DGA Fantasy Session 1

Where could it be…?

You clutch the letter received from your sister. Kiriko… that ninja disappeared in search of your parents months ago, and after all that silence, the single piece of information sent back to you was… brief in nature.

“Dearest Kazuma… I can only imagine the worry on your face as you read this. Not need to fret, my ever doting brother, I am safe. The search for mother and father continues, but I will need your assistance. I am currently stopping in the village of Dakugeto. Meet me there, and we will continue our discource… Kiriko.”

You still remember the days your village was raised vividly. Those creatures…

Your father was the head of the village militia. He fought them off to the best of his abilities, and your mother chose to fight by his side. You and Kiriko fled to safety, hoping for a reunion that would never come. Your village was no more, no trace of your mother or your father.

Kiriko set off in her search, while you were left to heal from your injuries. Once healed, you awaited word back from your sister… which also refused to come. Instead, you were put to work by the farmer who took you in. Toiling in the fields, cooking for the family, avoiding the advances of his daughter… Kiriko’s letter came as sweet relief. Yet you weren’t blind. You saw an important detail in those letters… no details on the whereabouts of your parents.

>They must be out there. My father would not fall so easily.
>She must have some information. She’s too pride to write back to me otherwise.
>I doubt she has news. She is likely lonely and wishes to reunite, nothing more.

>I doubt she has news. She is likely lonely and wishes to reunite, nothing more.

If Kiriko carried any details on your parents whereabouts, she likely would have said as much in her letter. Still, it will be good to accompany your sister once more. For all her eccentricities, her company is better than any further months with that farmer’s daughter.

The village of Dakugeto is close ahead, and a good thing too. You used up the last of your gold on your last meal on the way. You’ll starve if you don’t find your sister soon.

From the brush in the forest, you hear the sound of some commotion. Gripping the hilt of your katana, you ready yourself. An ambush from bandits?

You look into the brush and see… a trio of lawmen? Accompanied in chains is a man with silvery white hair being dragged along, and before long tied to a tree.

“Usually when you banish someone from town, you simply remove them,” the criminal states with a smirk. “Politely send them on their way. Doesn’t this seem a tad-”

“Silence, thief!” one of the lawmen strikes him with a backhand across the cheek. “The rest of the guard may be soft, but we know your type.”

“My type?” the young man scoffs. “What a charade. I know your type exactly.”

The three lawmen look to each-other cautiously, whispering amongst themselves. “Out here, they’ll never find your body.”

“Is that so?” the chained up criminal notes. “Well, my friend over there might have something to say about that.”

Friend? Is another bandit set to…

Wait.

He’s looking at you.

And now… the lawmen are looking at you.

“You there!” one of the trio speaks. “What are you doing here?”

The criminal winks at you.

>What are you doing with this man? Let him go.
>I swear, I have never met this man before in my life!
>Don’t mind me. I’m simply passing through.

>Don’t mind me. I’m simply passing through.

“Classic sense of humour on my friend,” the criminal states. “Be warned. He’s the most dangerous man I’ve met. I’ve seen him slice through dozens just like you.”

“Silence!” one of the lawmen states. “Is he lying?”

Another shakes his head. “It matters not. This boy has seen too much.”

And so… the lawmen point their weapons at you.

“What?” you stammer, drawing your sword. “I’m an innocent! What kind of lawmen are you?”

The criminal in chains chuckles. “I hate to tell you, but they aren’t lawmen. Not anymore.”

Not anymore… what does he mean?

You look to the men with their own katanas drawn… and their eyes…

Blank, empty… and once they focus on you, they begin glowing.

They… seem to be possessed by something.

One lunges at you, and you step aside, dodging him.

“Your reflexes are sharp, kid.”

“Don’t call me that,” you reply. “My name is Kazuma Asai.”

The criminal nods. “Ryoji Shida. I could help… but I am in a bind at the moment. Quite literally.”

“So these… creatures, captured you? And them calling you a thief…”

Ryoji shakes his head. “No, that part is true. Either way, do you mind releasing me?”

>Free him of his chains.
>Deal with him later. For now focus on the lawmen.


>Deal with him later. For now, focus on the lawmen.

