By
Dacruel
Tome Of The Jade Wolf
The players all seem to start off in a tavern of the city . In the tavern each player is meeting with someone about a job. The players all see the Commander enter the bar looking for someone each one keep out of sight to make sure that they are not the one they are looking for. The commander goes about the bar until she finds the person she is looking for who is woman who hand stolen money to feed her children. Before the players can intervene, the scene the commander publicly dispatches. The players watch in shock of the display of power. Each player knew the mother and knew that she was an only mother who stole only small amounts to feed her children. Each player has help her out once in their life or more. The Commander states that if anyone dares to steal from the Dynasty they would suffer the same fate. The Commander and guards leave, if any player attempts to confront them as they leave they will be reminded that any fighting in here would bring more guards and death as the room has other women and children in it who would be slain.
Once the Commander and guards leave the Tavern keep will attempt to take her body but he is physically unable to do it. Any player can aid him. He will have the body taken out back and placed on a wheel barrel. At that point he will say few nice words and sob then return to the tavern. Each player seems to be drawn to this woman and feels a sense of compassion to lay her to rest properly in honor of her good heart. (This is an unnatural mental influence and a single willpower can overcome it). For those exalted who do not aid with her burial. They will have a series of events that will place them back at in the scene during her burial.
The Players will make it to the outside of town which is hold a small grave site for the poor. A couple of guards at the city gate watch from a distance. Once they have dug up the grave to place the body, five guards will approach. “You there, stop what you’re doing.” The guards will walk up and look over at the body. “The Commander has forbidden this woman from being buried and you must all leave now.” At this point the players can attempt to persuade the guards or physical confront them.
Dynastic Light Infantry
//Essence: 1; Willpower: 4; Join Battle: 6 dice
Health Levels: -0/-1x2/-2x2/-4/Incap.
Actions: Senses: 4 dice; Threaten: 4 dice
Appearance 2, Resolve 2, Guile 1
Combat Attack (Chopping sword): 7 dice (Damage 12, minimum 2)
Attack (Long spear): 5 dice (Damage 14)
Attack (Shield bash): 6 dice (Damage 12)
Combat Movement: 4 dice
Evasion 2, Parry 4 Soak/Hardness: 8/0 (Reinforced buff jacket)//
One of the players discovers that the body of one of the guards is the only male son to the commander and her family. By this time the players will notice their battle was being watched by travelers leaving the city. The players must leave town before they are hunted down and killed.
As night falls the players will come to a cross road. One road leads to Nexus, while the other leads into the thousand kingdoms. Before they can make the choice a wood Elemental appears asking them for help.
“Travelers, Travelers I need your help. My friend is trapped in a hole and I can’t get him out. Please, I am not strong enough to free him. Say you will help me. I will reward you anything you want that I can give.”
The wood elemental will show them the location of the hole which is really an ancient tomb where he friend is trapped. “Little fox pup these people are here to help you. We will get you free soon.”
The players will quickly discover that the tomb door had dislodged itself and needs a few strong hands to put back in place. With a feat of strength the door is correct back to an open position. (Strength 3 + 3 Successes) Once open the fox will race out startling the entire party. “Thank you dear friends please tell me if there is anything I can do to repay you?” If the wood elemental is unable to pay them now he will repay them later with a favor of equal value.
Once payment has been dealt with the player will feel a looming sense of something within the tomb. It smells of adventure and riches but with a bit of danger. The players will see that no one has been in this tomb in ages, and it was not constructed by anyone of this age or the first age. This tomb is not elaborated in anyway but crude and ruff.
The First chamber – primate tools found on the right side of the room and what looks like stone shelves long enough for a man to lie on. Anyone who looks at them more will see that they were places to sleep not to hold things. In front a spiral stone steps that lead down into pure darkness. No torches or lamps are about the room players must make their own means of light.
Just outside the tomb there are some old fallen trees that could make torches if someone has the cloth. In one corner of the room there is a black liquid dripping down the wall, further investigations reveals it crude oil which used with the torches could make about 3 hour of light per torch. One adult shirt can make up to 5 torches and there is enough oil to soak up to 5 shirts in all. This will light up short and medium range bands.
