Taint of Uragirimono

Characters:

Emperor Ito Masaru - Undead and evil emperor who has awoken in the Deadlands, known as Uragirimono for his crimes against humanity
Emperor Hayashi Ryuu - strong emperor of Honshu, he holds more power over the Shoguns of the Clans than any previous emperor has
Samurai Hashimoto Yuudai - Crawdad Samurai who aides the party, replaces Oda Ken'ichi when he dies as Crawdad Shogun
Fujita Shin - Rich and powerful merchant from Shiwachi, was being held by bandits, cultist of To-Qu
Asakura Hibiki - Glass-eyed man that leads the To-Qu cult, devil in service to To-Qu
Mizoguchi Kouki - Happy and kind man who was haunted by a Con-Tihn in Iwada, friendly to party
Mizoguchi Aka - Wife of Kouki, also extremely kind
Mizoguchi Katashi - Brother of Kouki, actually a cultist who is in service to Emperor Ito
Mizoguchi Kana - wife of Katashi, not a cultist. Eventually overcome by grief she falls under Ito's sway and becomes a powerful foe
Kuwabe Matsu - Kouchi's sister, wife of Samurai Kuwabe Riku)
Samurai Kuwabe Riku - Tiger Samurai and husband of Matsu
Charles Hampton Randolph - Merchant traveler that works in Shiwachi, is Ahas Buck
Landry Cagny Hart - Assistant to Charles Hampton Randolph
Bessie the Mule - Charles and Landry's mule
Hasebe Goro - Alchemist outside Iwada, friends with Elrun
Chiba Hayate - Young human apprentice of Quill
Mystic Takeda Kame - Powerful mystic in service to Emperor Hayashi Ryuu
Ichibashi Saburou - Pegasus Samurai that worships To-Qu under
Shijô Shou - Captain of the Soaring Dragon Skyship
Yamashina Shuu - leader of a coalition of nobles that support Asakura
General Wada Nobu - leader of the forces of Yamakoshi, supports Asakura
Lieutenant General Chikusa Katsue - second in command of Yamakoshi's forces. Works with Wada but still loyal to Hayashi
Wematan - leader of the Mysterian forces sent into the Material Plane to aide Hayashi
Hurit - ruler of Serranon of the Empire of Mysteria
Starvick - Shadar-Kai child that the players saved
Foreign Jack - Armorsmith in Yamakoshi
Yoshi - Magic item merchant in Yamakoshi
Marshall Leonard Brighton - Marshall of the Magi Collective's order in Yamakoshi
Keeper Ferris - Keeper of the Magi Collective's order in Yamakoshi
Hiroshi - rep of the workers
Gin - Seamtress of the keep
Shichiro - magic item merchant of Shiwachi

Backstory characters:

Serum - Evil monk that killed Kit's brother
Anam - Friend of Kit
Tanok - Mentor of Kit and Eli
Eli - Kit's brother, killed by Serum
Fionnghall MacMhoirein - friend of Bluntspine, killed by Niall
Niall Dubhach - evil dwarf who allied himself with the orcs of the Ironbark, killed by Bluntspine, but revived by Ito
Children in Kit's monastery:  Iktan, Sunyu, Etzle, Sesasi
party has To-Qu's eye
Emperor has work for the party in the Shogunate
Magi Collective retreated to Hayemi but request a meeting

	Shoguns:
		Shogun Oda Ken'ichi - Shogun of Crawdad Clan, holds vigilant against the Tainted Land
		Shogun Tokugawa Jiro - Shogun of Tiger Clan
		Shogun Sengoku Akira - Shogun of Heron Clan
		Shogun Nagatani Shou - Shogun of Wyvern Clan
		Shogun Go Shinobu - Shogun of Pegasus Clan
		Shogun Honda Noburu - Shogun of Phoenix Clan
		Shogun Hara Nori - Shogun of Spider Clan

	Councilmen:
		Councilman Yonezu Michi - Councilman of Wolf Clan
		Councilman Enya Katsu - Councilman of Rhino Clan
		Councilman Akizuki Makoto - Councilman of Chickadee Clan
		Councilman Daidôji Shouta - Councilman of Weasel Clan
		Councilman Ogasawara Nobuyuki - Councilman of Rabbit Clan
		Councilman Mori Taiki - Councilman of Scorpionfly Clan

Random shit:

		Herbs:
			Cinder Tea Leaves - green outer ring red inner ring
			Angelic Peppermint - white with green and pink swirls

Events of note:

Spirit of Katashi haunts Bluntspine because of corpse desecration.