“I’ll deal with you later,” you tell Ryoji.

“Just going to leave me like this?” he mutters. “Well… I hope you’re good at this. I really hope so.”

The three former law men circle you and the tree with Ryoji attached to it. You grip your katana and enter a fighting stance. “Oh, you’re a real professional, huh?” Ryoji notes.

“Quiet,” you fire back, trying to focus… but you have to admit you’re scared. These men… they remind you of the things that took your village. Could they be the same?

Kazuma Asai
Level 1
HP: 50/50
MP: 50/50
EXP: 0/100
STR: 15 (+2)
MAG: 15 (+2)
VIT: 15 (+2)
AGI: 17 (+3)

Traits:
Son of Chaos: Kazuma gains a second chance at attacking upon a critfail roll.

Moves:
Attack: (1d8+STR)
Shadow Slash: (2d6+AGI)(5MP)

>How do you proceed?

You strafe forward and slash at one of the lawmen with your sword, making use of your Shadow Slash technique. It cuts clean through his shoulder, but he simply staggers back. His shoulder seperated, he takes another step forward like it barely scratched the creature.

“Undead…” you mutter.

The lawman you attacked steps forward and raises his own sword, before taking a swing. You roll to dodge, almost losing grip on your sword.

“… You’re an amateur, aren’t you?” Ryoji notes.

“Quiet!” you desperately plea, but your hands are shaking.

Ryoji sighs. “I could still be let go, you know. Could save you some hassle.”

Kazuma HP: 50/50
Kazuma MP: 45/50

Possessed Lawman 1: 27/30
Possessed Lawman 2: 30/30
Possessed Lawman 3: 30/30

You grip your sword tighter, mustering up what courage you have, before going for another Shadow Slash. A quick dash and your catch the lawman cleanly from the side. You slice through his abdomen and blood starts to spurt out… black blood. Like a thick ooze.

He swings back, and you somersault over him, easily avoiding the attack as you survey the two others staggering towards you.

“Hey, you might not be all bad after all,” Ryoji notes.

“What part of ‘quiet’ seems to alude you?” you ask.

“Possibly the part where I’m chained to a tree…” Ryoji notes. “Oh well…”

The chains come loose, and the thief drops to his feet, free from the tree. “You kept them busy long enough for me to get loose.”

“Excellent…” you mutter. “Now, do you mind helping me?”

The criminal gives a shrug, as he draws a knife from his tunic. “I tend to help myself… but right now, we seem to overlap.”

Ryoji Shida
Level 1
HP: 80/80
MP: 30/30
EXP: 0/100
Affection: 0/100
STR: 10
MAG: 10
VIT: 25 (+7)
AGI: 14 (+2)

Traits:
Healing Factor: Ryoji recovers 2HP each turn.

Moves:
Attack(1d8+STR)
Brace Yourself! (Raise defense of an ally)(5MP)

Kazuma HP: 50/50
Kazuma MP: 40/50

Possessed Lawman 1: 17/30
Possessed Lawman 2: 30/30
Possessed Lawman 3: 30/30

“Brace Yourself!” Ryoji exclaims, waving his hand as you grip your blade.

“I will…” you mutter, though you feel more emboldened. More hardy. Did he just use magic?

You step and slash at the Lawman, cutting through the other part of his abdomen. A burst of blood once more, and the one lawman is barely standing. It swings at you and you dodge, while another swings at Ryoji. Ryoji himself avoids the hit… but another manages to graze you with his blade… though it seems the blade merely bounced off your body, not even breaking the skin. It seems Ryoji truly did harden your body in some way.

You back up, with Ryoji by your side, as the possessed trio continue to shuffle forward.

Kazuma HP: 50/50
Kazuma MP: 40/50

Ryoji HP: 80/80
Ryoji MP: 25/30

Possessed Lawman 1: 7/30
Possessed Lawman 2: 30/30
Possessed Lawman 3: 30/30

You lunge with another Shadow slash, catching the lawman twice with your katana. Finally, thankfully, it drops and dissipates into dust.

You breath a sigh of relief, but you aren’t done yet. The next two come shuffling forward, as Ryoji lunges forward and slashes another of those creatures. He barely even grazes it, but he does manages to dodge the slashes of the two once they come for him.