The stair descend into the darkness, smells of wetness and cold air quickly bring the temperature down. Half way down someone unluckily slips on the wet cold steps and if they don’t catch themselves will slide down and knock those in front of them down too. (Dexterity + Athletics check difficulty 3 successes). Those behind them can help catch them if they too are quick enough. (Dexterity + Athletics check difficulty 1 successes, each success I will aid the person slipping). Tumbling down the stairs is painful but only leave bruises (2 Bashing). A critical failure cases a broken leg or arm.
Once at the bottom the players will discover a large triangular room with three doors, one at each corner. Each door looks like it was woven with vines and has an odd flora smell on them. There are no handles on them only a center lock made of stone. Anyone with a lock pick can attempt to pick the lock (Dexterity + Larceny Difficulty 3) but those who fail find out that the lock will spray a green mist that will knock them out cold (Perception + Awareness Difficulty 6). The locks trap is a flora effect which counts as a poison. There is no roll to avoid this poison but it effect only last for 10 minutes. Other players can wake them up by normal means. Once unlocked the vines will pull away revealing the next room.
Room 1 – this room has two straight walls on the right and left, but the room goes on into darkness as the opposite wall form the door is at a long range band. The floor is gravel and if a player attempts to walk across the gravel floor they will quickly discover the floor is actual the top layer of water. The stones float on the top of the water and when moved will start to attach themselves to anything in the water adding weight to them at a doubling rate. This weight will increase the difficulty to swim by one point per roll starting from difficulty one. On the far end of the room is a On the right side of the wall there is a small ledge almost wide enough for someone get a footing. One could hug the wall if and make it across but only very slowly. (Dexterity + Athletics check difficulty 2 successes) On the left side of the wall is lip at the top that if someone could hang from and cross over but it would take a feat of strength to go down the wall. (Strength + Athletics check difficulty 4 successes).
Once on the other side of the room there is an old boat big enough for two people on the wall but no ores. The boat seems unaffected by the gravel.
On the right side of the room the players will discover an archway that leads down a carved out hallway. At the end of the hallway the ground starts to get steep and near the end anyone not bracing themselves could easily slip and slide reset of the way down. (Dexterity + Athletics check difficulty 2 successes) The Hallway opens up into a large cavernous room with no floor and spider webs spanning the room. At its entrance is a ledge only large enough to hold up one person. As the part gets to the ledge one person can stand on it while everyone else must hold themselves up in the hallway or push those before them into the room.
If anyone falls into the room they get one chance at saving themselves by grabbing on to the spider webs in the room if not they fall for over an hour into darkness only to find themselves cast into elsewhere.
In front of the players is a huge spider’s web about 5 yards away. The players will if looking will see that the web goes up as well as across and that one could climb up as well but not down as the web only stops at their feet.
When they get across to the other side they will only find nothing but a wall. If they climb up they will find a round stone panel that one could push open. This path leads into the main chamber room.
The Webbing is resistant to fire and can be taken to make the following items. Bow String, Silken Armor, also any artifact made with this webbing can create evocations that have spider like qualities such as wall walking or entangling targets.
Door 2 – This will open up into a room which has large holes on the celling randomly. The holes will go up for a long time and if someone or something stands under them one of two things will happen. The first effect is nothing and it’s safe to go that way. The other is it will get cold and cause frostbite (Frostbite deals 1 level of bashing damage). This can be found out if something of any size crosses the hole. Now not all of the celling is covered in holes there is a path if someone succeeds as mapping it out. This will take a feat of intelligent. (Intelligence + Investigation check difficulty 4). The floor is marked in squares two feet by two feet which the hole will cover. If someone was to follow someone the person leading would need to make (Intelligence + Awareness check difficulty 2) not to make an mistake but the lead does make a mistake then and fails the roll then person behind them takes a 50/50 chance of being damaged.
Once on the other side the player will find a small door only big enough for a toddler to stand up in but wide enough to crawl through. A torch cannot be carried in the tunnel due to the size of the tunnel without burning one self and others. This tunnel will have a range band of extremely long.
Once out of the tunnel the players will find a round room with a lot of heat in it. The Floor is heated. Anyone who attempts to step on the floor will find out the floor tilts. Its balanced in the center of the room which is at a range of medium. There are small holes around the base of the walls. The floor is so hot that any contact with out protection deals 1 health level of lethal damage. The floor can also rotate if one pushes it’s as well.