Elrum promised a Chu-U to help him get access to heaven

Koton is a small village where the man the gorgon loved lived

Takenaka Kurou - bandit that bit the peach, killed the gorgon. Revived by Ito and superpowered to face the group

Bro cuck does not have testicles or gold

Plagnum Research sold the Sandy Buzzard to Merlin

Serum and the Tabaxi from Ah-Puch are in service to Uragirimono

Anam is forced to work for Serum because the children have been kidnapped. She stole a book on lichdom from the library for Serum, but also stole a book about a powerful undetectable poison to try to kill Serum

Imp is named Jerry

Torc of Lion in Hikawa

Bracers of Goat in island south of Uragirimono's island

Michi the Mad Wizard is Brain in a Jar

Level 1

Players all happen to be staying in an inn outside Iwada called the Sleepy Dragon. Familiarize the players depending on what they want the characters to do. Even if players aren't all familiarized, a young boy rushes into the inn's grounds, out of breath and discheveled. He hurridly explains his master, the merchant Fujita Shin, has been attacked by bandits and that time is of the essence. He asks for brave men to save them. Players likely will, leading them to Shin, his guards and two of the bandits dead at the foot of the carriage, five bandits still holding him up. After saving Shin, he thanks the players and promises that he will repay them one day if they find him in Shiwachi. He also informs them they work very well together, and that someone has put a contract out in Iwada, claiming their home to be haunted. Players arrive in iwada and meet with Mizoguchi Kouki and his brother Mizoguchi Katashi along with their wives Aka (Kouki) and Kana (Katashi). After some mystery, and some battling of the ghost, the players realize it is a Con-Tinh and must burn down the apple tree behind the Mizoguchi home. It turns out Katashi had an affair with a woman named So Yome, who threatened to tell his wife. He killed her in response. Upon attempting to apprehend Katashi, he releases a hidden sack of Nikumizu, that swarm the players and family and makes his escape. Players track him to a cave system outside of town, inhabited with Uragirimoto cultists sworn to the Viper Clan, Emperor Ito Masaru's clan long ago. Players work their way through, facing Katashi down and learn that a Crawdad Samurai by the name of Hashimoto Yuudai is being held prisoner by the cultists. They kill Katashi and free Yuudai, and he invites them to come meet with the Shoguns of Shiwachi to look into the matter, promising honor, pay, and adventure in order to get to the bottom of the reemergence of the Viper Clan. Kouki informs the party that he and his wife, alongside the widow of his brother, will be moving to their sister's family home (Kuwabe Matsu) in Shiwachi and asks to travel with the party and the Samurai if they return to his home. If they do not, they will find him in Shiwachi having done so anyway and he pays them then.

level up2

level up 3

When players arrive in Shiwachi they likely will explore. The Mizoguchis have made there way here and players can meet with them. Hashimoto Yuudai is waiting for the players in the Shogunate Palace. Players meet the Shoguns and the Councilmen. The Shogunate inform the players their samurai are spread exceptionally thin, scattered across southern Honshu answering all sorts of reports of Uragirimono's forces and Viper cultists. They ask the players if they could investigate one of the newer rumors, in the sewers of Shiwachi itself. Hashimoto Yuudai is sent along with them. As players descend and investigate the sewers, they come across strangely vicious and furious, almost beastial, humans whose faces have been carved with the mark of the Viper, they do not wear signet rings. Proper medicine checks reveal them to be under the influence of some kind of drug, but it is unknown what. As players move deeper into the sewers they discover explosives, which they must defuse as they tick away. Eventually they reach the center of the beastial men's hideout, and find they are too late. Explosives ring out through Shiwachi, releasing chemicals into the air. The players are saved by a Kamic tiger, the same one Charles revealed earlier. However, many are infected, and begin carving Vipers into their faces as well. Chaos reigns throughout Shiwachi, and players must figure out a way to stop it.