“I’m not to strong myself…” he admits. “I’m more used to getting out of danger over fighting it back.”

“Don’t worry,” you reply. “Together, we can do this.”

Kazuma HP: 50/50
Kazuma MP: 35/50

Ryoji HP: 80/80
Ryoji MP: 25/30

Possessed Lawman 2: 29/30
Possessed Lawman 3: 30/30


You move for another slash, catching the lawman clean with a mightly pair of slashes. Ryoji joins in, catching it with a strong slash of his own that causes the creature to stagger.

You look to Ryoji with a nod, but you shouldn’t have split your attention. The other lawman makes for a slash with his katana, catching you across the arm. You let out a yell of pain as blood is drawn, stepping back to avoid another attempt at a slash.

Kazuma HP: 45/50
Kazuma MP: 30/50

Ryoji HP: 80/80
Ryoji MP: 25/30

Possessed Lawman 2: 6/30
Possessed Lawman 3: 30/30

You leap forward with your blade, slashing down at the staggering and wounded lawman, cutting the once living in twain with your blade. Down to just one more now, as Ryoji goes on the attack, slashing the shoulder of the remaining enemy, grazing it. It fires back with an attack, poking the chest of Ryoji with it’s blade, but the rogue is able to move back before the attack leaves anything more than a scratch.

“That was close,” Ryoji admits. “Now we have the advantage.”

Kazuma HP: 45/50
Kazuma MP: 30/50

Ryoji HP: 80/80
Ryoji MP: 25/30

Possessed Lawman 2: 6/30
Possessed Lawman 3: 30/30

You run forward with a slash, catching the lawman across the side. It swipes at you, but you manage to roll out of the way. Ryoji goes for an attack of his own, but your last opponent manages to dodge himself.

“They still have solid reflexes for puppeted corpses,” Ryoji points out.

“Just what are they?” you ask.

“I’ll explain after.”

Kazuma HP: 45/50
Kazuma MP: 30/50

Ryoji HP: 80/80
Ryoji MP: 25/30

Possessed Lawman 3: 22/30

You throw another slash, catching the lawman across the back. It staggers forward, and Ryoji follows up with a slash of his own, slicing upwards. The lawman swings his blade, and Ryoji rolls through to dodge, the lawman staggering about, black ooze seeping from the large slashes in his body.

Kazuma HP: 45/50
Kazuma MP: 30/50

Ryoji HP: 80/80
Ryoji MP: 25/30

Possessed Lawman 3: 13/30

“Ready?” you nod at Ryoji, and the thief nods back.

Together, the two of you move in together, coming in with a pincer attack. Together, you split the last of the possessed lawmen in two, turning into dust as it collapses to the ground.

>You defeated the possessed lawmen
>You gained 100xp
>Kazuma is now lvl2!
>Ryoji is now lvl2!

With the enemies gone, Ryoji breathes a sigh of relief. “That was a pain…”

He eyes you up and down as you return your katana to its sheath. “So, what are you?” he asks. “Some kind of samurai.”

“No,” you reply.

“A ronin, then?” he smirks. “You serve no master?”

“In a sense,” you note.

He nods. “I get it. So… Kazuma, exactly where are you passing through to?”

“The village of Dakugeto,” you explain. “I’m meeting with someone.”

Ryoji smirks. “What a coincidence. I’m heading back to the village myself.”

“The same village you were banished from?” you ask. “Won’t that cause trouble?”

Ryoji shakes his head. “No, these men were acting on their own… well, they were acting under control…”

“Right, just what were they?” you ask.

“Demons.”

Demons? “What do you mean?” you ask. “Demons… possessing bodies? This is the first I’ve heard of such a thing.”

“It can happen,” Ryoji explains. “The weak willed can become possessed when exposed to the corruption of the demonic… these three were such victims. I imagine they picked it up while out on patrol… so kid-”

“Don’t call me that-”

“Who are you meeting in town?”

“That’s a private matter.”

Ryoji tilts his head. “Come on. After I saved your life?”

“My life?” you ask incredulously. “I saved your life!”

Ryoji smirks. “Of course, of course… before we head into town, there’s a shrine close to here I wanna visit. Do you mind?”

