're a bit gaudy, but there's a pleasant aesthetic to them. It's the courtier clothes that're funny."

Chun-Hwa:
Oh, the Long-Road Wine? Yeah, it should be ready by now... *searches through her Handy Haversack, before pulling out a small keg, which she fills Jing's sake gourd up with*

Jing:
Thank you.
* Jing corks the gourd and puts it back on her belt before patting Chun on the head.

Innkeeper Lily:
Heey! no outside food'r drinks allowd on th' premeseses.

Seishin:
Then the courting clothes! I will look like a dancer, ha!
* Jing then steps back over to Cheung. "So, about that room."

Guardsman Cheung:
My Lily, I think you might have had enough...

Innkeeper Lily:
Youuuu can't cut me off! I'm th' bartender, I'm cuttin' YOU off!

Kamon:
"The outside drink prevented a bar brawl, ma'am."
* Seishin puts an arm around Chun, the woman he was just about to start having a fistfight with, and points toward the door, "Let's go~"
* Chun-Hwa puts the keg back into her haversack, replacing it on her back*

Chun-Hwa:
Alright then.
* Guardsman Cheung gives the group a happy glance and a smile for avoiding a fight in his tavern.
* Chun-Hwa heads out to the marketplace with Seishin to find him a nicer outfit to wear, despite knowing he'll probably just wear his stained monk robes over it.
* Jing gets the key to the room from Cheung and then hands it to Kamon. "Here. We'll have a double this evening after we get back."
* Seishin demonstrates that he's not that dumb, and buys something to wear OVER his stained monk robes. His preferred choice of costume, though, is a little glaring.

Seishin:
Hoooooo! Hwa! Heeeee!
* Seishin has bought a Noh Actor's outfit.

Shimizu Nu:
...

Seishin:
I look good in white fur, haha!
Getting the local clothier to make you all custom courtier's outfits would be a bit impossible given the timeframe, but the local clotheir does have some nice dresses and robes for sale for 20 gold apeice.

Kamon:
"I'll get dressed, if we're actually going to wear court clothes. I apologize in advance, if my stuff is 'too fancy'."
* Seishin seemed to have shopped in the clearance section of the shop. He also bought some kind of staff so he could bounce around on one foot and toss around a stark white wig.
The outfit Seishin dug up was in a bargain bin, so it's only 5 gold.
* Kamon looks at the key Jing handed her. "Uh... right. Would you mind standing outside the room while I get dressed then? In case there's an emergency."

Jing:
Sure.
* Chun-Hwa has her Sleeves of Many Garments, and so doesn't need to buy a new set, though looking at them does give her ideas for what to disguise her clothes as.

Clothier Rin:
Uh... sir, are you sure you... want that?
* Jing shrugs and follows Kamon up, staying outside as requested.
* Clothier Rin seems a bit embarassed that he even made the outfit at all.

Seishin:
Hoooo, yes! I am NOH actor, haha!

Clothier Rin:
...

Chun-Hwa:
That's not a joke by the way.
* Clothier Rin sighs.

Chun-Hwa:
He really did spend time as a Noh Actor.

Clothier Rin:
Just make sure you never tell anyone where you bought that.

Seishin:
Is ver' imporant, right clothes imporant... hahahaha!

Chun-Hwa:
Will do.
* Seishin also ends up buying kabuki makeup.
* Shimizu Nu wonders if this place might have something like those sleeves that Chun-Hwa has.
* Kamon enters the room, locking the door behind her before she gets dressed, digging out clothing bought years ago and applying exotic perfume. When she comes out...
* Seishin is thankfully forced to buy himself some sweet-smelling perfume or however you call it.
* Kamon has taken the time to clean up in full, dressing up in Noble's Clothing and fully accessorizing in jewelry fit for a night in the Emperor's Court.
Common perfume is at least 1 gp a dose. For convenience, I'll say that the clothier sells that too.
Anything fancier and you'd probably have to go looking.
* Jing 's eyes widen as she views Kamon. "Wow. You clean up nicely." She eyes Kamon up and down, grinning after a moment with a familiar hint of attraction. "Very nicely."
* Kamon blushes at the compliment, giving Jing a bow in thanks. "I don't have any weaponry fit to hide as jewelry, unfortunately, but I shouldn't need it either. Do you need help picking out clothes?"

Jing:
Nah, I'm good. Consumate professional, after all. Besides, right now I'm having a hard time taking my eyes off you.
* Kamon keeps blushing, not really sure how to respond to the flattery now that it's actually directed her way.
* Seishin keeps dancing around like a ninny as the girls pick up their own clothes.
Avara:
every party needs a clown who knows exactly how much to clown it up.
Avara:
not too much, not too little.
Avara:
*pats ft*
FoxtrotTango:
Awww, thanks~

Kamon:
"I... appreciate the compliment, Jing. But we should prepare. Two hours isn't long to get clothing, get dressed and ready, and travel there without ruining our clothes."

Jing:
True enough. That just leaves the other three.
* Shimizu Nu spends a little bit of time browsing before heading up to the clothier.

Kamon:
"This isn't too much, is it?"

Shimizu Nu:
Excuse me!

Jing:
Certainly not if you ask me. Makes me want to share one bed tonight.
* Kamon has achieved maximum blush.

Jing:
How about it, hm~?

Clothier Rin:
Yes? How can I help you, young lady?
* Kamon attempts to answer, and fails.
* Clothier Rin puts on his best Retail Smile, but is obviously a bit put-upon by the tiger-man dincing about wearing a ridiculous fur costume.
Cador whispers: Please don't forget Nu's status as a Harbinger or her shadow. Though I can understand the Clothier being distracted by Seishin.
* Jing reaches out with a hand, gently cupping Kamon's chin before making her look up at the taller half-oni. "I'll make it a night to remember for you Kamon~"

Shimizu Nu:
I was just wondering if you have anything like those sleeve things Chun-Hwa has, that can change a person's clothes?
* You roll secretly: 1d20 => 12

Clothier Rin:
Er...
Once he gets a good look at her, Rin is very visibly unnerved by Nu's appearance and presence. He also spends a good couple seconds looking at her shadow, before locking eyes with her again and smiling nervously.
* Kamon has to take some time to gather up the nerves to answer. "I'd... p-prefer not to rush into such things. Though I definitely appreciate the offer..."

Jing:
Suit yourself.
* Jing leans in and whispers in her ear, "It's still open."

Clothier Rin:
I, er... Well, you mean the Sleeves of Many Garments? I, uh, don't normally make a set of those unless one is specially ordered.
* Kamon is probably going to be blushing all day around Jing now. Which, hey, that should at least make her look prettier for the meeting?\

Clothier Rin:
I mean, I have one pair, since the buyer hasn't come to pick them up yet, but, uh, they're not for sale...

Clothier Rin:
I could make a pair for you for 300 gold, if you'd like!

Seishin:
Boing, boing, boing, haha!
* Seishin could pass a sobriety test on one foot while drunk... just don't ask him to use both feet.
Cador:
...100 gold upcharge? What a rip-off.
Witch:
Time to haggle!
VinnyDonuts:
It's a small town. If he sold them all the time, he'd run himself out of business.
FoxtrotTango:
Use Seishin
Cador:
It's a small town, only a handful of people could afford them.
FoxtrotTango:
Have him help whittle down the prices
Witch:
"200 or the tiger says where he got that."
VinnyDonuts:
... if you want to say that, go ahead and roll intimidate with a +2 bonus
Cador:
...I have ranks in Intimidate.
VinnyDonuts:
yes you do

Shimizu Nu:
Hm...200, and we'll get Seishin here drunk enough to forget where he got his current outfit. But if you'd like him to advertise for you, 300 would work~!
* Cador rolls: d20+13 => 11 + 13 = 24

Clothier Rin:
TWO HUNDRED IT IS
* Clothier Rin is literally smiling as hard as he can.

Shimizu Nu:
Pleasure doing business with you!

Clothier Rin:
They'll be ready for you tomorrow!
* Shimizu Nu hands half over, with the promise of the other half once the sleeves are done.

Shimizu Nu:
Thank you~
* Clothier Rin quickly grabs the money.

Clothier Rin:
Thank you very much have a nice day!
* Jing withdraws with a grin and a glint in her eye before starting to head back downstairs. She reaches into her yukata as she does so and withdraws a golden timepiece that looks like it originated from the northern continent. "Now that I think about it, I'll have to arrange for new transport now as well. Hm..."
VinnyDonuts:
please stop terrorizing the poor retail worker
* Kamon follows Jing downstairs, taking deep breaths to stay calm.

Kamon:
"I can help find a good transport and horses?"
* Jing nods, heading out the door to arrange everything while the others are busy with their own clothing shopping.
* Kamon is staying with Jing. Because don't let your bodyguard leave you behind.
FoxtrotTango:
Pausing for dinner, keep going if you like, Sei's gonna basically be bouncing around like a ditz until I say otherwise.
Witch:
Jing's pretty much just arranging the transport stuff.
VinnyDonuts:
well if ft is getting something to eat
VinnyDonuts:
maybe i should as well
VinnyDonuts:
considering i haven't eaten
Avara:
yay food
Dark_Star:
15 minute break for din-din?
Witch:
Sure
Dark_Star:
k
Avara:
kamon's token changed for Noble Lady Appearance
Dark_Star:
I'm gonna leave Chun's token as-is.
Witch:
jing gonna wreck her
Dark_Star:
Just imagine her kimono is longer and the side-slits are smaller (they're actual slits now).
* Shimizu Nu also buys an outfit for the meeting, scine the sleeves won't be ready for it by then.
VinnyDonuts:
soup get
Avara:
brb
Cador:
http://vignette3.wikia.nocookie.net/dynastywarriors/images/9/91/Lulingqi-dw8.jpg/revision/latest?cb=20140311141956 Something like this will be Nu's outfit.
Cador:
http://vignette3.wikia.nocookie.net/dynastywarriors/images/9/91/Lulingqi-dw8.jpg/revision/latest?cb=20140311141956
Cador:
Bleh, link screwed up
Witch:
Just add it on to her token
* Shimizu Nu changes in one of the dressing rooms and heads back to the Inn.
Cador:
Right, still on break aren't we.
FoxtrotTango:
Back
Witch:
Basically
FoxtrotTango:
Sorry about that, parents insisted I literally have half a pizza
FoxtrotTango:
Hey Vin, could you furnish me with the combined costs of the stuff I got?
VinnyDonuts:
what all did you get again
FoxtrotTango:
That 5gp kabuki outfit, some kabuki makeup, a kabuki wig, a bo staff
Avara:
back
FoxtrotTango:
also some perfume
VinnyDonuts:
11 gold and you could probably just grab a pole from the carpenters' and pay 1 silver for it for the bo staff
FoxtrotTango:
Bo staves actually cost a gold, just looked at it
VinnyDonuts:
oh well
VinnyDonuts:
k
Dark_Star:
I mean, you probably could just use a pole from the carpenter's for 1 silver as a Bo Staff, but it'd likely have the Fragile quality since it's not intended to be used as a weapon.
FoxtrotTango:
I'll just get the actual staff
Witch:
And changed pic for Jing
VinnyDonuts:
Venom "Punished" Jing
Avara:
getting a ? for jing's picture. crop a little and try again?
Avara:
oh, nvm
VinnyDonuts:
are we all back and fed?
Witch:
let's a go
Avara:
ready to rock and roll
Avara:
hoping for surprised reactions from the party when they see kamon
* Seishin comes back from the shop already dressed, the kabuki clothes on over his own, and he's still bouncing on one foot.

Seishin:
Gotta get my makeup, haha!
* Seishin bounces past everyone and to a room with a mirror to get "freshened up".

Chun-Hwa:
...Eh?
* Chun-Hwa looks at Kamon and blinks a couple times, before looking her up and down.

Chun-Hwa:
Uh, wow.
* Jing herself ended up changing into a nicer red kimono. "I know, right?"
* Kamon blushes a little at Chun's reaction, after Jing's own before. "I'm glad it all turned out right. I wasn't really sure if I was making the right choice when I bought it all a few years ago."
* Shimizu Nu also bought some basic perfume and make up at the clothiers.

Chun-Hwa:
It definitely works.

Shimizu Nu:
...Wow.

Kamon:
"The perfume was pretty costly, but I figured if I was going all out.. I might as well really go all out."
* Kamon is wearing the REALLY nice-smelling perfume from the top-price section.
* Jing looks over at Nu. "Looking pretty good there yourself as well, Nu."

Innkeeper Lily:
... who'n erth are y'meetin at the castle

Innkeeper Lily:
good gracious

Chun-Hwa:
It almost feels like we're working as escort for a princess now.

Jing:
Ha! It does feel like that again.

Shimizu Nu:
Thanks!

Kamon:
"You all look great too, though. Except Seishin. He looks drunk."
* Seishin gives a muffled yelp from his dressing room.

Chun-Hwa:
Give him a bit. When he's done changing, he'll look ridiculous AND drunk.

Jing:
At any rate, arranged for the purchase of another wagon and horses while you were out shopping. We'll be able to get there with a bit of time to spare.
* Jing checks her foreign timepiece again before putting it away.

Shimizu Nu:
I'll need to remember this outfit when I get those sleeves.

Chun-Hwa:
Mmm. I'll show you how to work the sleeves when you get them, Nu.

Kamon:
"Sleeves?"

Shimizu Nu:
Ordered a set like the ones Chun-Hwa has!

Kamon:
"Ohh. Those sound very useful, actually."

Shimizu Nu:
Yep!
* Seishin stumbles out, makeup matted on his face, the wig on cock-eyed, and he seems to be dripping with something that smells kind of strong...

Seishin:
Gaaah! P-Perfume... everywhere...

Kamon:
"... One of us should probably help him on the road."

Shimizu Nu:
You dumped the bottle on your head, didn't you?
* Artist curls its nose up at Seishin and flees under Kamon's dress.

Seishin:
It said "splash face!"

Seishin:
Liberally!

Kamon:
"Hey! No! Out of there!"

Shen Wu:
Oh. Wow. That's... strong perfume.
* Shen Wu cough.
* Kamon steps away from Artist.
* Artist fakes death.
* Artist holds up a daisy as it lies on its back.
FoxtrotTango:
oh you

Jing:
Shen, your fox died.
* Shen Wu coughs. A lot.
* Seishin somehow doesn't smell as drunk as he is. He still smells, though.
Avara:
died from staring up kamon's dress

Shen Wu:
excuse me

Jing:
Alright, alright. Come on Seishin.
* Seishin just smells heavily of a cheap brand of Spring Blossom.

Chun-Hwa:
I guess I should've realized that I'd need to explain how perfume bottles work to Seishin...
* Jing winces slightly in disgust from the smell.

Jing:
Let's go...
* Jing heads out again before the smell gets too much worse.

Seishin:
At least I don't smell drink, ha!

Seishin:
Drunk!
* Kamon holds her breath as she walks up to Seishin and attempts to Disguise him as someone capable of competent dress, using Create Water to wash away excess perfume.
Witch:
ha

Seishin:
I can no longer smell anything but Spring Blossom, ha!

Kamon:
« 1d20+15+1 = 15 + 15 + 1 = 31 »
FoxtrotTango:
Very well done.
FoxtrotTango:
Now he really looks like Noh Actor I've ever known.
Dark_Star:
With Kamon's help, even Seishin can look like a presentable member of society.
* Shen Wu is doubled over outside, coughing his lungs out. Seems he's not able to handle strong perfume.
Avara:
does that disguise check manage to get rid of the excess smell and horrible look?
* Jing pats him on the back.

Shen Wu:
i'll be fine

Shen Wu:
probably

Jing:
Takes some getting used to. And even then, you never will.
* Jing grimaces.
Kamon manages to make Seishin look and smell presentable without him noticing.

Jing:
High society...
* Kamon steps outside. "I fixed the problem."
She obviously isn't able to change his... choice in attire, but at least she fixed his makeup and made him look less like a complete fool.
* Jing looks at Kamon and peeks back in at a presentable Seishin who doesn't reek so hard anymore. "Better."