1x Seki Takehiko (Beastman Chief 2x health pool after first pool spiderlike legs burst from his back and he gains spiderwalk and magic)

level up 4

Players must rush throughout Shiwachi as chaos reigns, reaching the Shogunate Palace. After some research they could find a cure. Players must race to the airships to disperse the gas over the city and cure the disease. They are assaulted by a very deformed Takenaka Kurou who is empowered by Uragirimono. After they do aide the city they learn it was simply a distraction. Crawdad samurai return with dire news, their navy had moved tot he west (on Kit's false information) and Uragirimono has launched a direct attack, for the first time gathering an organized army. Uchiura is under siege and various villages and small towns have been completely destroyed. The Shogunate asks the players to go to Yamikoshi, where they could inform the Emperor, offering two of their best Samurai Hashimoto Yuudai and Kuwabe Riku to assist on the journey, along with a skyship to assist them. However, during the flight they are attacked by various things under Uragirimono

level up 5

Players are asked to assist the Emperor in the war against Uragirimono and the Viper clan. However, Emperor Ito makes his presence known to Emperor Hayashi almost immediately as a soldier under Hayashi rushes to report that Ito has forces within the palace. Players must clear the bakemono that threaten to kill Hayashi. Upon completion, however, Ito makes his presence known. Singlehandedly felling the soldiers in the throne room. They learn that Hayashi can turn into a dragon, as all the Emperors are capable of, and Ito battles him and the party. However, the party is easily defeated. The Mystic Takeda Kame expends her energy, killing herself in the process, to banish Ito briefly and allow the players to get one last chance at survival if they could escape the Realm of Shadows. A conversation ensues between Ito and Xue-Xao where Xue-Xao exclaims the players to be the ones who will bring Ito to him on his knees. Ito scoffs, and claims that Xue-Xao has been wrong before, and he will be wrong again.

level up 6

level up 7

Emperor Hayashi Ryuu asks the adventurers to accompany him to the land of the dragons, trying to follow Takeda's wisdom and give them and himself more power. When they arrive, they find that Uragirimono has actually landed his forces here! It seems that he had Kit say his forces were heading west so that he could secretly land here undetected, and if Uragirimono can conquer the dragons he could move on Yamikoshi with ease. The Emperor and Hashimoto Yuudai work with the adventurers to infiltrate the Dragon Temple and speak to Ryūjin, lord of the Lung Dragons. The Dragon Temple is under siege though, so players must sneak in and quickly eliminate the roaming parties. They eventually find Ryūjin chained down with a large magical chain.... and Mizoguchi Katashi is in command. Players must free him, but as they approach they find that Mizoguchi Kana is now under Uragirimono's sway. Hayashi and Hashimoto are ripped off the temple, but Hayashi turns to his dragon form in time. Katashi immediately notices this, and engages the party in battle. This is in 4 phases. First Katashi in his human form, then his shadowey undead form where they must break the chains that hold Ryūjin down. After Ryūjin is broken free he assists the party, breaking a hole in the Dragon Temple's ceiling and trying to escape. However, Katashi reforms and is riding the back of Ryūjin. The party must face him (Great Black Mountain Wyvern). After they reduce his hp some he offers the players to get on his back, where they face Katashi for the final time on the back of a flying massive dragon. After Katashi is defeated, Kana vanishes and the players can convene with Hayashi, Hashimoto, and Ryūjin. Ryūjin grants the players a level and the ability to take a draconic feat: http://spilledale.blogspot.com/2017/04/5e-five-dragon-themed-magic-items.html