On the other side there will be a door. This door has a small out cove that not part of the round room. Once open the players will enter into the Main Chamber.
Door 3 – Once the door opens the players will discover the roof is held up by old wooden poles roughly a couple feet apart from each other. Small rocks litter the floor. The Stone roof looks to be poorly placed and without mortar. If anyone attempts to walk between the poles they would need to make sure not to bump into them. (Dexterity + Awareness check Difficulty 3). The Room itself is short only medium range. If any of the poles are knocked down the whole roof will cave in dealing (5) lethal damage to anyone left in the room.
Once on the other side there will be a large wall with three indents of different shapes. With a look about the room some of the rocks look to fit into the indents. (Perception + Awareness / Investigation check Difficulty 3). Once all three shapes are place together the wall will turn and allow the players to move on, but they can’t go back as the wall locks in place, before them they will only see a large well in the center of a room.
This room is plan, there are no other doors. The well it self goes down only a few feet before one can see running water churning about. Any small object that floats placed on the water will reveal a undertow. The well is only wide enough for a single person to enter at a time.
If one goes into the well they will discover a tunnel that leads off to another location. The current is not hard to swim through but the length it a good ways away and requires one to hold their breath. (Stamina + Athletics check Difficulty 3). The tunnel emerges into another room that looks to be an underground stream with in a cave.
The cave is long range with jagged rocks and small cliffs. The walls of the cave are wet and climbing would be nearly impossible. The players can jump from cliff to cliff. (Strength + Athletics check Difficulty 3) anyone attempting to catch them will make the same attempt but only add one success for each two they make. Failure will end up hanging off the ledge and no success will fall into the jagged rocks below. (Rocks: 3 lethal)
Once on the other side of the cave the players will discover a round stone panel that could be wedged up. Once that panel is open the players will see a 30 yard drop into a room.
Main Chamber room – Once inside the main chamber room the players will discover a trove of wonders from before the first age. There many things those have historical value and a few things that could sell for money too. Most things are primitive objects like bowls and jars, but there are a few things made of gold or silver as well. The players will be able to pick up about a resource of two in items to sell. Those with any knowledge of historical value could increase their profits by one point.
At the back of the room under a tarp is a cage inside is a dead animal, a blue jade wolf. The door has a very advance lock that with a skilled thief could pick it. (Dexterity + Larceny check Difficulty 5). Once the door is open the beast will start to come back to life. The Beast is a long haired wolf about eight feet tall with blue jade fur. The beast will lumber about like a wounded animal and if allowed it will leave the cage. It will stumble about for about a minute before getting its bearings. Once it is aware it will turn on the party.
The beast is not a simple dispatch and will shrug off any non-charmed based attack or non-magical weapons. The blue jade wolf will fight until it realizes it cannot win. At that moment it will take the next attack and play dead. Only a charm based sight can see that the beast is still alive.
Jade Wolf
//Essence: 1; Willpower: 4; Join Battle: 4 dice
Health Levels: -0/-1x2/-2x2/-4/Incap.
Jade wolf has immunity to any damage that is not from a charm or artifact weapon.
Actions: Intimidate: 3 dice; Senses: 6 dice (see Keen Nose);
Stealth: 3 dice; Tracking: 7 dice (see Keen Nose)
Resolve 2, Guile 1
Combat Attack (Bite): 9 dice (Damage 9)
Attack (Grapple): 6 dice (5 dice to control)
Combat Movement: 8 dice
Evasion 4, Parry 3 Soak/Hardness: 4/0
Harry: Biting at the heels of its prey, the canine denies it the chance to flee.
On the turn that a hound or wolf moves into close range of an enemy, if
it deals 5+ damage to them with a withering attack, that enemy cannot
disengage or withdraw on their next turn.//
The players can choose to leave the beast or take it back with them to get its hide. The only way out would be going backwards through door 2.
Once outside with or without the beast, the players will witness the Jade Wolf either come to life or burst out the tomb door. The Jade Wolf will not attempt to fight the players but attempt to escape into the wilderness.
If at any time the Jade wolf is slain the players will watch as it harden and crack into small blue jade pieces which value will become a onetime resources of 3. If anyone attempts to make anything out of the jade it will retain the ability to ignore mundane damage not backed by a charm or artifact weapon once per day.
(Experience gained here is 5 points.)