Jing:
Come on you all. Let's go.
* Jing hurries everyone at the door.

Chun-Hwa:
Right.

Kamon:
"Now instead of a drunk baffoon, he's our entertainment on the road. Or something."
* Artist opens one eye to peek up at everyone leaving and feels vaguely insulted that nobody gave it a euology.

Kamon:
"Artist, if you don't revive yourself you're going to be left behind."
* Artist continues playing dead.

Kamon:
"Enjoy nobody being willing to share their alcohol with you, then."
Artist is suddenly next to Kamon like he'd been there all along.
* Seishin is bouncing around still, making hoaaaaaah noises and speaking in a grumbling actor's voice, making exaggerated facial expressions that, with Kamon's help, are accented by the makeup.

Shen Wu:
Wait, you're bringing Artist with you? Uh, I thought this was a business thing, so I was going to stay behind...
* Kamon is clearly an Oracle because of her capability with handling spirits.

Jing:
You are.

Jing:
It is too.

Shen Wu:
Oh.
* Shen Wu lets out a visible sigh of releif.

Kamon:
"I just wanted Artist to stop laying in the walkway."
* Artist narrows its eyes at Kamon. Clever girl.

Kamon:
"Someone would've stepped on him eventually."

Jing:
It would have eventually. If only to go bother Lily for drinks.
Avara:
kamon is clearly an oracle not for embodying any actual god's beliefs, but for her skill at handling spirits
FoxtrotTango:
clearly
Witch:
aaaand map switch
VinnyDonuts:
Anyhow, to the palace!
* Seishin is somehow still bouncing until he gets gently kicked in the side to cut it out.
Following Lily's directions, you find the palace fairly easily, even though the path has been mostly reclaimed by long grass. Before long, you find your way to the palace.
It really is as decrepit as Lily said.. Most of the structures are either skeletons of their former selves or rubble on the ground.
There are a select few still standing, made of stone and decorated with singe marks and burnt wood.
Why your employer chose to meet here, you couldn't possibly imagine.
Well, I'm sure you could, actually. Not putting words in anyone's mouths.
I digress.
Hitomi is waiting for you at the end of the bridge leading to what must have been the central building of the palace.
A rocky brook runs underneath, and beside Hitomi is an oceankin woman, her hair shimmering as if carved of pearl. She is very well- dressed, wearing something similar to what Kamon is wearing, and holds a large, pink crystal ball in her hands.
Hitomi is holding one as well, though hers is smaller, so she's holding it in her hand off to the side.
Those educated in nobility or the current affairs of the kingdom recognize her as no less than one of the prospective successors, Princess Chau.
Looks like dressing up was a good idea.
* Jing approaches the two of them, stopping a respectful distance away before bowing (respectfully once again) towards the Princess.
* Kamon walks in step with Jing, bowing as well.
* Chun-Hwa follows the previous two's lead.
Cador:
I have knowledge local so Nu would probably recognize her.
Cador:
Though do we need a local check for more than that?
VinnyDonuts:
I'd say you recognize her.
Cador:
Can we get a summary?
* Seishin bows because everyone else is doing it, and recognizes that pretty people need to be bowed to.
VinnyDonuts:
I recall telling you about her before.
* Shimizu Nu does as well. Best not to offend a Princess after all.
Cador:
Was this before I joined?
Dark_Star:
This is the first time any of us met our employer.
Avara:
she's one of our two options for someone to support into the throne. favored by merchants (and thus, we should note, probably not going to do anything about slavery), and favors diplomatic means.
Avara:
we're meeting her for the first time.
Avara:
the alternative is a warlord who favors violent means and military power, and is favored by the same. and could be convinced to do something about the slavery practices in the islands.
Avara:
we haven't met him yet.
Cador:
So of the two Nu would almost certainly support the warlord over the princess.
VinnyDonuts:
of the two, the princess is the one who's paying your bills
Dark_Star:
Provided Nu wasn't simply rooting for both of them to kick the bucket 'cause they're Nguchay.
Witch:
I'd say she could probably be convinced as well really
Avara:
we can try
FoxtrotTango:
Seishin has no preference as long as he gets paid to drink.
* Princess Chau nods her head.
Avara:
we're adventurers. the impossible is what we do.
* Jing rises.
Cador:
Okay so Nu would definitely be on guard.
FoxtrotTango:
If either of them insists that he get sober, he's gonna have problems sooner or later.

Princess Chau:
Thank you for coming here today. I realize this is a bit out of the way, but I wanted to meet in a secluded location away from any prying eyes.
* Kamon rises as Jing does, a polite smile on her face. She's standing straight and slightly on edge, mind racing through things.

Princess Chau:
You didn't have to dress up to impress me, though. I'm already plenty impressed from how you've handled what I've given you so far.
* Princess Chau smiles politely.
* Shimizu Nu rises a little stiffly, now realizing who her employer is.

Kamon:
"It would not do, Your Highness, to disrespect you by presenting ourselves poorly in your presence."
* Shimizu Nu actually doesn't have a smile on her face like usual.
* Hitomi is standing at attention, watching the group and holding her copy of the orb, but says nothing.
Cador:
Note that even when talking to Jing about her past, she still had a smile on her face. Not the case now.
* Seishin lifts out of his bow, smiling blissfully as usual. He's managing to keep himself on both feet, and he certainly has too much costume, makeup and perfume on to look or smell drunk.
* Chun-Hwa rises as well, feeling a little nervous and awestruck around actual royalty.

Jing:
Ah, a small matter of business from earlier before we continue.
* Jing reaches into her obi and withdraws a small sack of gold before approaching Hitomi and handing it to her. "You left before I could return the excess funds."

Hitomi:
...
* Hitomi accepts it wordlessly and nods.
* Jing steps back.

Jing:
And before we continue.

Jing:
I have important information for you, Princess Chau.

Princess Chau:
Is that so?

Jing:
It concerns the deaths of the royal family.
The princess' soft, gentle expression turns serious.

Princess Chau:
Are you saying you know something?
* Jing nods.

Jing:
I must confess one thing before I begin my tale.

Jing:
I was hired to kill them.

Jing:
However, I was not the one who did.
VinnyDonuts:
perception from everyone

Chun-Hwa:
« 1d20+10 = 20 + 10 = 30 » (Perception)

Kamon:
« 1d20+1+1 = 5 + 1 + 1 = 7 »

Jing:
« 1d20+13 = 15 + 13 = 28 »
* Cador rolls: d20+6 => 6 + 6 = 12

Seishin:
« 1d20 + 6 = 10 + 6 = 16 » Perception, +2 vs. surprise/spirits
Cador:
I think Chun got it.
Dark_Star:
Here we go again. Wasting my 20s on non-important stuff.
Avara:
this probably is important
FoxtrotTango:
A perception check is never non-important.
Dark_Star:
Eh, true.
* You roll secretly: 1d20+11 => 5 + 11 = 16
Chun, Jing, and Seishin see Hitomi visibly bristle at mention of Jing's confession, and she's discreetly withdrawn a knife she's holding in her handguard.
Chun-hwa spies that it's coated with something.

Jing:
I will state again. I wasn't the one who did it.
* Jing stares Hitomi directly in the eye as she speaks.
Hitomi isn't making a move, but she narrows her eyes at Jing and the rest of the group.

Jing:
I arrived... in the aftermath. Only to see the bloodbath that had been caused.

Jing:
And I know now who was responsible.
* Chun-Hwa is watching Hitomi carefully now

Princess Chau:
You realize this is quite the bold claim, don't you?

Jing:
And it doesn't end there, I'm afraid.

Jing:
It was the bandaged beggar outside of the inn. He has magical abilities. One that control and override the mind.
* Jing gestures to Kamon. "He did so to her."
* Seishin isn't exactly staring, he looks like he's just looking straight ahead, but he did notice the discreet drawing.
* Kamon nods in confirmation.

Jing:
And now threatens her life as well because of the Oceankin heritage.

Jing:
Please recite it Kamon.
Avara:
just a moment, please
Avara:
trying to find the log
Avara:
« 1d20+15+1 = 2 + 15 + 1 = 18 » voice mimickry.

Kamon:
Listen to me well, daughter of the ocean dragon. If this nation is to survive, Ahasyo must be forgotten. If you are to survive, Ahasyo must be forgotten. Strip your scales and clip your horns. Nothing can remain of him!

Kamon:
"... Those were the exact words. The incident is well carved into my memory."

Jing:
He disappeared the next day. He would then threaten her again and I confronted him. He confirmed that he was responsible for the slaughter at the palace, in so many words. And that his next target was the Grand Temple.

Jing:
We warned the priest at the Temple in town, but I can only hope it was enough. However, there is still something a little more. But I will say that this is mere suspicion.

Hitomi:
So, then, you're saying you have no proof?

Hitomi:
You have barely spent a minute in the Princess' presence, and you already try to poison her ears with rumors?
* Jing gestures to the palace. "I was told the tale of the "Prince" who was supposed to have ordered this castle. The mute, as you'll recall her." She looks at Hitomi. "Had called him one."

Jing:
This place may hold the clues I desire.
* Seishin grips his bo staff almost imperceptibly, leaning a little of his weight upon it.

Kamon:
"We had no reason to think we would meet the Princess herself, and came with no intent of a fight." (Kamon opens her arms, showing that she has no armor on to emphasize that she's not ready for a fight) "And we have no reason to offend either of you with falsehoods. Please, at least consider the possibility that what she says is truth."

Hitomi:
The man who built this palace was no prince. He was a foolish boy who ran away from town after he wasted an inherited wealth on frivolities.

Kamon:
« 1d20+15+1 = 12 + 15 + 1 = 28 » diplomacy

Princess Chau:
Hitomi.
* Princess Chau looks sternly at Hitomi.

Princess Chau:
Please, do not speak out of turn.
* Hitomi looks surprised for a moment, but stifles her anger and shuts up.
* Kamon bows to Princess Chau in gratitude.

Princess Chau:
You speak with conviction, but you cannot expect me to drop everything and search for the man you describe on conviction and suspicion alone.

Jing:
I do not expect to, your highness.
* Princess Chau nods her head.

Princess Chau:
Then thank you for the warning.
* Jing nods.

Jing:
I cannot allow a monster like that to be in this world. To that end, I will serve you as well as I can while I hunt him down.

Princess Chau:
Very well.

Princess Chau:
If you succeed, then you can consider yourself pardoned for the crime you just confessed to.
* Princess Chau smiles, jokingly.

Jing:
You are most gracious.
* Jing grins a little herself.
Witch:
brb
VinnyDonuts:
same

Shimizu Nu:
...

Princess Chau:
To the matter at hand, the reason I wished to meet with you here today was to inform you of who I am and why I have employed you.

Princess Chau:
Though, I'm sure some of you have already guessed that my name is Princess Chau, and I wish to become queen of Malali to secure us a peaceful, prosperous future.

Princess Chau:
I contracted your mercenary company for the best team they could assemble, and you have proven both your skill in solving problems without the use of violence, as well as those that must be solved with combat.

Princess Chau:
Your purpose, of course, is a task group to solve problems discreetly. Malali is plagued with many problems, and if I can help alleviate some of them before I take the throne, I beleive it can only make everyone's lives easier.
* Princess Chau gestures to Hitomi, and Hitomi produces a set of five rings, each with the seal of Chau's house on them.

Princess Chau:
Whenever you need to confirm your affiliation with me, show this ring and all doubts will be cleared.
Witch:
Back

Princess Chau:
I trust you will show discretion in this matter.
* Jing nods once more.

Princess Chau:
The reason I chose to meet you at this palace is because, as Hitomi said earlier, its former owner abandoned it before it was burnt down.

Princess Chau:
I chose to buy this land from the town, and as long as you work for me, I will allow you to use it as a base of operations...

Princess Chau:
Though, I know that it's not very well-maintained.

Princess Chau:
While you stay here, you can do with the place as you wish.
* Kamon maintains a polite smile. Politely. That's about it, at the idea of being loaned the use of this place.
Witch:
Damnit, brb again

Princess Chau:
I doubt the man you are looking for ever live here, though, considering this place's former owner is a fugitive who was last seen in Phukau.
* Seishin looks at the big, ramshackle dump behind the Princess and Hitomi and grins happily!
* Chun-Hwa lets out a small sigh of relief upon realizing the castle was unlikely to be haunted by its former owner if he's still alive somewhere
FoxtrotTango:
doesn't mean there aren't other former owners
VinnyDonuts:
spoooookyyyyyyyyyyy
Dark_Star:
"Iiiiii am the ghost of Tin-Can Bob, a hobo who used to squat heeeeere..."

Princess Chau:
In any case, I beleive Hitomi has a mission for you before you go.

Princess Chau:
Thank you very much for your time.
* Princess Chau bows politely.
VinnyDonuts:
orite i should wait for witch
VinnyDonuts:
i was wondering why i was waiting
FoxtrotTango:
You nut

Shimizu Nu:
...If you would please wait a moment, there's one thing I'd very much appreciate an answer to before you left.

Princess Chau:
Hm?

Shimizu Nu:
I would like to hear your opinion regarding slavery, and the Kingdom's preference of it.
Cador:
Kingdom's practice*
* Princess Chau sighs.
* Hitomi eyes Nu narrowly, not wishing to speak out of line again, but wanting to make sure Nu knew that she was speaking above her station.

Princess Chau:
I know that a great many people suffer in servitude for no reason than the misfortune of having been born to the wrong parents, while others enjoy the greatest luxuries for no reason other than having been born to parents who could afford them.
Avara:
do have stuff to add depending on her answer, so hopefully we don't get a dismissal after the answer.

Princess Chau:
While it is the will of the Divine Dragons that their children are the elite of soceity and should enjoy wealth and distinction, no heed is paid to the will of the late Geong-Yeong, nor the will of whomever created the humans.

Princess Chau:
And I think that is shameful.
* Kamon waits to see if Chau has finished her answer before speaking up, listening as much to what isn't said as to what is.
Witch:
« 1d20+15 = 14 + 15 = 29 »
FoxtrotTango:
Sense Motive?
Witch:
Shhhh.
Avara:
v, is chau done?
Chau settles on a Diplomatic answer, looking at Nu with regretful eyes.
Cador:
Yeaaaa, sense motive sounds like a good idea. Because that was a pretty "diplomatic" answer.
Cador:
Pfff
* Kamon steps forward, nodding. "It is indeed shameful, Your Highness. Not only for moral and spiritual reasons, but tactical as well. Your primary opponent for the throne is a military man, one who has little consideration for such things as tradition and rank of birth. Such matters would not stop him from recruiting those scorned by society and made lesser by those not afraid to shame themselves in the eyes of the divine. I hope that Your Highness will consider that, and the potential these same wronged people would have in following a righteous woman such as yourself, instead. All it would take is to treat them with the same kindness as is received by others. While certain parties might be made less happy at the monetary consequences, I think that overall we would prosper. And I know that you will do the right thing, Your Highness." « 1d20+15+1 = 18 + 15 + 1 = 34 » (diplomacy.)
* Princess Chau gives a sad smile. "If only it were so easy."

Kamon:
"Nothing that is worth doing is truly easy. That is, in part, how its worth is defined."
* Shimizu Nu turns to blink at Kamon in surprise at such a declaration. Nu... She could probably trust Kamon. Unfortunately she can't say the same of the Princess and her evasion of any true answer.
Cador whispers: at this rate Nu's going to bail, she won't knowingly work under someone that condones slavery, however reluctantly.
* Princess Chau closes her eyes and nods.

Kamon:
"All I ask is that you consider and weigh, in your heart and in your mind, without the poison of bias from those who profit from one side or the other, the benefits to yourself and to the kingdom if slavery were abolished. I do not expect a promise, but I hope for the future."

Princess Chau:
I will admit that I agreed to meet you here today, expecting to see a group of five louts and curs, interested in little more than a night's pay. Instead, I have met four very articulate, well-dressed, and outspoken young women.

Princess Chau:
Your words have given me a lot to think about, but be aware that not everybody is so kind to those less fortunate, and take issue with those who are.