>… Sure. Lead the way.
>I don’t have time for that. I need to get to the village as soon as I can.
>Who said we were travelling together? Go there yourself.

>I don't have time for that. I need to get to the village as soon as I can.

Ryoji smirks. “Now I’m very curious as to what you have waiting for you back there. A long-lost love?”

“No,” you reply.

“Ah, well the brothel’s closed, if that’s what you’re thinking,” he adds.

“Not that!” you protest. “I’m searching for my sister. She awaits for me in the village.”

Ryoji crosses his arms. “Well, if anyone comes through the village, they’ll be staying in the local inn.”

You make your way towards the village… with Ryoji following behind you. You look back at him, but he continues to follow you until you reach the village gates. “You…” the gatekeeper mutters. “Back already.”

“You can never keep me away too long,” Ryoji smirks.

“Keep your nose clean,” the gatekeep warns him. “Or you’ll be bereft of an arm.”

You step inside the village with Ryoji in tow and… wow. What happened to this place?

Most of the buildings are damaged and boarded up. Very few people on the streets. It seems… desolate. “What happened here?” you ask.

Ryoji shakes his head. “Demons attacked the village… managed to hold them off, but a surprise attack like that did a ton of damage. Most are still recovering, the elite militia left to pursue the attackers. Never seen anything like it…”

“I have,” you reply. “Demons… destroyed my village a few months back. I’m still searching for my parents.”

Ryoji nods. “That so? Well… there’s someone in town you might want to talk to. The seer.”

“The seer?”

Ryoji nods. “You’ll understand when you meet her.”

>Very well. Take me to her.
>Let’s go to the inn first. I need to know if Kiriko is okay.

>Take me to the inn first. I need to know if Kiriko is okay.

Ryoji nods, before taking you to the village inn, which despite some structural damage carries a sign… “Still open for business!”

You step inside, and the innkeeper is quick to let out a sigh as soon as Ryoji enters. “You again?”

“Yes!” Ryoji nods. “I’ll like another room for the time being. And another for my friend Kazuma here.”

You shake your head. “I don’t have any-”

“I’ll cover it,” Ryoji explains. “I owe you, right?”

You nod, and the inkeeper shakes his head. “I hope neither of you will be any trouble. Hikaru?”

A young blue haired girl in a low-cut robe approaches, a polite smile on her face. “Father?”

“A new one in town.”

Hikaru rolls her eyes, as she looks to you. “Well… this would usually be the point when I give visitors a rundown of the sights and sounds of Dakugeto… but you have arrived at the worst possible time. The only amenities still open are the essentials. Most are hiding inside for their lives. Still, there’s the blacksmith, the medicine woman's, the general store, this inn… and of course the training dojo.”

“The dojo?” you ask.
“You don’t want to go there,” Hikaru admits. “Unless you’re mad. The master of that dojo takes no prisoners. If you’re desperate for training… truly desperate, it may be worth your while. The adventurer’s bulletin is still active, though most missions come at reduced pay for the time being. The village needs that gold for repairs. Speak to Captain Takeshi if you’re the adventuring type. Any questions?”

“Did you see a young woman around here?” you ask. “Black hair, about this high. Went by the name Kiriko.”

Hikaru pauses. “The ninja? She spent some time here. However…”

“What?” you ask.

Hikaru shakes her head. “She was unaccounted for after the attack. She could have left along with the elite militia, or simply fleed… but there is a chance she was… taken.”

Your stomach sinks. No… your mother and father… and Kiriko too? You refuse to believe it.

“Anything else?” Hikaru asks.

>What amenities are currently closed? And when can I expect them to re-open?
>What kind of adventurer work is there. I am short on gold.
>What do you do around here?
>Do you know which way the elite militia headed?

>Do you know which way the elite militia headed?

Hikaru shakes her head. “Well, they pursued the attackers to the west, towards the mountains.”

You nod. “Then I should-”

“No,” Ryoji replies. “You can’t go that way.”

“Why not?” you ask. “For all I know, my sister could be out there!”

Ryoji shakes his head. “And from what I DO know, you aren’t strong enough to survive out there. You go to the mountains, you’ll be torn apart in seconds.”