level up 8

With Uragirimono's plans foiled the players return to Yamikoshi. Uragirimono is no where to be found, his commanders all lie dead, victory seems ensured. A large parade is thrown in the player's honor. However, a new threat presents itself. The glass eyed man, Asakura Hibiki, appears before the parade. He declares the era of the Hayashi dynasty over, saying that he is in fact the proper ruler of Honshu. He has powerful backers, Fujita Shin who leads the Merchant's Guild, Yamashina Shuu who leads a large coalition of noble's who back Asakura's claim, and General Wada Nobu who leads the armies of Yamikoshi (revealing he has pulled his forces back from Shiwachi to back the claims of Asakura). With the coup in full effect, Asakura orders the execution of Hayashi and his followers. Hashimoto begs the players to help him get the Emperor out and the players must battle their way to their skyship where Shijo waits. As they are chased from their skyship they must fight their pursuers, using Shijo's excellent piloting and the Soaring Dragon's great guns.

level up 9

With Asakura, Fujita, Yamashina, and in control of Yamikoshi, the players return to Shiwachi to bring the Emperor to the Shogunate. The Emperor hopes the Shogunate will still support him, which they do, but the Shogunate's army has been made weak from their battles with Uragirimono's forces. With nowhere to turn, the Emperor asks the players to travel with him to the Feywild. He reveals an ancient treaty between the Hayashi family and the Empire of Mysteria, the great eladrin empire that stretches over the Feywild. Players must travel through the portal to the Feywild, then speak with the great eladrin leader of the grand city of Serranon, an eladrin priestess by the name of Hurit. Hurit agrees to honor the Hayashi treaty, but asks the players to assist them first. A group of fomorians and their slaves has taken over a nearby eladrin mine. When the players clear it, Hurit promises to send her armies through the portal when the time comes. Hayashi is satisfied and the players return to the Material Plane. However, passing through the portal, one of the players is transported to Ito's tower. It is revealed Ito knew of Asakura's plans and knew that he plans to turn all of Honshu to the worship of To-Qu, installing sacrifices in his name to empower him and hopefully bring him to the Material Plane. Ito reveals that he is not done, having returned from the Realm of Shadow by opening a portal directly to his land, pouring force undead forces to fuel him. He also reveals the new leader of his forces, replacing Katashi who has proven to be such a disappointment. Merlin. Merlin was still alive when the players left, and has been tinkered with by Ito, who essentially turns him into Darth Vader with the Sandy Buzzard replacing a hand. Uragirimono claims that he will crush both Hayashi AND Asakura with ease now, and offers a final chance to side with him through all of this. There will be no others and the players will never return to the Tower (until the end if they don't side with him when the players assault his island)

level up 10

Despite knowing Ito's growing threat, Hayashi claims he must get Yamakoshi under control first, the players must strike fast but there are little to no advantages they can press.

level up 19

It's all come down to this. Hayashi's forces; comprised of loyalists led by Chikusa, eladrin led by Wematin,  marches upon the besieged Yamakoshi. Merlin leads Uragirimono's forces in his stead. Asakura and Fujita cling to the city with everything they have, their forces bolstered by the devils of To-Qu. The battle rages on, with each player leading large units of forces. This is a huge battle. Eventually, the players should be able to eliminate Fujita's position, triggering Asakura's counterattack, which almost entirely eliminates Shogun Oda Ken'ichi's position. Places race back, to find that Oda is in a desperate last stand. During the battle, Asakura slays Oda, but the players should kill Asakura. At this point, Merlin is almost in complete control of Yamikoshi. Oda grants the title of Shogun to Hashimoto in his dying breath. The players battle their way back into the city, finally facing down Merlin. For the last time. Players kill him and in his death he casts wish. His wish is for him to be alive, to be strong, and to have been victorious. After he casts it, he vanishes. Perhaps his wish was granted, perhaps not, but it seems that if it was it was not exactly what he wanted. After all is said and done; Merlin is eliminated, Akashi lay dead, and Fujita lay dead. Hayashi and his forces are victorious. But all is not done, Hayashi knows this. He readies the player for one final objective: Kill Uragirimono for good.

level up 20

The players arrive at Uragirimono's island, the tear to the Realm of Shadow still whirling. They must work to storm his tower, deafeat him, and seal the tear in time or he will summon another force of undead with ease.