Princess Chau:
Keep those ideals and that conviction close to your heart, and perhaps someday we can see a Malali where such a thing is possible.
* Kamon bows to Princess Chau in gratitude for consideration.

Kamon:
"Thank you for listening, Your Highness. Perhaps we can speak further of such matters when next we meet."

Princess Chau:
Perhaps. Until next we meet, then.
* Kamon rises, and turns to look at Hitomi.
* Jing bows politely to the Princess and then looks at Hitomi once more.
VinnyDonuts:
got something to say, cad?
With her farewell, Princess Chau fades into nothing, and you realize you've been talking to a projection the entire time. Hitomi puts the orb she was holding away.

Hitomi:
Be grateful that our Princess is graceful and merciful. I know plenty of other nobles who would order me to cut out your tongue for speaking to her like that.

Jing:
I've had that order before. She's one of the better ones I've worked for.
* Seishin just realized the princess is missing!
* Kamon drops her smile, looking at Hitomi with a raised eyebrow.
* Shimizu Nu feels her hands clench into fists unintentionally. Nu is quite tempted to just walk away, yet... This is undoubtly the best chance she'll ever get for the abolishment of slavery. At the very least the Princess disapproves, even if her support would seek to tie her hands on the matter. Nu will stay, for now at least. If Chau and her supporters cannot be convinced peacefully, though...

Kamon:
"You have an interesting way of speaking to those who you hire for violent deeds, if I may say so."

Seishin:
(The pretty lady disappeared! She must be a spirit! I will seek her out among the walls of this palace!)
* Hitomi ignores that comment.

Kamon:
"I think that, were she not capable of the character necessary to forgive such matters, she would not be worthy of being our princess."
* Chun-Hwa finally relaxes once the Princess' image disappears, and lets out a sigh
* Hitomi eyes Kamon, her eyes softening, and sighs, knowing the wisdom behind those words.

Chun-Hwa:
Well, all told, I guess we managed to make a decent enough first impression.

Jing:
If nothing else... I don't think I've been called young in a long time.
* Jing chuckles just a little.
VinnyDonuts:
Jing makes a good impersonation of a young person.

Hitomi:
Ahem.
* Hitomi straightens up immediately, all business.
* Seishin has been holding himself straight upright using the bo staff, and when he relaxes, his lout slouch returns a bit.
* Jing straightens up properly as well.
* Kamon is still as formal of poise as she was when she first saw the princess: maximally.

Hitomi:
... Your next mission, effective immediately, is to investigate a crashed ship on the north side of the island.

Hitomi:
Locals have reported strange noises and disappearances from the area.

Hitomi:
In addition, the crashed ship in question crashed only recently. It's a northener airship, as far as anyone can tell.

Chun-Hwa:
...*sighs* First stories of a haunted castle, now we're gonna be checking on a haunted ship...

Hitomi:
If you're afraid of ghosts, you could always stay behind and forgo your payment.

Chun-Hwa:
I-I didn't say I wasn't going to go!

Seishin:
An air-ship...?

Seishin:
Ha, clearly ships were meant for the land!

Chun-Hwa:
I heard stories about them from travelers when I lived in Tensaki. Apparently air spirits are captured, put inside balloons, and then those balloons are tied to the railings of regular sailing ships.

Jing:
Ahem.

Chun-Hwa:
Ah, sorry. *quiets*

Hitomi:
Find out what's causing the disturbance and solve it. That's the mission.

Jing:
Where exactly is the crash?

Hitomi:
North of a farming hamlet.
* Hitomi hands Jing an envelope with directions, because the DM can't be arsed to make up an actual town name.
Dark_Star:
The hamlet is so small, it doesn't even have a name. The locals just call it "The place I go to sell off the excess from my farm."
* Jing takes the envelope, but looks at Hitomi for a moment more. "Since I've been so open myself. Might I ask a question of you?"

Hitomi:
I suppose.
* Hitomi remains guarded.
Avara:
Will you bear my children?

Jing:
Who are you, Hitomi?

Hitomi:
A lot of people have asked me that question, and I have only ever given the answer to someone I can trust.

Jing:
Then I'll just have to ask again some time. Over drinks?
* Jing grins.
* Seishin brightens up at the sound of drinks being mentioned.
* Hitomi looks oddly at jing, as if not knowing what to make of the request.

Kamon:
"If you get into a drinking contest with Jing you'll lose. Fair warning."
* Jing chuckles a bit.

Seishin:
I didn't lose, ha!

Seishin:
I won fair and square!

Kamon:
"If you define winning as being drunker faster, yes, you did."

Seishin:
Is there any other way to win? -smiles-
* Hitomi sighs, her bristling, spiny exterior dropping for a second.

Kamon:
"Staying awake to drink longer."

Hitomi:
You really are an odd bunch.

Jing:
I've made too many enemies over the years. I'd rather make a friend when I can, Hitomi. And besides, you're pretty cute.

Seishin:
Pssh, no reason to drink if it doesn't make you drunk, ha!
* Kamon nods to what Jing said. "It's better to enjoy life where you can. I am capable of poise and formality, but I would rather we all get to be happy and at peace. That's why I work as a mercenary, so that others can have that peace and joy."
* Hitomi sputters for a second, having been sucker-punched the moment she left her guard down.

Chun-Hwa:
...

Jing:
...Wow, that was really cute.
* Hitomi is blushing furiously.
* Chun-Hwa sighs; there goes Jing again...

Kamon:
"She's right, you know. You are."
* Shimizu Nu takes some time to calm down. Thankfully these antics really help.

Hitomi:
You may spend the rest of the day inspecting this place. I expect to see you leave the city before midday tomorrow.

Hitomi:
You are dismissed!

Kamon:
"... Aren't you dismissing yourself, since we're the ones staying?"
* Hitomi throws down a smoke bomb and vanishes into thin air.
* Jing coughs a bit.
* Kamon gives Hitomi a bit of time to actually leave.

Kamon:
« 1d20+1+1 = 10 + 1 + 1 = 12 » perception.

Jing:
Hehehe... Half expected to be slapped there, to be honest.
* Kamon does not see the invisible ninja

Jing:
« 1d20+13 = 1 + 13 = 14 »

Seishin:
... People keep disappearing!
Witch:
Smoke in the eeeeeyes

Seishin:
« 1d20 + 6 = 14 + 6 = 20 » Perception

Jing:
Gah, got in my eyes
Jing has to rub her eyes for a bit.

Chun-Hwa:
« 1d20+10 = 4 + 10 = 14 » (Perception)
* Cador rolls: d20+6 => 4 + 6 = 10
* You roll secretly: 1d20+14 => 19 + 14 = 33

Kamon:
"So. I definitely need to spend some time refreshing my memory on how to interact properly with royalty and nobility, if that's who our client is."
None of you can see the invisible ninja.
* Chun-Hwa does not see the ninja leave either; probably too busy pouting internally at Jing-senpai flirting with other girls again.

Jing:
Yep.

Seishin:
This palace... it must be full of old spirits!
* Jing winces as her eyes adjust properly again.

Seishin:
... Let us explore!

Kamon:
"Is there somewhere private I can change from this to my actual armor, before we start investigating?"

Jing:
Only of the spiritual, perhaps.
* Seishin says with the conviction of someone who believes they're about to find ancient vats of sake.

Jing:
Not around here unless you think you can change in the carriage.

Seishin:
Ha, I need not change! I wear the spiritual armor of the drunken warrior, ha!
* Kamon pouts, and resigns herself to wearing the heavy fancy clothes in the dirty trashy building.
* Seishin starts bouncing on one foot again, making silly noises.

Jing:
Let's head back to town first and get ourselves re-equipped.

Chun-Hwa:
Right.
Avara:
how far away is town, by the way?

Seishin:
Ahhhhh, hooooo, cheeeee~
VinnyDonuts:
Not that far away, really.
VinnyDonuts:
You can still see the lighthouse pretty clearly.
Avara:
okay.
Witch:
Probably just call it a couple hours there and back and then we've still got most of the day left
FoxtrotTango:
damn why didn't we just walk

Kamon:
"That seems a good plan."
FoxtrotTango:
oh
FoxtrotTango:
ok
VinnyDonuts:
It's an hour to walk, I'd say.
Cador:
We didn't want to ruin our nice clothes.
Avara:
we didn't walk because we can use our carriage to travel everywhere except by boat
FoxtrotTango:
We should have gotten a land-ship.
VinnyDonuts:
The nice clothes did actually help with the impression you gave to Chau.
VinnyDonuts:
Good call.
Avara:
to travel by boat we need to convert it into a boat on wheels and get amphibious horses. those probably cost extra.
Witch:
Anyways, about an hour there and back in total
Witch:
Since vehicle
FoxtrotTango:
Indeed
Dark_Star:
Sooner or later we'll upgrade to an Air-Carriage.
FoxtrotTango:
I'll need to get more booze.
Dark_Star:
With gryphons instead of horses.
Witch:
And switched back for Jing
* Kamon is back in her armor, glamered to her usual preference of attire, once the party returns to the castle. Still smells like expensive and tasteful perfume, though.
Witch:
no wait, wrong one

Kamon:
"It was fun getting to wear those clothes."
VinnyDonuts:
If you want to inspect the palace, just feel free to roll percpetion.
Witch:
« 1d20+15 = 9 + 15 = 24 »
VinnyDonuts:
Or if you want to just take the rest of the day, say you take 20.
Avara:
can we search it for spirits for seishin to get drunk with?

Jing:
And you looked quite good doing it. All three of you, really.
* Jing gives her signature (by now) flirtatious grin.
FoxtrotTango:
I don't want to piss through the whole cool part of the session with a nat 20

Chun-Hwa:
Eh? Well, uh, thank you...

Seishin:
Ha, there is only one of me, Jing! You should learn to hold your liquor!

Jing:
Right...
* Chun-Hwa blushes a bit at the compliment.

Kamon:
"Indeed. All three of you were very pretty as well. And Seishin makes for a good... entertainer."
VinnyDonuts:
the cool part of the session is the ship i mocked up that you're probably not going to get to at this rate
VinnyDonuts:
well, that's a lie, the rest of the session has been pretty darn cool so far
* Jing strides up to Nu and pats her on the head before leaning over to whisper to her. "And good job on keeping your calm. I appreciate it."
Avara:
maybe we'll find ghosts in the castle when we come back from this job, ft
Avara:
we have to give them time to settle in for a good haunting. they didn't know we were coming.
* Shimizu Nu stiffens for a moment before relaxing and nodding.
Avara:
(v needs to gen them up)
FoxtrotTango:
Vin DID say we could roll Perception to look around.
Dark_Star:
Who knows, we might even find some vintage jugs of sake that haven't turned into vinegar yet.
* Jing pats Nu on the head again. "Now come on, let's have a look around before we get to business tomorrow."

Chun-Hwa:
« 1d20+10 = 4 + 10 = 14 » (Perception)
* Kamon is going to take 20 if we're staying all night.
Witch:
Actually yeah, just gonna take 20 myself. We've got the time.
* Kamon does not want to leave any stone unturned, since anything might be a way for the bandaged bastard to sneak up on her later.
Dark_Star:
Yeah, same here.
Cador:
Who's got the highest perception?
FoxtrotTango:
I can see ghosts.
Cador:
They'll take 20 and the rest of us can assist.
Witch:
Jing, I think
Witch:
33 total if we take 20
Avara:
add assist another, witch
Dark_Star:
I've got a +10. so 30 total.
Avara:
dunno what it's worth though
FoxtrotTango:
I'll take 20 because most of you can't see ghosts.
Witch:
+2
Cador:
+2 per person assisting.
Dark_Star:
So make that two Aid Anothers, for a total +4 bonus.
Avara:
okay
Cador:
Nu will assist Jing.
Witch:
Alright, so 39 total when I take 20 on Perception
As you take your time and inspect the ruined palace, you can see that most of the rooms have caved-in roofs in places and are generally poorly-maintained, as you'd expect for a place that burned down in a fire.
Avara:
so witch has 39 and seishin has probably also a really good roll, since both are 20ing
Dark_Star:
We should find everything of value and any ghosts that aren't actively hiding.
FoxtrotTango:
28 and the ability to notice surprising details and ghosts.
The structure seems like it's sat here for a good while, though, and anything that was going to collapse has already collapsed.

Chun-Hwa:
Hmm... Not too bad, really.
The workmanship is good, although inconsistent in places.

Seishin:
Is very rustic, yes! Much openness of air, breathes well... -hic-

Chun-Hwa:
Got some work ahead of us if we want to fix the place up, probably will want to hire some carpenters, but most of the hard work looks like it's already been done.

Kamon:
"How much do you think it'd cost to have it repaired and finished? I have to say I'm curious about that."
Maybe breathes a bit better than it should.
Avara:
anyone have a decent appraise?
VinnyDonuts:
yoink
Dark_Star:
I have untrained.

Jing:
Quite a bit to be certain...
Cador:
I have a +5 untrained.
Seishin, however, finds himself fixated on what must have been intended to be the throne room, from the raised dias.
* Seishin stumbles quickly into the stone-floored ruin, seeking out spirits and other fun stuff.
* Jing follows after Seishin to make sure he doesn't hurt himself.
How hubristic is it to build a palace with a throne room when you're not even a real prince?
FoxtrotTango:
Nice floor, btw.
Avara:
want to roll to see if we can get a number?
VinnyDonuts:
No, it's fine.
Seishin (and only Seishin sees a man sitting where the throne would go, looking rather miserable at the whole affair.
FoxtrotTango:
That looks like a lady.
VinnyDonuts:
Dude looks like a lady.
Avara:
dude--dammit v said it first
* Seishin stares straight at the spirit, fixating on it and vaguely waving the others away.

Chun-Hwa:
...?
He regards the group barely, if at all, and seems more put-out at the prospect of visitors than anything else.

Chun-Hwa:
Seishin, is one of your spirits trying to talk to you?
Like they're a vague annoyance, rather than anything worth getting upset about.

Seishin:
You... you are the spirit of this house?

Throne Spirit:
...
It takes a moment for the spirit to register that someone's talking to him.

Throne Spirit:
... You can see me?
* Seishin nods at the spirit.
* Seishin looks at the others, noticing they're all watching him like he's half-mad, and realizes they're not going to be of much help.

Seishin:
I am Seishin... I see many spirits, young man...

Throne Spirit:
I am not a man. Nor am I a woman, and no, I'm not interested in an exorcism.

Throne Spirit:
I am the spirit of this palace.
* Jing ultimately decides to leave Seishin be. Hopefully they didn't end up dragging another kid back after last time some spirit decided to talk to him.

Throne Spirit:
A man with foolish ambitions saw me built, and the same man with foolish ambitions left me here to rot while the people who built me burned me to the ground.

Seishin:
I see... I would say that you have seen better days, but...

Seishin:
... better days lie ahead for you still, that I promise... We have been given leave to care for the palace... for you.

Throne Spirit:
... Is that so?

Throne Spirit:
The last woman who said that hasn't been here in a year.
* Seishin looks confused... then again, a lot of women have been disappearing in front of his eyes lately.

Throne Spirit:
At first, she and another man were here, saying they would give me life again, saying they would restore me and make me their new home.

Throne Spirit:
I couldn't possibly be happier.

Throne Spirit:
Then, a few months ago, it all suddenly stopped.

Seishin:
... What happened?

Throne Spirit:
The woman and the man yelled at each other. They couldn't see each other without an argument.

Throne Spirit:
The men who were clearing the debris and repairing my walls stopped coming, and before long, I was left along again.

Throne Spirit:
People are such fickle creatures, prone to quick changes. How long will it be before you and your friends argue over something and split apart?

Seishin:
Mmmm... this is true. The rapidity of youth... it means that no friend lasts forever...

Throne Spirit:
I was destined for grand things twice over, now, and my name was spoken highly on many lips. Twice already in my short existence, that destiny has been ripped away from me.

Throne Spirit:
You will forgive me for being aprehensive.