“Then… I’ll get stronger,” you reply. “If that’s what it takes, I’ll get stronger. Then save my sister.”

Hikaru twiddles her thumbs. “Well, if you believe that. If you have any other questions… I don’t get paid unless I answer. So feel free to ask.”

>What amenities are currently closed? And when can I expect them to re-open?
>What kind of adventurer work is there. I am short on gold.
>What do you do around here?
>That will be everything. Thank you.

>What amenities are currently closed? And when can I expect them to re-open?


“It’s quite disappointing,” Hikaru explains. “Well, among those currently closed for repairs, you have the Baker.”

“Baker?” you raise an eyebrow. “That doesn’t sound so impressive.”

“You haven’t tried his bread,” she replies. “Then you have my personal favourite… the library. I would spend so much time pouring over tomes… I miss it a great deal. And while the Medicine Woman is still operating, her alchemy lab is currently ruined. The temple is  damaged and doesn’t allow access, only a small shrine outside for visitors. We used to have a theatre troupe for entertainment… but their building is destroyed. They can’t run shows without a stage, of course. The barracks are currently shut with the elite militia gone… most of our city guards are falling out of practice as a result. Then there’s the Parlour…”

“The parlour? I’ve never heard of that.”

Hikaru nods. “I’m not surprised. It’s an establishment for the upper crust of the village to meet and eat and discuss… something or other. I have never been, the entry fee is rather steep. I can do without it returning. Then we have the trinket store… if you fall for any of the items there, that is. I would hope it never re-opens. Then finally, you have the… ahem…”

Hikaru mumbles something that you don’t hear.

“Can you repeat that?”

She mumbles again.

“Sorry, again.”

“The… ahem… the Brothel,” she replies.

You nod, a slight blush in your face. “Oh… right. And when can I expect these buildings to open up again?”

“The brothel?”

“Any of them!” you protest.
Hikaru shakes her head. “I’m afraid I can’t give an exact time-frame for any of them… all of these buildings are taking donations to fund their repairs, however. If you’re willing, you can see them open sooner.”

“I would need gold of my own for that…” you explain.

“Well, is there anything else?” Hikaru asks.

>What kind of adventurer work is there? I'm short on gold.
>What do you do around here?
>That will be everything. Thank you.

>What do you do around here?
>What kind of adventurer work is there? I’m short on gold.

“Me?” Hikaru raises an eyebrow. “Not much. I’m… just the inkeepers daughter. I answer questions, I serve drinks, I make beds...”

She pauses. “Of course, I do help out in defending the town. I am trained in magic and archery.”

“She’s part of the reason the inn can stay open,” Ryoji points out.

Hikaru smiles. “Well, I didn’t do that much. My brother is in the elite militia. He did most of the defending during the attack.”

You nod. “So what kind of adventurer work is there? I’m short on gold.”

“Exactly what you would expect,” she explains. “Menial tasks, killing monsters in the surrounding area… the usual. Ask Captain Takeshi about it. It’s good pay, and if you want people to like you, performing requests is a good way to do it. Many of the villager make personal requests, so helping them will endear you to them… Ryoji.”

Ryoji looks around, as Hikaru glares at him. Seems that was quite pointed to the thief who does little to endear himself.

“Okay, that’ll be everything,” Ryoji replies. “You have the general idea now, kid.”

Hikaru stares at the both of you, unimpressed. “Please don’t make a mess of your rooms.”

>I won’t, but I can’t speak for him.
>I promise. I wouldn’t want to create more work for you.
>… What kind of mess?

>I won’t, but I can’t speak for him.

Ryoji looks over to you. “Do you really have such little faith in me?”

“You should,” Hikaru notes, before returning to her duty.

You let out a sigh. “Okay, so what about this seer?”

“Follow me,” Ryoji replies.

Ryoji takes you away from the inn, and into a small alleyway within the village. “You aren’t going to stab me, are you?” you ask. “Because I have not money.”

“No,” Ryoji replies, before entering through a door.

“Shouldn’t you knock-”

“She knows we’re coming.”