Seishin:
I will... There is much that you have been promised that has stayed unfulfilled... The best thing for a man to do is to approach the top of the mountain one step at a time...
* Seishin bows respectfully to the spirit of the mansion.

Seishin:
If there is a deed that can show my willingness to climb this mountain, please bequeath it to me...

Throne Spirit:
... If you clear the rubble and patch the roof, then I will consider you and your friends the keepers of this place.

Throne Spirit:
I will give you two weeks to do this.

Throne Spirit:
But if I am abandoned a third time, then any of you who dare step within these walls again will die.
* Seishin nods slowly.
Seishin feels a dark resentment and malevolence build up within the spirit, only for it to take a moment to calm itself.

Seishin:
This place has a dark chain of lies that bind its future... I will seek to free your spirit from this chain of false promises...
* Kamon isn't skilled in appraisal, but attempts to make a guess at the cost since she asked earlier.

Kamon:
« 1d20 = 6 »
* Kamon isn't a good guesser.

Seishin:
Even if it be my hands that lay the last bricks...

Jing:
« 1d20+2 = 20 + 2 = 22 »
Witch:
pfffff
Witch:
Jing knows her money
FoxtrotTango:
Well, you don't have to worry anymore.
As far as anyone can guess how much it'd cost to repair this place, you have no idea, but you're sure that even 50 gold would be a generous payment to ensure a prompt completion of the project.
Jing could probably arrange the same for 30.
Avara:
that low? huh.
FoxtrotTango:
Hold up.
Cador:
I'll try appraise
FoxtrotTango:
That's for normal houses.
* Cador rolls: d20+5 => 18 + 5 = 23
FoxtrotTango:
This place is haunted.
FoxtrotTango:
I guarantee they'll charge us more because of that.
Avara:
it's half-built, but damaged, but depreciated, but haunted... it's hard to value.
Avara:
we should arrange the job as we leave town tomorrow!
Dark_Star:
At the very least we'll have to go back in multiple times to beat up the various skeletons and ghosts that pop up everytime they fix a hole before they'll go any further.
FoxtrotTango:
Let's let Sei give you guys the bad news
* Seishin turns to the party.
* Jing mutters to herself as she looks around. She's still not finding certain hints that she'd hoped for. At least, not at the moment. "Half-built, damaged, clean up would be about 30 at least..."

Seishin:
Please tell Jing that the spirit of the house... wishes us to clean the rubble... and patch the roof.

Seishin:
And that we will be well-rewarded if we complete this in... two weeks.

Jing:
Rubble clean up, patching, finish work... Hmm.

Chun-Hwa:
Huh, so this place already has a resident spirit...
* Seishin looks sidelong at the spirit, catching their eye, as if they would have some desire to correct him.
Another thing you guys noticed during your walkabout is that the yard's pond has a magical water source, although that's grown a bit out-of-whack and has flooded a bit.

Kamon:
"I'll pass the message along, then. If we're going to live here anyway, we may as well clean it up. I'll investigate the pond in the back too, since I can breathe underwater."
* Throne Spirit returns to its ennui, moping about the empty throneroom and generally acting like an angsty teenager.
* Kamon heads back to find Jing. "Apparently there's a spirit here that wants us to get this place cleaned up and roof-patched within the next two weeks. Seishin says some kind of reward was promised, if we do."
* Seishin looks over at the metalkin with a crestfallen face.

Jing:
Well. Guess it was good that I was already thinking about it.

Kamon:
"Any idea how much it'd cost?"

Chun-Hwa:
...So, resident spirit, wants us to fix the place up, and we've got two weeks... I'm guessing something not-very-nice will happen to us if we don't meet that deadline?

Seishin:
The spirit is very sad... Many people have sought to restore it... only to fall apart from each other.
* Seishin looks a bit surprised at Chun's expectation.
As far as anything else goes, you notice a few places where squatters have set up makeshift homes, but their stoves and sleeping places have been left untouched for a long while.
Something must have made them leave in a hurry.

Seishin:
N-No! She said we would be, w-well rewarded!

Kamon:
"Since we're leaving town already, if we can afford it, we should pay to have whatever work we want done while we're gone. Pay in advance, since we don't want them thinking they'll get stiffed like last time."

Chun-Hwa:
...Alright, I won't ask for details then.
* Seishin remembers what the spirit said and shook his head.

Seishin:
No... they must be observed.

Chun-Hwa:
I've heard enough from the shamans back home to know that it's best not to anger a spirit.

Jing:
Quite. It'll be about... 30 gold, give or take. That'll take care of the clean up and patching. Finishing the build around here'll take more. But it'll be a start.

Seishin:
And the workers protected... something has made them leave before... something stronger than money.
Avara:
seishin is in a different room from kamon
FoxtrotTango:
Bleh.
FoxtrotTango:
Sorry, doing my best

Seishin:
... Hmmm...

Kamon:
"Do you think it'll take long to get the build finish done?"

Seishin:
I believe the boy would be trustworthy to oversee construction...

Seishin:
He speaks to the spirits as well, and would know what the spirit of the house would want.

Kamon:
"... we might want to rejoin the others, actually, so we can all discuss it."
* Jing shrugs. "Couple, few days. Depends on how fast they are. It'll be less than two weeks though at any rate.
* Jing nods and starts to rejoin the rest.

Seishin:
I will allow him the use of my gold supply.

Chun-Hwa:
Mmm, that would be helpful.

Kamon:
"Jing says it'll probably be around 30 gold to do the clean-up and patching, and more to get the build finished. Probably less than two weeks though. Since we're leaving town for a while, starting tomorrow, we should hire the workers on our way out."

Chun-Hwa:
Yeah, good point.

Seishin:
I will pay, I have little need for the money otherwise!

Kamon:
"If we're going to live here, we're going to live comfortably and safely and not-at-all-going-to-be-invaded-by-royalty-slayers-ly."

Seishin:
All I spend it on is drinks! Shen can look after this palace for us while we are away, as he can speak to the spirit for us.

Kamon:
"So I'm willing to pay as well, and pay extra for extra security measures."
VinnyDonuts:
plus side of having an angry spirit living in your house: chases away intruders!
VinnyDonuts:
it's like a very spooky guard dog

Chun-Hwa:
Hmm, while 30 gold might be all that's needed, might be a good idea to give him some extra beyond that in case something comes up.

Chun-Hwa:
So I'll donate an extra 15 gold.

Kamon:
"Agreed. We'll have to talk out the full price in negotiations. I'm willing to put forward whatever I have to, but we shouldn't decide on a price before talking to the workers."

Chun-Hwa:
mmm.

Seishin:
I shall give Shen the funds to oversee further repairs, and keep a small amount for survival!
Avara:
should kamon search the pond tonight, or postpone that for later?
Avara:
i'm thiiinking tonight, personally, just in case.
Witch:
Don't see why not

Kamon:
"You guys keep looking after things here, or set up rooms, or... whatever you want, really. The water source in the back isn't looking right, so I want to check on that. Though... if someone would accompany me at least to the waterside, in case I end up needing help, that'd be great."
* Kamon is still kind of paranoid about the mind-controlling bandaged freak, even if he should be busy elsewhere right now.

Jing:
Sure, I'll go with you. Always had an odd knack for swimming.

Kamon:
"Anyone else who wants to come is welcome too."

Chun-Hwa:
I guess I will as well.

Jing:
I expect bathing wear, Chun.

Seishin:
Haha, I am fine... You would not do to invite a wet cat! Anger many spirits...

Kamon:
"Bathing...wear?"

Chun-Hwa:
...Eh?

Jing:
Ah right, that's a gaijin thing.

Shimizu Nu:
I'll just take a look around the Zen Garden!
* Kamon walks to the pond.
* Kamon waits for everyone coming to gather, and then walks into the pond, letting the water and the weight of her armor do the work of pulling her under. Yay for natural water-breathing powers!
* Kamon has darkvision 60 while underwater.

Chun-Hwa:
Hmm...
Avara:
wait, no
Avara:
darkvision 120
* Chun-Hwa looking around the pond and garden area.
* Seishin is left with the house spirit, and sits quietly, staring around the room and trying to visualize what it used to look like back when it was due to be completed.
Deep within the pond, Kamon spies a glowing, blue bead. As she approaches it, she can feel the current pressing against her.
The bead appears to be what's creating the water at a truly impressive clip, though it's easy to see how it's started to flood the surroundings.
Oh, and there's also a few corpses down here.
All of them bloated by the water, covered in deteriorating rags and strangled by the underwater plants.
It looks like grabbing that bead might be a bit more difficult than Kamon first thought.
* Kamon will attempt to move the bodies out of the water first, hoping that the water isn't contaminated enough to poison her or make her sick or something.

Chun-Hwa:
Aside from the total lack of vegetation and how overgrown the pond is, and the patterns in the zen garden have all been blown away, and the house is half burnt, half collapsed, it almost reminds me of home...
As Kamon approaches the plants, they start to wrap around her legs.
Avara:
rapidly, or slowly?
VinnyDonuts:
Rapidly.
Avara:
reflex save?
VinnyDonuts:
Yep.
Dark_Star:
Ah, stranglekelp.
Avara:
penalty for underwater?
Dark_Star:
One of the many submarine dangers of the world.
VinnyDonuts:
Considering you have a swim speed, no.

Kamon:
« 1d20+6 = 17 + 6 = 23 »

Jing:
No reason we can't fix it up nicely. Tien style too, if you want.

Chun-Hwa:
That'd definitely be nice~
Kamon realizes what's going on qucikly, and swims up and away from the kelp before it can get a good hold on her.
* Seishin starts imagining a brewery with many beer kegs and wine barrels... and smiles gleefully. This home will have much promise.
Also, there's not so much a lack of vegetation, as all the vegetation is overgrown, sunbloached dry grass.
VinnyDonuts:
sunbleached
Dark_Star:
Ah, I wasn't sure if it was that or if it was all gone.
Avara:
about how strong is the current compared to swim speed 40?
VinnyDonuts:
You'd have to be down there within the range of the kelp for 2 rounds to grab the bead.

Shimizu Nu:
Jeez, it's not much of a garden now. It'll take some time to fix it!
VinnyDonuts:
It helps that the primary danger appears to be drowning, which you're immune to, so all you have to do is make sure the kelp doesn't impede your movement.
VinnyDonuts:
Or get you stuck.
Dark_Star:
Taking a knife down when you try to grab the bead will probably help a lot.
Cador:
Or reach your throat.
* Kamon swims up to the surface and pulls off her armor, wearing Monk Robes underneath. These she keeps on. "I may need help if I'm under for too long. There's plantlife down there that binds any it can touch, and I'll need to go into it to get the water source. Since I can breathe underwater, the biggest problem is I might not be able to move very well. But I have a blade, so I should be fine."

Kamon:
"I do want to try something, though."
* Kamon sets her Bag of Holding and armor on the shore, keeping her robes and her tanto with her.

Shimizu Nu:
Hm... Would the acidic properties of one of my blade help?

Kamon:
"It might, but I don't want to risk getting acid anywhere it shouldn't be. Thank you."
* Shimizu Nu nods. "Ok!"
You recall that the Shayu's acid doesn't work underwater anyway.

Shimizu Nu:
I've also still got the spares if you want one of those.
* Kamon returns to being underwater, tanto held between her teeth. As she swims, she starts a spell, and the others might just have a chance to see it before she's too deep.
Avara:
V, since you had something in mind for this, care to give a description for Monstrous Physique? kamon's doing a mermaid thing to try and give herself a better advantage in the water.
Dark_Star:
Ah, taking the Mermaid evolution-chain? That one's good when doing the Whales side-quest in EVO, but you have to back out of it when you're done...

Jing:
Say, Nu. Do you know much about Tensaki architecture?
* Jing keeps an eye on Kamon while speaking to Nu.
Cador whispers: where was Nu born again?
As Kamon goes underwater, those of you who are watching see the bandages around her legs unravel completely and see the formless underneath, but only for a moment. The mist coalesces into a long, fishlike tail, which starts moving as naturally as any other body part.

Chun-Hwa:
Whoa... that was cool.
VinnyDonuts:
*the formless mist

Jing:
Well, that was impressive.
* Kamon waves her tail around playfully for a moment, enjoying having a more natural-feeling bodypart than the clumped-up legs and arms she usually has, before setting to work.

Shimizu Nu:
Er... I did live there for a while, but I was born over in Khaw
Avara:
can i make a swim check to try and reduce the time i'm spending in the kelp?
VinnyDonuts:
Yes.

Kamon:
« 1d20+4+1 = 6 + 4 + 1 = 11 »
Avara:
plus four if her curse is effectively inert while a mermiad
Avara:
*mermaid
VinnyDonuts:
I'll say it is.
Avara:
okay

Jing:
Right well, the two of you can decide on architecture. I don't really care one way or another.
Avara:
so 15 total
Kamon figures she can dive in and get the bauble in a single motion, giving the kelp only a short window to grab her.
VinnyDonuts:
You only have to roll one reflex roll.

Kamon:
« 1d20+6 = 6 + 6 = 12 » reflex
VinnyDonuts:
ohhhhh
Avara:
... oh, right. the strength mod from her transformation would also have raised the swim check by 1. but still not enough to avoid that reflex
Kamon is prepared for the kelp to lash out at her, and dives swiftly through the pond and grabs the bauble- but on the upswing, she feels a tug on her tail. It's caulght in the kelp, by sheer volume if nothing else, and the moment she stops moving, the rest of the kelp starts wrapping around her tail and dragging her down.
She better figure something out before it gets to her throat or else she might actually suffocate down here!
Avara:
is kamon able to dispel the transformation?
Dark_Star:
A thought, if she were to release the transformation, causing her legs to turn back into formless mist, would she be out of reach of hte kelp?
VinnyDonuts:
At will, yes.
* Kamon dispels the transformation.
Dark_Star:
And then Gust of Wind straight downwards to propel you out of the water, 'cause Laws of Motion and all that jazz.
And the tail that the kelp had found purchase on turns into formless mist. She watches as the kelp flails everywhere, seemingly confused by this revelation.
Kamon floats safely upwards.
Dark_Star:
That works too.
* Kamon swims over to the shore, before looking at the bead.
... Though she might have issues swimming back to land now that she has no legs.
Avara:
arms provide most of the push for swimming.
* Shimizu Nu claps at Kamon's success.
Avara:
she still has those
* Jing helps Kamon back out as she nears the shore.
The bead bubbles and roils as it reaches the surface, still pumping out tons of water. It sprays out of her hand like a pressurized hose, and it's a little difficult to keep a hold of.
It's also probably soaking everyone within a 10-foot radius.
* Kamon holds it back underwater to avoid spraying everyone.

Kamon:
"So... I don't actually know how to turn it off."

Jing:
Yeah, yeah. Got any extra bandages?

Chun-Hwa:
Um...

Kamon:
"There's still bodies and the binding kelp down there, so this water isn't good for use. And... I don't think I do? I can try and find something else to bind up my legs. I can't hold a transformation for very long."
* Chun-Hwa tries to identify how the bead works via Spellcraft

Chun-Hwa:
« 1d20+5 = 15 + 5 = 20 »
This reminds you vaguely of Bo's magic jug of water. As far as you can remember, it had some kind of magic word.
Though, you have no idea what this thing's magic word is...

Shimizu Nu:
Let me try!

Chun-Hwa:
It's probably got a magic word of some sort to get it to turn off or on...

Kamon:
"Oh. Since... apparently we need to share a tent now, we could tear up one of the tents we're not using anymore for material."
* Cador rolls: d20+17 spellcraft => 19 + 17 = 36
Witch:
we;[
Witch:
*welp

Jing:
Right, that'd work. Give me a moment here.
Cador:
Fun fact, Spellcraft is the Cursed Razor's skill.
Dark_Star:
Well I mean, Cursed Razor uses- yeah.

Kamon:
"There's a tent in my pack."
Spells are basically just a different kind of curse. Nu can see how a curse of unending water might be effective in some situations.
* Jing fishes around in her Bag of Holding before pulling out her old tent. She then draws her tanto before starting to cut strips. Finally, she uses the strips as makeshift bandaging for Kamon's legs.
Dark_Star:
...That makes me think of Shantotto in World of Final Fantasy...
Avara:
how many Bandages can we make from a one-person-sized tent?
But besides that, she figures out through a few educated guesses that the password is Pla Dab.
VinnyDonuts:
And more than enough, ruki.
VinnyDonuts:
A person-sixed tent has enough fabric to roll you up like a burrito.
It's Aquan for swordfish.
Avara:
should i bother keeping count?
VinnyDonuts:
i dunno your call
Dark_Star:
The password is ALWAYS swordfish.
Dark_Star:
Just maybe not in your language.
VinnyDonuts:
if you want to put 3/4ths a tent in your inventory go ahead
Avara:
i'll opt against counting bandages for ease of play.
Dark_Star:
I mean, we might have a use for 3/4ths of a tent later...
Avara:
did jing tear up kamon's tent or her own?

Shimizu Nu:
Got it~! the keyword is Pla Dab!
The bead stops pumping out water at the mention of the key word.
Witch:
Her own

Chun-Hwa:
Huh. Neat.
Looking at it, it's obvious that the bead is distorted and distended, probably from overuse and lack of maintenance.

Jing:
..."Swordfish"?
* Kamon pulls out the bead once the pressure stops, letting out a sigh of relief. "Alright. So we can do that then."

Kamon:
"... You speak Aquan, Jing?"

Jing:
I swear, that is like the fifty second time that-
* Jing mumbles to herself.

Chun-Hwa:
...I guess my father was right. The password is ALWAYS swordfish...

Jing:
Yeah.

Jing:
You have no idea, Chun.
The elemental water is also probably what caused the plants down there to mutate.
Magic does weird things to flora and fauna.
* Kamon puts the bead of water into her pack. "We'll need to find a way to get this drained and cleaned. That'll be more money. And either repair or replace the bead."
Dark_Star:
At least it wasn't populated by giant murderous bladed clams.
The pool will probably start draining on its own and settle into a pool of vile-smelling muck eventually.
The dead bodies probably wouldn't help that.
Avara:
which doesn't count as clean.
VinnyDonuts:
hell nope

Shimizu Nu:
Yeah, you'd think they'd go with something more original for the keyword, but nope!

Kamon:
"At least it's easy to remember."
Cador:
I hope Kamon has purify food and drink. That'd work right?

Chun-Hwa:
True.
VinnyDonuts:
she does
Avara:
kamon does have that. but there's still corpses down there.
Avara:
in the tangleweed.
Witch:
Skeletons, technically
Dark_Star:
I mean, if Chun managed to work herself up enough, she could probably trigger Combat Mode against the strangleweed and start burning them and the corpses with fire-elemental Strike Maneuvers.
Avara:
kamon could spend all night purifying 6 cubic feet of water at a time.

Jing:
Right well.

Jing:
Time to go see about hiring a crew to fix this up.

Kamon:
"That's probably the best choice."

Chun-Hwa:
Right.

Chun-Hwa:
We should be sure to tell them to be careful around the pool. Don't need anyone being grabbed by the stranglekelp.
Dead body disposal is generally not in most workers' contracts, so you'd probably need to call an undertaker for something like that.

Kamon:
"If they're forewarned about it they can be prepared to remove it. And we'll need to contact the temple about the corpses, probably."

Jing:
Quite. They can help purify the water as well.
Asking Thuan to bless the pond and make sure there are no ghosts haunting the pool will probably run you another 30 gold.
From the sounds of it, there's already one spirit here, and that's probably enough.

Jing:
Either way, that'll be another... Let's say 30.
So far, that's 75 gold in total put towards renovations.

Chun-Hwa:
Mmm.

Jing:
And then there's the lawn as well. Furnishings... But that can wait until after the repairs and revitalizations. And then food stocks as well. Water isn't a concern for us.

Chun-Hwa:
Mhmm.

Kamon:
"Being a mermaid for a while was fun."

Jing:
That was impressive. Though seriously, make sure you have extra bandages next time.

Kamon:
"I should have plenty, now that we've sacrificed a tent to that end."

Jing:
Quite. Looks like we're definitely sharing yours now.

Kamon:
"I was thinking we might buy a bigger one. To actually fit two people comfortably."

Jing:
What, don't want to cuddle?
* Kamon blushes a little and shrugs, not really comfortable with trying to explain the issue.
VinnyDonuts:
this is where jing would put her shame
VinnyDonuts:
IF SHE HAD ANY
Witch:
WHAT IS THE MEANING OF THAT WORD ANYWAYS
FoxtrotTango:
It means you should feel bad about things you don't.

Jing:
Sharing one it is then~!
Dark_Star:
Jing knows OF shame. She just doesn't have any.

Kamon:
"So... how much money do you think it'll take to get -everything- done?"
VinnyDonuts:
she ran out a long time ago
Renovations, so far looks like 75 gold.

Kamon:
"Food, money, building, cleaning, gardening, all of it."
Dark_Star:
Furniture would vary based on how much and how fancy we wanna get.
Avara:
remove the money from that sentence
* Jing takes a moment to contemplate. "Well... Not counting 'optional' things is about 75 gold. From there, I'd have to take a look at the market for matters of furniture and food."
Dark_Star:
Also if we decide to be extra nice to Seishin and convert one of the rooms into a mini-brewery.

Kamon:
"Alright."
Avara:
that sounds like an excellent idea

Jing:
We're in a thriving port though, so food should be in plentiful supply.
Avara:
it should also have a shrine in it for the spirit of the castle.
For gardening, you're not sure how much that'll run you, but it's probably going to be at least 40/
Avara:
spirits with spirits

Jing:
Furniture we may have to take a trip to the capitol for.
FoxtrotTango:
Make sure you buy it in scroll form so you get whole packages delivered to your palace.
Dark_Star:
Honestly, that'd be kinda nice for Chun too, somewhere she can practice her brewing. Probably would be divided into both a brewery and an alchemy lab.

Jing:
And as to the matter of Gardening... Ugh. I want to say about... 40, give or take.

Jing:
So that puts it at about 120, give or take a few gold for the necessities.
You could commission the local carpenter for furniture, but if you want anything fancy you'd have to go on a trip.

Jing:
I suppose if we just wanted some decent furniture, we can talk to the carpenter too.

Jing:
That'll save some gold, but won't be anything too fancy.

Chun-Hwa:
Hmm... I'd kinda want a place to practice my brewing. Not just for beer, but also to make alchemical creations for us.

Kamon:
"... If we're going all the way with this place, should we go all the way, or settle?"

Jing:
There's some buildings over there.
* Jing points to the western part of the paalce.

Jing:
We can easily convert one or two.

Chun-Hwa:
Mmm.

Kamon:
"If there's a spirit for the castle grounds we should put in a shrine for it, as well.

Kamon:
"

Jing:
I leave that one to you.

Kamon:
"After that... we can decide other additions later, I think."

Jing:
At any rate, that small brewery could also make us some bonus income if we sell to the city.

Jing:
It'll help cover costs once production picks up.

Chun-Hwa:
Mmm.

Jing:
Really, I could also build us some furniture as well.

Kamon:
"Think you can out-do the local carpenter?"
* Jing shrugs.

Kamon:
"If we're making this place fit for a palace, like it was meant to be... I kind of want to actually go the distance."

Jing:
I'm skilled, but it's more of a hobby compared to my bladework.

Jing:
Heh.

Jing:
Well, maybe we will take a trip to the capitol after this mission. We're due for some down time now that we've proven ourselves capable, I think.

Chun-Hwa:
Then once we've gotten the place fixed up, we should try and find time to visit a city with a carpenter that can do furniture fit for a palace.

Chun-Hwa:
Yeah, like the capital.

Kamon:
"That sounds like a good idea."
Making arrangements with the merchants is easy enough, though there was some aprehension about the supposed spirit haunting the palace.
FoxtrotTango:
Tell them about the spirit-speaker we'll have living here and overseeing the rennovations
Shen agreed to watch over the proceedings and pretend he could provide security, though his skillset does line up with giving the workers time to flee if a threat presents itself, even if he cannot defeat the threat outright.
Special care is taken to ensure nobody takes a lethal dip in the corpse-pond, and Thuan is happy to retreive the corpses and bless the pond in exchange for a generous donation.
Removing the kelp probably won't be a problem if you wait for the pool to dry up, since it'll all die.
Witch:
And then we can adjust the pond as we want
Avara:
seems like a good way to go about it
Avara:
though, we need to replace/repair the bead
Witch:
Get some actual fish in there too after doing so
Avara:
price on that?
Lastly, there are no gardeners in town, but you manage to convince a few farmers to do some gardening and landscaping for you, since it seems like about the same thing.
VinnyDonuts:
Everything I'm talking about is all rolled into that big price that Seishin's taking care of.
FoxtrotTango:
Were they hanging out around the Home and Garden shop
Avara:
ok
It'll be a while, but sooner rather than later, this place is going to be looking a lot nicer.
Dark_Star:
Just a note, but Chun's paying up to 30 gold.
Dark_Star:
Even removed the money from my character sheet.
FoxtrotTango:
Who else is paying? I'll cover the difference but if you guys let Seishin have the full share, you're going to essentially be handing a drunk guy the keys to the palace.
Hopefully that'll mean the spirit will stop wigging Seishin out. Maybe you should make up a nice name for the place, too.
Avara:
how much money is left to be covered after chun pays 30?
Avara:
95? i think the rolled up cost was 125 total?
FoxtrotTango:
Hmmm... good question about the palace name...
FoxtrotTango:
Palace of Peace? Palace of No Regrets?
Avara:
kamon will pay 94 gold, 3 silver, 9 copper. because i want a nice round 400 gold in my pocket.
FoxtrotTango:
Palace of I Swear To The Gods If You Say YOLO One More Time
FoxtrotTango:
Hey Ruki I have money to spend too
FoxtrotTango:
why not let me spend a little of it you investment hound
Dark_Star:
The name needs to be fanseh.
Avara:
so tip them
Dark_Star:
Hmm...
FoxtrotTango:
Jing's room needs to have the bromides of attractive women she's courted.
VinnyDonuts:
chemical compounds containing bromine?
FoxtrotTango:
No, attractive pinups, like the Naga-ette Bromide that old pervert would pay a lot for back in Chrono Triger.
FoxtrotTango:
Trigger*
VinnyDonuts:
oh, you mean obscure censorship
Dark_Star:
Basically, after courting the girl, she gets a picture of said girl in just her undergarments.
VinnyDonuts:
gotcha
Witch:
Now we're going Witcher
FoxtrotTango:
It's like the old Witcher games yeah
As fun as housebuilding is, Hitomi did say she expected you to leave by noon tomorrow, so you have to hit the road.
This time trekking north through the desert, you have to endure another saltstorm. This time, though, the elementals keep their distance.
Seems they really did spread the word of how scary you are.
Avara:
too salt too furious
They settle for throwing expletives in your direction, but the moment any of you so much as turn your head, they run away.
Little shits.
FoxtrotTango:
Can't smurf today, natch.
Avara:
kamon just grumbles about the salty damn desert while trying not to get dehydrated.
After a couple days of travel, you're out of the desert and into lush grasslands. Kamon is able to find a brook to hydrate herself in, and after another day, you find the crash site.
Situated in the middle of a rice paddy, the ship scoured a rut half a mile long.
A sad, deflated baloon flops off of the starboard side.
The baloon and the ship itself show obvious signs of battle damage. Many holes are punched in the side of the ship, likely from northern cannons.

Chun-Hwa:
Huh, so they really do use balloons... I guess the air spirit must've escaped and that's what caused it to crash.
What a northern airship was doing here is any guess.
VinnyDonuts:
Crash site map, if that's not obvious.
Trying to take your carriage through the swampy rice paddies would be a trial in frustration, so you leave it beside the road.
Oh wait you have horses now

Jing:
No idea. Looks like some gaijins fighting eachother.
Avara:
not combat-ready horses, so they still get to wait
FoxtrotTango:
Meanwhile there's a honky-tonk nearby where Gorrister is talking to a jackal about stealing Edna's heart.
VinnyDonuts:
Also, taking horses through a swamp is also bad ideas.
The ship broke in two near the bow.

Seishin:
Is strange vessel... How can air lift a ship?
* Chun-Hwa gets up near where one of the cannonball-made holes is.

Jing:
Hmm. Break near the bow. Good enough place to star with.
Once it's in view, you feel an inexplicable sense of dread that none of you can shake, which has only gotten worse as you approach.
Something's wrong.

Chun-Hwa:
...

Jing:
...

Jing:
« 1d20+13 = 5 + 13 = 18 » (Percep)

Shimizu Nu:
...Huh. Is this what most folks feel like around me?
* Chun-Hwa takes a steadying breath, and enters Stance of Flowing Water, just in case.

Chun-Hwa:
« 1d20+10 = 2 + 10 = 12 » (Perception)
Jing thinks she sees someone through one of the holes for a second.

Jing:
...
She checks again and nobody's there.
* Seishin takes out his drinking jug and quickly downs some emergency sake, feeling like he's going to need it...

Jing:
This... There's something here. I can tell that much.

Chun-Hwa:
Yeah, I feel it too...

Kamon:
"I don't know what it is, but it definitely feels like something doesn't want us here."
* Shimizu Nu has her aura of Shared Misfortune up in reaction to the unsettling feeling.

Jing:
Too bad. It's getting fixed.
The sake tastes sour.
* Jing grimaces, but draws her sword.

Seishin:
Aaaugh...
FoxtrotTango:
He's still considered to have drunk strong alcohol, though.
VinnyDonuts:
Of course.
* Shimizu Nu draws Fuku & Toku just to be safe.
VinnyDonuts:
It just does nothing to help his nerves.
* Chun-Hwa doesn't draw her blade. Because Iaijutsu.
* Jing approaches the broken part of the bow.
Cador:
Excuse me. Aura of Shared Misery.
* Kamon stays next to Jing, considering spells.
VinnyDonuts:
what does aura of shared misery do
Cador:
It's just a stance.
VinnyDonuts:
cool
* Seishin holds his bo staff, still dressed in the kabuki getup because nobody remembered to tell him he didn't need it anymore.
Cador:
Linked to you in skype regardless.
* Jing starts to look around once more as she begins to step onto the ship's deck. « 1d20+13 = 8 + 13 = 21 »
Well, besides the obvious...

Seishin:
« 1d20 + 8 = 2 + 8 = 10 » Perception, vs. surprises and ghosts, -2 for everything else

Chun-Hwa:
« 1d20+10 = 2 + 10 = 12 » (Perception)
FoxtrotTango:
Dangit, the ghosts gave me and Chun the same dice
Dark_Star:
Maptools seems to be dealing me results in pairs.

Kamon:
« 1d20+1 = 10 + 1 = 11 »
FoxtrotTango:
Well, Jing IS taking point...
* Cador rolls: d20+6 perception => 11 + 6 = 17
There are bloodstains all over the inside of the ship. Days old from a glance. There's a particularly messy patch in the middle of the cabin.
FoxtrotTango:
Don't touch it you could get HIV
Like blood was left to pool there. It runs towards the bilge in the center.

Chun-Hwa:
Geez...
There's also a woman here.
She's barely clothed and heavily disfigured, wih deep cuts in the wrists and neck. There's a hole in her chest you can see her ribcage through.

Chun-Hwa:
...Definitely not alive still...
FoxtrotTango:
eesh
Her form shifts and changes unnaturally, as if she's not really there.

Maimed Swordswoman:
(Tensaki) You.... are you the ones...

Jing:
There's your "spirit", Seishin.

Seishin:
Many... many bad spirits here...

Chun-Hwa:
W-what the!?
FoxtrotTango:
Wait what
* Jing raises an eyebrow.
VinnyDonuts:
stop

Jing:
HEY.
Seishin feels like he shouldn't take any more steps forward.
* Maimed Swordswoman looks over at Jing, shakily raising a bloodied sword.

Maimed Swordswoman:
(Tensaki) Are... you...

Jing:
I don't understand you.