You step inside with Ryoji, into a small home, neat and tidy in it’s structure. You spot a blonde woman sitting in a chair, a blindfold covering her eyes. She sits with a serene beauty, but you can tell she’s deep in thought.

“You have returned, Stranger…” she notes. “And you have a shadow trailing you.”

“Stranger?” you raise an eyebrow.

“That’s me…” he replies. “This is Kazuma. He helped me out against some lawmen. We’re friends now.”

“Lawmen?” The seer mutters. “What did you do?”

Ryoji shakes his head. “Worry not, Sayeka… their eyes were wrong. You know that, don’t you?”

Sayeka, the seer, lets out a sigh. “Yes… I feared as much.”

“They’re coming back to the village, aren’t they?” Ryoji asks.

Sayeka nods. “Yes.”

“When?”

“Thirty days,” she explains. “And thirty days after that as well. The demons will keep coming. A new force each time.”

Ryoji shakes his head. “There’s little hope for this village, is there?”

“There is always still hope,” she explains, before turning her head towards you. But… she’s blind, isn’t she? “You… Kazuma. You have questions, don’t you?”

She gives a kindly smile, and you blush.

>Wow… you’re beautiful…
>You… can you search for someone with your powers?
>What are you? How can you predict something like that?

>You… can you search for someone with your powers?

“You mean your sister, don’t you?” Sayeka asks.

“How… how did you…?”

“The vision came to me as you entered,” she explains. “Worry not… your sister is safe.”

You pause. “And in the future?”

“I cannot say.”

“What? You’re a seer, aren’t you?” you ask.

She nods. “Yes… but the power of my visions are limited. The closer I am to a subject, the more I can see. And I’m afraid I have only just met you, Kazuma. Your sister is all that I can see. Where she is, I do not know. What she is doing, I do not know. What lies in store for her, I do not know. But I do know that your sister has not been harmed. She is safe and on the move.”

Well… that is a relief, at least. You wish she was able to draw up more details, though…

Ryoji leaves a bag of gold on the table as he looks to the seer. “Take care of yourself, Sayeka. I don’t want to tell you again.”

Sayeka smiles. “I will, friend.”

You and Ryoji step out of the seer’s house and return to the Dakugeto streets. “You two seem close.”

“We aren’t particularly,” he explains. “I visit often.”

“Why does a thief visit a seer so much?” you ask.

“I’m not just a thief,” he explains. “They may not know it… but I protect this town.”

“How so?” you ask.
Ryoji turns to you. “It’s… complicated. I’ll explain some other time. Now, I’ll be turning in for the night, care to join me?”

You nod. You’ve both had a long day.

As you sit in the inn, Ryoji treating you to an ale, you continue with your questions. “So… in thirty days…”

“They return…” Ryoji explains. “And I doubt this village can contain them in their current state… so how about we make a deal?”

“What kind?”

“You want to grow stronger, I need this village to survive,” he explains. “It seems we have the same goal.”

“I suppose so,” you reply.

Ryoji nods. “So the way I see it… the next twenty-nine days, we have to prepare for the incoming demon incursion. Then the next thirty days after that, and then-”

“Not so fast,” you reply. “There’s no guarantee I’ll be staying that long… but as long as I am here, I can help the village.”

Ryoji gives a small smile, raising his tankard to you. “Good. Partners?”

>Partners… I look forward to working with you.
>I wouldn’t go that far.
>This isn’t for you. It’s just the right thing to do.

>I wouldn’t go that far

“Heh… of course not,” Ryoji lowers his tankard. “Well, it’s a big day tomorrow. You should probably get your rest.”

“What’s tomorrow?” you ask.

Ryoji smirks. “The rest of your life, kid.”

With that, Ryoji heads to his room for the night. You aren’t far behind, making your way into your own room, a small room with a simple bed and desk… nothing else. The bed isn’t the most comfortable either… you can’t complain, you aren’t paying for it. You don’t have any money at all. Perhaps you should take a mission tomorrow to make some gold… or maybe you should take Ryoji to that shrine, learn more about him. Or maybe you should spend the day training at that dojo…

Either way, you never expected this task ahead of you. In 30 days…

… You could find some measure of revenge for your village.

Ryoji is right.

This is the first day of the rest of your life.

END