Maimed Swordswoman:
(Tensaki) Did you... take it?
* Seishin stays back, unable to comprehend.

Chun-Hwa:
(Tensaki) Take what?

Maimed Swordswoman:
(Tensaki) My.... heart... where is it?
Evidently, not in her chest.

Chun-Hwa:
(Tensaki) I don't know...
Dark_Star:
Expecting evil spirit jump-scare in 3... 2... 1...

Maimed Swordswoman:
(Tensaki) Give it back...

Maimed Swordswoman:
(Truespeech) GIVE IT BACK!
Those weren't so much words as the spirit's burning, hateful desire being burned into your mind.

Jing:
Chun! What does it want!?

Shimizu Nu:
She wants her heart back.
* Seishin lurches back, shuddering.
A horrible wailing surrounds you, and spirits emerge from the celing!

Chun-Hwa:
It... wants its heart back... *holding her head as if she's got a really nasty headache*

Jing:
Oh. Is that all?
* Jing asks through gritted teeth

Kamon:
"Seishin, how do you deal with bad spirits?!"

Maimed Swordswoman:
(Tensaki) I'll avenge... my lady... I'll avenge everyone!

Seishin:
You... you cast them out! They must be... purified!
* Chun-Hwa takes a breath, and uses the breathing techniques of Mithral Current to return herself to a neutral state*
You have a feeling that you're going to have to deal with these bad spirits by punching them a lot.

Seishin:
We must cleanse the ship... there is no other way...

Chun-Hwa:
You get rid of a bad spirit... By destroying it.
VinnyDonuts:
Roll initiative, guys
* Chun-Hwa prepares for battle! « 1d20+6 = 10 + 6 = 16 »

Jing:
« 1d20+6 = 19 + 6 = 25 »

Seishin:
« 1d20 + 2 = 16 + 2 = 18 »

Kamon:
« 1d20+4 = 18 + 4 = 22 »

Maimed Swordswoman:
« 1d20+7 = 19 + 7 = 26 »
* Cador rolls: d20+4 => 7 + 4 = 11

Tormented Spirit:
« 1d20+7 = 5 + 7 = 12 »
Cador:
Well damn
The ghostly swordswoman begins by pointing her sword at Seishin, and he feels an invisible force surrounding him!
Make a will save, Seishin!
FoxtrotTango:
Is this mind-affecting?
VinnyDonuts:
Nope.
FoxtrotTango:
Dang.

Seishin:
« 1d20 + 5 = 6 + 5 = 11 »
FoxtrotTango:
Welp, heart exploded.
FoxtrotTango:
Nice knowing you guys.
Seishin is lifted off of the ground and flung bodily at Chun-hwa!

Chun-Hwa:
wait wha-
FoxtrotTango:
Thank goodness he was literally right next to Chun so there was no way to build momentum whatsoever.

Seishin:
The... spirits... are angryyyyy!
Avara:
unless it converts unspent movement into damage by default
The motion is immediate, so there's no need to build up momentum.
* Seishin is bodily toss'd.

Maimed Swordswoman:
« 1d20+8 = 15 + 8 = 23 »
VinnyDonuts:
vs AC
VinnyDonuts:
Seishin, how much do you weigh?
FoxtrotTango:
I'm just saying it would have hurt more if it had gone further before connecting.
Dark_Star:
That is a miss, thanks to entering Flowing Water stance prior to the fight.
FoxtrotTango:
256.
FoxtrotTango:
Sorry guys, it's mostly muscle.
FoxtrotTango:
And I'm glad you might be okay then cause I sure won't wohohohey
Seishin and chun both take « 5d6 = 20 » bludgeoning damage as he crashes into her!
Dark_Star:
uh...
Dark_Star:
25 AC thanks to stance.
FoxtrotTango:
Miss does half damage?
VinnyDonuts:
oh.
VinnyDonuts:
asdf
Avara:
wiff!
FoxtrotTango:
Vinny you weren't even listening you goon
Or at least, they would have if Chun didn't matrix-dodge like a pro.
Instead, Seishin just hits the deck for « 1d6 = 6 » damage.
VinnyDonuts:
I'll let you roll acrobatics to land on your feet.

Seishin:
« 1d20 + 11 = 18 + 11 = 29 » Acrobatics landing
He's gonna feel a pulled muscle in the morning, but Seishin manages to take the landing gracefully.
Jing has received initiative.
* Seishin lands like his footpads are buttered toast... butter-side down.

Maimed Swordswoman:
GIVE IT BACK!

Seishin:
Argh... b-be wary... the spirit has the power to lift us!
* You roll secretly: 1d4 => 3
Witch:
To clarify, can we move through the grey area or not?
FoxtrotTango:
I was wondering that too.
FoxtrotTango:
It looked solid.
VinnyDonuts:
It's a depressed area.
VinnyDonuts:
It's about 2 feet down. It counts as difficult terrain going over one of those lines, but that's it.
* Jing heads towards a nearby spirit first.

Jing:
« 1d20+11 = 19 + 11 = 30 »
Witch:
threeeat
Witch:
« 1d20+11 = 11 + 11 = 22 »
FoxtrotTango:
Can ghosts get crit threat'd
FoxtrotTango:
I hope so
Sadly, incorporeal creatures are immune to critical hits.
Witch:
Also engaging Scarlet Einhander stance as swift action and using Rising Zenith Strike for the attack itself.
But you would have totally crit it.
Witch:
well considering i have a hungry sword that devours life
Witch:
Would that effect the situation at all?
VinnyDonuts:
Hmmm...
However, Kanashimi hungers.
VinnyDonuts:
Why not.
Witch:
Alright~
Witch:
So x2 and then x2 again...
VinnyDonuts:
zorch
Witch:
« 4d8+56+2d6+4d6 = 18 + 56 + 3 + 11 = 88 »
Avara:
dead spirit is dead-erer
The spirit screeches in unearthly rage as Kanashimi tears apart its incorporeal form, the wispy shreds not so much dissappearing as they are being sucked into Jing's sword. The spirit is fragmented and barely there... But it's still there.

Chun-Hwa:
...

Chun-Hwa:
I was not ready for today.
Jing's sword makes a ringing sound that sounds more like screaming coming from inside the blade, that slowly dies out.
* Jing shivers just a little.
* Seishin is closing his eyes to the screeching, resolving to wait until he stops having day terrors and then hit the drink so hard he blacks out and forgets this fight.
Witch:
Finished with my turn
Kamon has received initiative.
Cador:
That spirit still kicking?
VinnyDonuts:
Barely.
FoxtrotTango:
It's about kicked its last kick
* Kamon considers her options. Purification... maybe heal spells? She tries firing a modified Cure Moderate Wounds at Tormented Spirit 0 to finish it off, after Jing's attempt.
VinnyDonuts:
roll your touch attack mi amigo
Avara:
is it a roll or a save?
VinnyDonuts:
rays are a touch attack
Avara:
'cause cure has a save
Avara:
okay
VinnyDonuts:
and then it gets to roll a save
VinnyDonuts:
for half iirc
Avara:
« 1d20+4+4 = 18 + 4 + 4 = 26 » BAB+Dex
VinnyDonuts:
zappo

Tormented Spirit:
Channel Resistance « 1d20+8 = 4 + 8 = 12 »
VinnyDonuts:
no good
Avara:
full damage, looks like
VinnyDonuts:
how much does that "heal" for
Avara:
« 2d8+6 = 13 + 6 = 19 » Cure.
Kamon reaches her hand out and fires a ray of pure, gentle light. It pierces what's left of the creature, and it shrieks before dissolving into nothing.
Dark_Star:
pew pew
* Kamon steps forward a few steps.
* Kamon ends turn.
VinnyDonuts:
So, Kamon, I see you're stepping through that puddle.
VinnyDonuts:
Can you make a reflex save?

Kamon:
« 1d20+6 = 7 + 6 = 13 »
FoxtrotTango:
Ah jeez not the blood
Dark_Star:
oh gods.
FoxtrotTango:
We'll need to get you tested
Avara:
was more meant to be stepping around it to avoid a straight line with jing, buuuuut still would be touching
Kamon walks casually over the blood puddle, only to discover a second too late that the puddle isn't really a puddle at all, and plunges in.
FoxtrotTango:
Shit, looks like I'll have to spend my turn saving her
Slipping off of the side, she dissappears under the surface.

Seishin:
K-Kamon!!

Chun-Hwa:
KAMON!

Jing:
Seishin! Get her out of there!
VinnyDonuts:
Kamon, please roll Fortitude.
Avara:
« 1d20+5 = 20 + 5 = 25 »
FoxtrotTango:
His staff sadly can't reach her from there, but he's going to brave the stain to get to her.
FoxtrotTango:
...Or maybe I won't need to cause you crushed that roll.
Avara:
... should be a 4, not a 5. stupid typo.
VinnyDonuts:
Kamon still went under, but at least she gave AIDS the middle finger.
FoxtrotTango:
goddamnit aids
Avara:
hopefully it's not a hard roll to get out of the water again
Avara:
blood
Avara:
whatever
Seishin has received initiative.
* Seishin hurries around the deceptively-deep blood pool and uses his new bo staff to give Kamon something to grab onto.

Seishin:
Quickly! I will pull you free!
* Kamon will do the grabby thing if/when she can.
Kamon can grab onto the pole now.
VinnyDonuts:
Seishin, roll STR to pull her out
Avara:
weighs about 120. being short has weight advantages.

Seishin:
« 1d20 + 3 = 12 + 3 = 15 »
FoxtrotTango:
Come on Sei
FoxtrotTango:
Let me see if there's something I can add to this
FoxtrotTango:
Could my Improved Grappling help[
FoxtrotTango:
Snapping Turtle?
Seishin heaves her head above "water". She can move one square out of the pool on her next turn.
FoxtrotTango:
Really don't want Kamon to get aids here-okay
VinnyDonuts:
she rolled a 20 on fort save
VinnyDonuts:
she's fine
VinnyDonuts:
just, uh, don't shake hands for a while
Avara:
the aids is scared of her
Chun-Hwa has received initiative.
* Chun-Hwa on seeing Kamon is safe, takes another breath, once more entering a neutral state, and moves to the closest ghost

Chun-Hwa:
Reflected Blade Style. Salt Breeze Strike: Lightning!
* Chun-Hwa spends two Animus to envelop her blade in lightning as she swings it from her sheath
* Chun-Hwa charges her target! « 1d20+11 = 17 + 11 = 28 » (-2 to AC until start of next turn)
VinnyDonuts:
Hits

Chun-Hwa:
« 1d8+4+3d6 = 6 + 4 + 14 = 24 » (electric damage to both Tormended Spirit 1 and 2)
The ghosts howl in agony.
You have a feeling that noise is going to be in your nightmares for a while.
VinnyDonuts:
Is that your turn?
VinnyDonuts:
i swear there should be some kind of "end turn" button people can push
Witch:
i no rite
Dark_Star:
yes that is the end of my turn.
Dark_Star:
And I second that desire for an "End Turn" button...
* Tormented Spirit 1 looks into Chun's eyes with her empty sockets and reaches an incorporeal hand towards her.

Tormented Spirit 1:
(Tensaki) Give it back...

Tormented Spirit 1:
Touc attack « 1d20+6 = 13 + 6 = 19 »
VinnyDonuts:
touch attack, even
Dark_Star:
That is a hit, fuck.
The ghost's touch feels like a searing knife going through Chun-hwa's skin and a horrible, chilling cold all at once.
* Chun-Hwa can't help herself, and freezes up for a half-second as the ghost reaches for her*
She suffers « 1d6 = 2 » negative energy damage and [1d6 Constiution drain.
VinnyDonuts:
gurk
VinnyDonuts:
« 1d6 = 5 »
VinnyDonuts:
yikes
FoxtrotTango:
...Aaaaaaaugh.

Jing:
Hold it together Chun!
Witch:
well then
FoxtrotTango:
I'm glad we had you kill one of them,
FoxtrotTango:
Cause CON drain 1d6?
FoxtrotTango:
That's shit
VinnyDonuts:
goasts man
Witch:
That's genuinely murder if it actually hits 0
Witch:
Just flatout completely dead
The second spirit lunges screeching at Jing!

Tormented Spirit 2:
Touch Attack « 1d20+6 = 7 + 6 = 13 »
Witch:
Miss
VinnyDonuts:
Thankfully, they're not very handy with it.
Shimizu Nu has received initiative.
Dark_Star:
CON drain. *whimpers*
FoxtrotTango:
Only cause the dice aren't making them badasses
FoxtrotTango:
Very fickle.
VinnyDonuts:
that's about 12 hp chopped off of your maximum, chun
FoxtrotTango:
Current max would be 43 HP for Chun
FoxtrotTango:
41/43 current HP
Dark_Star:
5 CON guys. 5 CON damage.
FoxtrotTango:
And depending on that CON score beforehand, the save would drop by 2-3 points.
Dark_Star:
I'm down to FUCKING 28 MAX HP.
FoxtrotTango:
Drain, not damage.
FoxtrotTango:
DS, just keep pushing on.
Dark_Star:
...Okay, give me a bit to look up what CON drain does so I'm sure I'm calculating this right.
FoxtrotTango:
We'll get through this.
FoxtrotTango:
In the meantime, Cad can continue his turn.
Dark_Star:
Though I will say.
Dark_Star:
This encounter is just making Chun's fear of ghosts WORSE.
VinnyDonuts:
chun is scared of ghosts for some very good reasons
Dark_Star:
SHE'S HEARD THE STORIES OF WHAT PISSED OFF SPIRITS DO TO PEOPLE, MAN!
Avara:
kamon's gonna keep beaming ghosts once she's out of the bloodpool.
Avara:
should help.
Cador:
Probably should help Chun over Jing right?
Avara:
yes
Witch:
Mmhm
VinnyDonuts:
Chun looks scared to death and half-dead.
VinnyDonuts:
Maybe help her.
Cador:
swift action to use grim news to another move action
Cador:
Is that space a problem?
VinnyDonuts:
fighting over that barrel is gonna be a bit awkaward
VinnyDonuts:
you can move there but you'll take an attack penalty
VinnyDonuts:
moving over a barrel is difficult terrain but you've got the movespeed for it
Cador:
Kay.
Dark_Star:
Okay, calculations done. Chun is at 38/40, not 26/28.
Witch:
Good
Avara:
backup is still wonderful
Cador:
Okay, Huntsman's Curse.
Dark_Star:
Yeah.
Dark_Star:
Thank you, by the way. =w=
* Cador rolls: d20+14 => 2 + 14 = 16
VinnyDonuts:
Oh dear.
Cador:
:/
VinnyDonuts:
Against...?
Cador:
AC
FoxtrotTango:
Cad, I swear
FoxtrotTango:
1d20
VinnyDonuts:
No good.
FoxtrotTango:
It works better
Nu's attack passes through thin air where she could swear the ghost was a moment before!
VinnyDonuts:
Is that your turn?
Cador:
Yes...

Maimed Swordswoman:
(Tensaki) Oh, my siren... What did they do to you?

Maimed Swordswoman:
(Tensaki) Where did they take your heart?

Maimed Swordswoman:
(Tensaki) I'll get it back... I'll get it back...

Maimed Swordswoman:
(Tensaki) My siren, where are you?
You hear another screech, this one like a bird's.
The feeling of dread gets worse.
Avara:
oh good, she's summoning an actual siren.

Jing:
What is she saying now!?

Chun-Hwa:
I... I think she's calling a siren...
VinnyDonuts:
« 1d20+3 = 18 + 3 = 21 »

Jing:
A... A siren?
* Maimed Swordswoman swings a ghostly sword!
VinnyDonuts:
Nu, roll Fort
VinnyDonuts:
nu?
* Cador rolls: d20+7 => 10 + 7 = 17
The ghostly sword passes through Nu without anything happening for a moment- she doesn't even feel anything. After a delayed reaction, a scratch appears on her skin, as if she'd very narrowly avoided a blow.
She takes « 3d6 = 8 » untyped damage.
Jing has received initiative.
VinnyDonuts:
That was a save for half sort of thing. She saved.

Jing:
« 1d20+11 = 5 + 11 = 16 »
VinnyDonuts:
If that was an attack roll, it missed.
Witch:
And these things are dangerous enough I'm willing to drop a hero point on rerolling
Witch:
« 1d20+11 = 16 + 11 = 27 »
VinnyDonuts:
I think that's probably your last hero point.
VinnyDonuts:
You've spent a lot of those.
Witch:
« 2d8+28+2d6+4d6 = 6 + 28 + 2 + 20 = 56 »
Avara:
killthemall!
VinnyDonuts:
That's a hit, by the by
Witch:
1 left I believe
Kanashimi tears into the ghostly creature again, the blade ringing with the thing's screams. Again, it barely clings on to its wretched existence.
VinnyDonuts:
Is that your turn?
Witch:
Yep
Kamon has received initiative.
* Kamon climbs out of the blood bath, sputtering a bit.
Avara:
does that take all my action or can i do another thing?
VinnyDonuts:
That takes your move action.

Seishin:
You need... to bathe... The blood is dangerous! B-But in the meantime, carefully help them!

Kamon:
"You help Jing fight, and then make your way around to the others, alright?"
* Kamon pewpews at Maimed Swordswoman. « 1d20+8 = 14 + 8 = 22 » vs touch.
VinnyDonuts:
hits

Maimed Swordswoman:
Channel Resistance « 1d20+5 = 3 + 5 = 8 »
Avara:
heh. no.
VinnyDonuts:
zorch
Avara:
« 2d8+6 = 12 + 6 = 18 » cure-type damage.
Avara:
noice.
Something's coming.
Oh, it's already here.
Dark_Star:
Ghostly Siren.
Dark_Star:
Yay. Chun's gonna need therapy after this.

Shimizu Nu:
Oh dear.

Jing:
Oh lovely.
Another ghost descends from the ceiling, wounded in the chest like all the others, but whereas the other ghosts are wispy and look as if they barely cling on, the Siren appears with a ghostly radiance.
She lets out a terrifying shriek!
VinnyDonuts:
Jing, Nu, and Chun roll Will.
* Cador rolls: d20+5 => 2 + 5 = 7
* Chun-Hwa steels her mind. « 1d20+9 = 13 + 9 = 22 »
Cador:
...Fine. FINE! I'LL FUCKING SET UP MACROS WITH THE DAMN BRACKETS
Witch:
« 1d20+7 = 5 + 7 = 12 »
Witch:
fffff
Jing and Nu feel the shriek reverate in their ears. They can't hear anything but screaming.
Is it her screaming? Or their friends'?
Or their own?

Jing:
Guh. What the hell happened here!?
They can't stop screaming.
Jing and Nu are Panicked for « 1d4 = 4 » rounds.
VinnyDonuts:
yikes
Avara:
ffffff this is gonna hurt.
Cador:
By the way, Bad Karma
Avara:
does what?
Cador:
Siren needs a will save

Ghostly Siren:
« 1d20+6 = 14 + 6 = 20 »
VinnyDonuts:
dice spirits are angry it seems
FoxtrotTango:
I don't blame them
Cador:
...
FoxtrotTango:
How about we cut this combat in half and continue it in two weeks?
Cador:
FIOJZSVOJ
FoxtrotTango:
I'm about to head to bed.
Cador:
IT MATCHED THE DAMN SAVE
Cador:
FJIOEAJFAEOWJ
Avara:
sounds like a good idea. folks need to take some time and come back to this later.
VinnyDonuts:
This is a pretty big Dragonball Z moment.
Dark_Star:
mmm.
Cador:
Yes. Preferably before I do something stupid in anger.
Dark_Star:
This is the point where the narrator starts asking a bunch of questions.
Avara:
XP?
Next time, on Dynasties of the Divine Dragons, will the group be able to overcome the terrifying ghost ship?
What the hell happened here? No, seriously, what the hell?
And will Jing ever stop flirting?
Next time, on Dragon Dynasties Z!
FoxtrotTango is disconnected.
Cador is disconnected.
You have disconnected.
Cador has connected.
Witch has connected.
Avara has connected.
Dark_Star has connected.
I lied, we're finding out right now.
With a wailing shriek, the last of the ghosts fades into nothingness, struck with Kamon's healing light.
The swordswoman, however, clings on to existence, however tenuously, but it's very clear that she's no longer a threat.
You are free to explore the place at your lesiure, but the uneasiness in your stomach doesn't dissappear. Something evil happened here.
* Jing grits her teeth. She can still feel the ringing in her ears of the bloody screams. She hadn't heard ones like those in years. Nor in such intensity. It was like a chorus of the damned combined with the sound of rusted iron rubbing against itself.
* Shimizu Nu has her blades sheathed as she digs her pinky into an ear. It's still ringing after that scream.
* Jing doesn't take her eyes off the ghostly swordswoman. Not for a time. "Nu... Try and ask."

Maimed Swordswoman:
(Tensaki) Where... where did they take them...

Shimizu Nu:
What, exactly?

Jing:
What the hell happened

Shimizu Nu:
I don't want to set her off again.

Shimizu Nu:
But okay.

Maimed Swordswoman:
(Tensaki) They... carved it out of her...

Shimizu Nu:
(Tensaki) What happened here?

Maimed Swordswoman:
(Tensaki) And before my eyes, they ate it...

Maimed Swordswoman:
(Tensaki) I couldn't protect her... I'm so sorry...
* Chun-Hwa is leaning on a barrel for support, simply staring at the floor.
* Maimed Swordswoman seems to be lost in thought.

Shimizu Nu:
...Oh, lovely.

Jing:
What?

Shimizu Nu:
Something apparently attacked and ate their hearts.

Jing:
...

Jing:
Can she recall who? What they looked like?

Shimizu Nu:
...

Shimizu Nu:
(Tensaki) Who did?
* Maimed Swordswoman turns to face Nu, looking at her with one eye, the other carved out.

Maimed Swordswoman:
(Tensaki) The men who ran this ship... human, very tall, very muscular.

Maimed Swordswoman:
(Tensaki) They boarded ours... We didn't stand a chance...

Maimed Swordswoman:
(Tensaki): They tied us up...
* Maimed Swordswoman points towards the stalls at the back of the ship.
* Jing looks back where she points.
* Kamon looks as well.

Maimed Swordswoman:
(Tensaki) And waited for our spirits to break...

Maimed Swordswoman:
(Tensaki) They took her first... My siren, the one I swore my life to serve...

Jing:
« 1d20+15 = 7 + 15 = 22 » (percep)

Maimed Swordswoman:
(Tensaki) I couldn't protect her, she's gone...
* Kamon walks to the back.
Damning your curiosity, you find a series of mangled corpses, all with their hearts cut out.
* Jing grimaces. Yet compared to all the sights she'd seen in recent days. This was somehow... tame. And yet that thought still unnerved Jing.

Maimed Swordswoman:
(Tensaki) They dumped her body overboard afterwards, but after that, the ship was attacked.
Avara:
anything immediately like... evidence-y about who the humans who did it were?
Avara:
... wait. this was a ship of northerner make. how far north?

Maimed Swordswoman:
(Tensaki) The engine must have been damaged, but none of them could repair it. They tried to get us to repair it. Maimed me because I couldn't.

Maimed Swordswoman:
(Tensaki) Then...

Maimed Swordswoman:
(Tensaki) Then...
* Maimed Swordswoman reaches to her hollow chest.
If you give me a Geography check, I might be able to tell you where the ship is from.
* Kamon is busily trying not to be sick, while trying to figure out what happened, but her mind's distracted with horrified nausea.
Or an Engineering check.

Kamon:
« 1d20 = 7 »

Kamon:
« 1d20 = 12 »
Avara:
geography and engineering, respectively
Cador:
Can we make those untrained?
VinnyDonuts:
You can, but I can only give you limited information if you do.
* Shimizu Nu is almost afraid to ask, but...
Kamon can't tell where the ship is from.

Shimizu Nu:
(Tensaki) Then...What?
* Cador rolls: d20+5 => 5 + 5 = 10
* Cador rolls: d20+5 => 3 + 5 = 8
* Jing takes a deep breathe and sighs after a moment before starting to inspect the bodies. Some sign of their home port or their attackers.

Maimed Swordswoman:
(Tensaki) Where... is it? Did they take it too?

Maimed Swordswoman:
(Tensaki) Where are they?
Cador:
You know I honestly think FT may have jinxed me by bugging me about the brackets.
The bodies all have their hearts carved out. The victims are mostly humans, with one Kitsune.
Jing can tell that all of their wounds were made by hand, though. Even the ones on their chests.
* Jing shakes her head in disgust. Even at her worst, her kills were always quick and clean. This was just... barbaric.
Searching the ship, Kamon finds a missive of some sort, written on animal vellum.
The missive is written in a language she's never seen before- symbols that are completely alien.

Shimizu Nu:
(Tensaki) Where is what? What are you looking for?
Avara:
common, aquan, high dragon. read magic.

Maimed Swordswoman:
(Tensaki) My... heart...

Maimed Swordswoman:
(Tensaki) Did they.... eat it? Where did they go?

Maimed Swordswoman:
(Tensaki) The ship... crashed... They can't have gone far...
* Jing rises up and moves away from the stalls. She begins to search the ship itself. Clues, hints, something to take away from this.
Kamon's never seen this language before.
* Jing spots the ghost seemingly on the move and begins to follow after.
* Jing stops just as Kamon approaches.

Shimizu Nu:
Hm...

Kamon:
"Do you recognize this language, Jing? It's not magic writing, aquan, high draconic, or tradetongue."
* Maimed Swordswoman stops suddenly as she approaches the exit, as if jerked back by a chain.
Avara:
tradetongue = common

Shimizu Nu:
The ship may have crashed before her heart got eaten and she's trying to find it.
It seems she can't leave this place.

Kamon:
"Does she realize she's dead?"
* Jing looks at what Kamon has on display.
VinnyDonuts:
phrasing, jing
Avara:
jing now isn't the time to check out kamon

Jing:
Low Draconic, High Draconic, Auran, Aquan, Infernal
* Chun-Hwa finally seems to come out of her own semi-horrified reverie
Witch:
bleh didn't mean to say that ic
VinnyDonuts:
Jing, give me lingusitics check
Witch:
« 1d20+3 = 7 + 3 = 10 »
* Shimizu Nu starts looking for the swordswoman's heart.
Jing's never seen this language before.

Shimizu Nu:
I'm going to take a look at the front of the ship.
VinnyDonuts:
Nu, give me perception

Shimizu Nu:
« d20+6 = 18 + 6 = 24 »

Kamon:
"Chun, have you seen this language before?"

Chun-Hwa:
(Tensaki)... Is there anything else you can tell about those men? Did they wear a uniform of some sort?

Chun-Hwa:
Hmm?

Kamon:
"Can you ask her what language it is, if not?"
As she approaches the front of the ship, Nu sees large, heavy footprints in the mud.
Dark_Star:
Low Draconic, Terran, Ignan, Tensaki, High Draconic
* Shimizu Nu stops.
They're covered by muddy water, so they're hard to see, but she discovers it by nearly stepping it.
* Shimizu Nu draws her blades and starts quietly tracking them.

Shimizu Nu:
« d20+13 = 10 + 13 = 23 » stealth
Following the trail shortly out of the ship, she can see that it's two men, nearly as broad and tall as Tzaozi Ra. Barefoot, one of them was carrying something heavy, because his steps are deeper than the other's.
* Jing spies Nu starting to follow some tracks and begins to follow after her. « 1d20+17 = 20 + 17 = 37 » (stealth)
Witch:
jing is now nu's shadow
VinnyDonuts:
And at the end, there's a deep impression, as if the owner of the tracks had simply jumped....
Dark_Star:
Nu is a shadow, Jing is a shadow's shadow.
And the trail runs cold. There are no tracks.
Avara:
not jump good, fly

Shimizu Nu:
...
VinnyDonuts:
Is chun trained in linguistics?

Jing:
And nothing.

Jing:
Lovely.
Dark_Star:
yes actually.
* Shimizu Nu goes ahead and checks the front proper now.
Avara:
actually, can kamon roll linguistics too? kamon has 1 rank in it
VinnyDonuts:
Try rolling it.
Avara:
to pick up a language
VinnyDonuts:
go for it
Avara:
« 1d20+1 = 15 + 1 = 16 »

Chun-Hwa:
« 1d20+2 = 18 + 2 = 20 »
Chun thinks she's seen something... similar before.

Chun-Hwa:
It looks... vaguely familiar...
Cador:
Anything at the front of the ship?
The symbols are alien, but the sentence structure reminds her of something she'd seen in a Tensaki shrine- A prayer written in celestial.
Cador:
Maybe hand me the page?
Somehow, the way the words are parted looks smiliar to celestial.

Chun-Hwa:
It... reminds me of Celestial...
* Jing sighs.
Cador:
I have Celestial.

Chun-Hwa:
I can't be sure though.

Jing:
Nu, any good with languages?
* Chun-Hwa hands it to Nu if she comes over to look
Avara:
you're stealthing on the other side of the map? kamon has no idea where you are
* Shimizu Nu sighes.
Dark_Star:
Neither does Chun.
The front of the ship has the trappings of a Northern navigator scattered about the room.
Along with a skull.
VinnyDonuts:
Know: nature to determine its origin

Chun-Hwa:
That's all I can say though.

Shimizu Nu:
« d20+5 = 9 + 5 = 14 » untrained nature

Chun-Hwa:
...*sighs tiredly and rubs her forehead* This whole scenario is going to revisit me in my nightmares for months to come, I just know it...

Shimizu Nu:
I know a pretty good number.

Jing:
Kamon found something odd. I couldn't recognize it myself.
All Nu can tell is that it was some sort of beastfolk, from the sharpened canines and how the divots for the ears are further up on the head.

Jing:
I think that's our only clue at this point.
There's a variety of gold, silver, and platinum coins scattered about the room carelessly.

Shimizu Nu:
Huh. I'll go take a look! Could you try finding that spirit's heart while I'm looking at it?
* Jing nods to Nu.
They're not from the Dragon Isles, that much is certain.
Avara:
we're gonna be rich as fuck. in coin and trauma.

Shimizu Nu:
There's something in some odd language to look at?
* Jing sighs after a moment more and then starts to collect the coinage while taking a look around for anything else.

Jing:
« 1d20+13 = 19 + 13 = 32 »
Dark_Star:
Is Nu done sneaking and made noise walking over?
Cador:
Yeah
Dark_Star:
k

Chun-Hwa:
Mmm? Yeah, here.
* Chun-Hwa hands over the vellum
Jing recognizes the coins as northerner currency. After rifling through a desk, she finds another image, this one written in ink on paper.
Cador:
Low Draconic, Terran, Celestial, Ice Elven, Aquan, Ignan, Tensaki

Chun-Hwa:
It looks a little like Celestial, but I'm not sure.
VinnyDonuts:
*missive
VinnyDonuts:
Nu, roll Linguistics
* Cador rolls: d20+5 => 7 + 5 = 12
VinnyDonuts:
In brackets.
Witch:
Can she read it or should I roll?
Cador:
« d20+5 = 4 + 5 = 9 »
VinnyDonuts:
asdf
Avara:
can i spend a hero point to make cador reroll it?
Jing can't read the paper missive, but she does recognize the language. It's Musten.
Avara:
y'mean nu?
It's the common trade language of most gaijin.
VinnyDonuts:
I mean jing.
Avara:
oh, no, jing found paper too
Dark_Star:
paper missive.
Nu tries to read the vellum missive, but beyond the similiarities to celestial that are pointed out to her, she can't make sense of the symbols.
She'd need time to sit down and look at this.
* Shimizu Nu sighes.

Shimizu Nu:
I've got nothing.

Kamon:
"Let's ask the ghost?"

Shimizu Nu:
We might have to find a dedicated translator or something for it.
* Jing honestly doubts this missive matters compared to the other one, but who knows at this point? She pockets the coins, simply planning on converting them for proper Dragon Coinage. Additionally, she picks up the missive and walks up. No heart to be found.
Witch:
*walks out
Seishin is testing the blood pool tenatively with his pole. It's acting like a puddle and not a well again.
This fails to comfort him.
* Jing rejoins the others.

Jing:
No heart.
* Kamon is going to go wander off and wash off since she can't really contribute to the investigation.

Jing:
But I found another missive. One in the trade language of the gaijin.

Jing:
The ghost may know this one.
* Jing hands it to Nu.

Shimizu Nu:
Okay, I'll try.
Avara:
lucky for kamon, she carries around a bar of soap and infinite Create Waters
VinnyDonuts:
scrub off the aids

Chun-Hwa:
I like absolutely nothing about all this.
Avara:
she uses 2 uses of the soap to scrub the aids off. and switches clothes to her noble clothes since that's the only extra clothes she has.

Kamon:
"I think I'm going to need to buy new robes."

Shimizu Nu:
(Tensaki) Hey, can you read Musten?
* Jing steps over to Chun and then pulls her close into a hug. "Neither do I, Chun. But it's over. It's okay."
Shen knew a trick for drying off. Maybe he has a trick for unstaining fabric.

Maimed Swordswoman:
...
* Maimed Swordswoman looks at it.
Avara:
stain would be a light term. dye might be more accurate.
Cador:
Crap, um, let's just say Jing said which language it was.

Maimed Swordswoman:
(Tensaki) Dearest beloved, the exploration effort is going well...

Maimed Swordswoman:
(Tensaki) We have flown for three fortnights over open seas... Nothing but islands...

Maimed Swordswoman:
(Tensaki) But on the horizon... spotted a large landmass...

Maimed Swordswoman:
(Tensaki) A new continent...
* Chun-Hwa is slightly surprised by the hug, but does nothing to resist, simply smiling some at the comfort

Maimed Swordswoman:
(Tensaki) We can't wait to greet the natives...

Maimed Swordswoman:
(Tensaki) Tomorrow will go down as a historic day in musten history...
* Maimed Swordswoman blinks and turns away after having blankly translated the text.

Shimizu Nu:
(Tensaki) Okay... Do you know what this one is?
* Jing rubs Chun's back a bit before patting her and then releasing the hug. She starts to usher Chun-Hwa out of the ship. "Come on. No need to linger here."
* Shimizu Nu hands the swordswoman the other missive.

Chun-Hwa:
Mmm...
* Maimed Swordswoman looks at it, and her eyes go wide.

Maimed Swordswoman:
(Tensaki) Those symbols, they...

Maimed Swordswoman:
(Tensaki) Branded us, like cattle...

Maimed Swordswoman:
(Tensaki) Carved their names into our bodies...
* Jing blinks as a glance over shows the swordswoman actually being rather animated.
she swings her arms at it to try and bat it away, hut her hands pass through it. She turns and runs, not willing to look at the symbols.

Chun-Hwa:
...*eyes slowly go wide as what the ghost said registers*
VinnyDonuts:
wow good wordage, me

Jing:
...? What did she say?
* Kamon comes back to the party once she's thoroughly cleaned and changed clothes.

Chun-Hwa:
...That was definitely written by the men she talked about earlier...

Shimizu Nu:
...

Shimizu Nu:
Yeah...

Chun-Hwa:
She recognized the writing, because they had branded her and her companions.

Jing:
...

Jing:
Barbaric. Absolutely barbaric.

Kamon:
"Maybe we can get more information from the ninja when we report this? She and the princess probably have more knowledge about foreigner matters than we do."
* Jing sighs.

Jing:
Let's... Let's just go.

Jing:
There's no more here for us or anyone else.

Chun-Hwa:
...I might be thinking into this too much but, they might not know anything about these men.

Jing:
Kamon, free her spirit.
* Kamon nods. "You should all get ready to leave, then."
* Chun-Hwa recites the ghost's translation of the journal entry.

Chun-Hwa:
Right...
* Jing nods and rather promptly starts to leave, collecting Seishin along the way.
Kamon knows enough about ghosts to know while the vengeful wraiths they dispelled will remain gone forever, the swordswoman had a very powerful attachment to this world.
Avara:
do i need to make some form of check to help the ghost move on?
She will remain trapped here until she finds what's missing... Which is now impossible. It will be very difficult to get her to move on.
* Jing stays on the edge of the ship, just incase.
VinnyDonuts:
It'd take some sort of spellcraft or knowledge: religion check to help her at this point.
* Kamon considers her options and takes a deep breath, before pulling out the very-thoroughly-cleaned necklace from her neck again. "I know you've given me gifts that've helped thus far, but I'm not asking for myself. Whatever being you're meant to represent, if you chose me for who I am, then you'll want to help this spirit as well as I do. Please, give me a way to help her pass on."
* Kamon attempts to Diplomacy the Mysterious Benefactor Deity.

Kamon:
« 1d20+15 = 18 + 15 = 33 »
VinnyDonuts:
Clever girl.
For a moment, nothing happens.
And then, the feather starts shining with a celestial light.
The ghostly swordswoman turns to look at the light, at first with fear, then anger, then a dawning realization.

Maimed Swordswoman:
(Auran) The... white crow.
* Kamon doesn't recognize the words, but attempts to memorize them.

Maimed Swordswoman:
Cirvoya...
The woman then smiles, crying tears of joy.
She fades away.
* Kamon speaks a blessing of good fortune in the next life as the woman fades.
Cador:
If we need to memorize something I have Autohypnosis.
Suddenly, one of the beads on Kamon's necklace pops violently.
Kamon looks down, and the Fire opal bead has shattered.
Dark_Star:
"You got this many attempts left. Make 'em count."
VinnyDonuts:
or fire agate
VinnyDonuts:
i can't remember which one it was
Witch:
« 1d20+13 = 18 + 13 = 31 »
Avara:
fire agate, yes
* Jing adopts a quizzical expression before muttering to herself in Auran. "Cirvoya...?"

Maimed Swordswoman:
(Auran) We will be reunited soon, my siren...
Avara:
« 1d20 = 16 » knowledge religion: cirvoya
Avara:
untrained
With those final words, the swordswoman's voice fades into nothing.
Dark_Star:
I think next level we should invest in a few knowledge skills...
The feeling of unease dissapates.
Avara:
that's ALL kamon's investing in next level
* Jing looks at Nu and Chun.
You're not comfortable here, not by a long shot, but it's comforting to know that at least the woman is now at rest.

Jing:
Have either of you heard of the name...
* Jing contemplates how to translate it.

Jing:
Seer... Cer... Cirvoya?
As for that, Kamon has not heard of anything like that, but at least now she has a name.
Dark_Star:
I suppose I could get a nat 20 untrained religion...

Kamon:
"I'm glad that Cirvoya, whoever they may be, was willing to help her pass on. I'm not sure if it has symbolic meaning or was only the price, but one of the beads broke after the spirit was given rest."
VinnyDonuts:
Chun would actually have a better shot of knowing.
VinnyDonuts:
So would Nu.

Chun-Hwa:
« 1d20 = 9 »
VinnyDonuts:
Though, not that it helps.
Avara:
nu, save us
Avara:
with brackets
* Jing shrugs.
Cador:
religion or spellcraft, you said?
VinnyDonuts:
religion
Cador:
« d20+14 = 17 + 14 = 31 »
Avara:
spellcraft was an option for helping the ghost move on
Cirvoya the White Crow, goddess of harpies.
Dark_Star:
So apparently Nu is deeply religious.
Dark_Star:
Who woulda thunk it.
VinnyDonuts:
She does her research the same way an atheist would read the bible.
Avara:
great, nu can help kamon brush up on her pitiful knowledge: religion, i guess?
Cirvoya is a young goddess and very obscure, but gaining traction within Tensaki these days.
Supposedly, she's from the very far north, and united the savage harpies to integrate them into civilized soceity.
She's associated with the sky, and clouds in particular.
Her primary virtues are autonomy, tolerance, and compassion.
Dark_Star:
Pretty decent sort for a heathen Gaijin deity.

Shimizu Nu:
Cirvoya? She's the goddess of Harpies and the sky. She's a good goddess. She's rather obscure, but she was starting to get more popular back in Tensaki before I left. Actually her influence led Harpies in general to join civilization.
VinnyDonuts:
Indeed.
Avara:
and a perfect fit for kamon, looks like

Kamon:
"Does she have anything to do with crows?"

Shimizu Nu:
Her virtues are autonomy, tolerance and compassion. I'm not surprised that you have her support.
* Kamon shows Shimizu Nu her necklace and the broken Fire Agate bead.

Shimizu Nu:
Yeah, actually. Her title is the White Crow.

Jing:
Makes sense. Truth be told, I'd always suspected the Mist Dragon until I saw that symbol.

Chun-Hwa:
I think my tutor once said Mist is basically just low-flying clouds...

Kamon:
"I considered that, but the mist dragon probably wouldn't choose to mark the other dragons or territories or... whatever the beads mean, on the necklace."

Chun-Hwa:
Mmm, probably.

Jing:
Well, at any rate. At least were able to put them all to rest.

Chun-Hwa:
...Anyway, if we're done here, I'd kinda like to leave now. Haunting is over, we've got an idea of what happened even if it just raises more questions...

Jing:
Yeah. Let's go.

Kamon:
"Indeed. That they were stuck here is a shame. And yes, we should leave. We can tell the pertinent people about this scene when we get back to town."
VinnyDonuts:
Do you want to talk to Hitomi (and possibly Chau) about what happened before we head off for the night?

Kamon:
"And... Nu? Would you mind telling me more about Cirvoya, whatever you might know? At your own pace."
Witch:
Sure

Shimizu Nu:
'Kay.
VinnyDonuts:
Alright, back to the palace for a minute
VinnyDonuts:
Uh, the renovations will be halfway done by the time you get back, so ignore the unrenovations
Witch:
Mmhm
The road back is quiet and solemn, but nothing major happens.
Chun, roll a will save.
* Chun-Hwa steels her mind. « 1d20+9 = 13 + 9 = 22 »
Chun has a nightmare about the ghosts killing everyone, but once she realizes it's a nightmare, she defeats the ghosts and saves everyone.
Also, Jing is a centipede.
So that's weird.
She doesn't have any more nightmares about ghosts.
* Chun-Hwa smiles in her sleep, and is back to her usual cheerful self the next morning
* Jing doesn't really question it and just gives her a pat on the head.
Once you arrive back at the palace, the renovations are well underway. Shen reports that the house spirit is still guarded, but seems not to be glaring at him constantly, at least.
Hitomi is here to receive your report.

Hitomi:
I'll be honest, I was halfway expecting you to leave this palace to ruin and simply squat in the remains. Color me impressed.

Jing:
Ah good. So about those drinks then?

Hitomi:
You haven't even told me what's happened yet.
* Jing gives a smile that doesn't quite reach her lips. "I'd much rather flirt with you and leave you acting as cute as the other day. " She sighs. "But I can't. I'm afraid this report is rather... dreary."
* Hitomi stonewalls Jing's flirtations this time.

Jing:
Sadly it wasn't just some bandits squatting in the wreckage.

Jing:
It was ghosts of a crew that had been captured, tortured, and...

Jing:
Their hearts carved from their chest before being eaten.

Hitomi:
Barbaric.

Jing:
The spirits are at rest now, but the ones actually responsible for the heinous acts were long gone.
Avara:
can it be assumed jing gives all the details? if jing wants to

Hitomi:
Unfortunate, but I suppose that cannot be helped.

Hitomi:
Do you have any idea what the fugitives might look like?

Chun-Hwa:
brutishly large men. Easily as big as Tzaozi Ra, if what Nu said about their tracks is anything to go by...
* Jing nods.

Jing:
We found some kind of expedition log leftover from a dead gaijin that suggested he found some new land. And...
* Jing gestures to Nu.
* Jing reaches out a hand.
* Shimizu Nu passes both missives.

Jing:
We found some form of missive.
* Jing hands them both to Hitomi.
* Hitomi accepts them, and takes them out one at a time.

Jing:
The musten writing is a letter about the discovery.

Jing:
The other one, we have no idea what it is. But they barbarians carved the letters into their prisoners.
* Hitomi looks over the vellum scroll, completely mystified by the symbols.

Hitomi:
Concerning.

Jing:
Have you seen anything like it?
* Hitomi shakes her head.

Hitomi:
I will ask the Princess if she knows anything.
Shimizu Nu:
It has some similiarities to Celestial, but none of us could recognize it beyond that.

Hitomi:
In any case, If what you saw at that crash site is anything to go by, those men are extremely dangerous.

Hitomi:
How many barbarians were there?

Jing:
No idea. Enough to crew the vessel. Perhaps... 5 or so. Few in number, but dangerous.
* Hitomi nods.

Shimizu Nu:
At least two, but it's possible they're using an airship.

Hitomi:
I will put out ears for them.

Jing:
I hope you find them fast.

Hitomi:
Someone that big will make waves wherever they go.

Hitomi:
I will inform you if I learn anything about their new location. It's probable that we will need to have you deal with them.
* Jing nods.

Hitomi:
Not that they haven't already given you plenty of reason to do so.

Jing:
Quite. It'll be a pleasure to end them.

Kamon:
"Indeed." (for a monk, kamon sounds pretty angry at their existence!)

Hitomi:
Considering the nature of your most recent job, and how you've made it your business to restore this palace, I beleive our Princess will see the wisdom in a break.

Hitomi:
... Thank you for that, by the way. You don't know how much this place means to her.

Kamon:
"Does that mean she has a name in mind for it?"
* Hitomi shakes her head.

Jing:
Mm. Well, no sense in letting a nice place like this sit in squalor any longer.

Hitomi:
If she does, she hasn't told me.

Hitomi:
Perhaps sometime this week, I'll take you up on your offer.

Hitomi:
A drink between colleagues.

Kamon:
"I was thinking... Sky Lily Palace? It's a bit of an awkward name, but it's a pretty one, I think."
* Hitomi stresses the word "colleagues", looking firmly at Jing.
* Hitomi nods at Kamon.

Hitomi:
It's nice.
* Jing smiles and winks. "Colleagues. For now."
* Hitomi sandbags the flirtation, as if to say, "You're going to have to try a lot harder to get a reaction out of me the next time."
Avara:
hitomi has dots in composure! clearly she is jing's personal final boss / sidequest / subplot.
Witch:
haaaa
VinnyDonuts:
THE TSUN-TSUN IS TOO STRONG
VinnyDonuts:
set phasers to tsun
Avara:
hahahaha
Avara:
anything else?
VinnyDonuts:
I think we're good to wrap it up.
Avara:
XPs?
Witch:
Yep
VinnyDonuts:
Ehhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh 15,000 split among the five of you
VinnyDonuts:
Just as an arbitary number
Dark_Star:
3k.
Dark_Star:
we all level.
Dark_Star:
yaaaaaay
VinnyDonuts:
Huzzah!
Avara:
DING
VinnyDonuts:
DINGRATS
Dark_Star:
*falls over, slamming face into keyag;kagiahg
VinnyDonuts:
sorry for keeping you all up so long but i feel like the closure was worth it
Dark_Star:
mmm.
VinnyDonuts:
rather than leaving a sour taste in everyone's mouth
Witch:
Yeah, it was
Dark_Star:
Thank you for that. =w=
Witch:
Mainly thanks to Ruki
Witch:
That was a brilliant bit that really washed it away
Avara:
*hugs all of you*
Dark_Star:
anyway, I REALLY need to go to bed now.
Dark_Star:
night folks.
Avara:
the prayer bit?
Witch:
Yeeep. G'night people
VinnyDonuts:
I'll have to thank you guys for bearing with me, and Ruki for being cool.
Witch:
Mmhm
Avara:
g'night folks!
Dark_Star is disconnected.
Avara:
glad you enjoyed the prayerplomacy
Cador:
Night!
Witch is disconnected.
Avara is disconnected.
The pool's closed because it's like 6 in the fucking morning
what are you doing at the pool at 6am
You have disconnected.