Felhammer
2020-06-15, 01:21 PM
A dark shadow has fallen upon the Empire.
The immortal Emperor - Hongse Lao - has entered his decade-long hibernation. The Emperor’s hand picked Regent has been murdered by a rampaging horde of Kongren. Although the invasion was blunted, the threat of another large-scale attack is ever present. The new Regent - General Tsong - rules with an iron grip. The nobles and peasants of the empire chafe under the boot of tyranny. Any threat to the Regent’s rule is met with overwhelming force. Dissension is all but illegal. Sensing the weakness and disunity within the Empire, dark forces have crawled into the wilds - haunting the forests, stalking the old roads and plundering outlying settlements...
You are 3rd-level adventurers. You do not know each other. A Houren businessman named Wan Chonglin wishes to send a shipment of cider from his brewery in Pingguo to his tavern in Castle Yinjian. The road between these two settlements has grown very treacherous over the last month. The last five shipments - and the men sent to guard the cider - never arrived in Castle Yinjian. Some say bandits have overrun the road connecting the two settlements, others speak of supernatural beings that have supposedly been spotted in the area. A harsh winter has descended upon the Empire. Even in the lowlands, the snow is thick and the winds bitter cold. In conjunction with Captain Du Fen of the Pingguo town guard, Wan has hired you to be a member of this unlikely band of adventurers to brave the wilds. Wan has asked that your top priority be to escort his cider to Castle Yinjian, promising a hefty bonus if the shipment arrives quickly; while Captain Du Fen wishes for you to discover what is causing the road to become so unsafe, even if that means sacrificing the cider. Your expedition has been joined by a mysterious hooded petjar priestess of the Metal Tortoise and Wan's trembling nephew - Wan Haipa - who was told to join the venture to keep an eye on the cider.
~----------------------------~
At dawn, the intrepid adventurers set off from Pingguo. With them was a hooded priestess and the timid nephew of the great cider merchant - Wan Chonglin. The party had been given a seven foot long cart, overladen with many barrels of fresh cider. The cart was pulled by a middle aged water buffalo who seemed undeterred by the frigid weather thanks to a large blanket-coat that has been strapped to him. The adventurers left during a break in relentless pace of the winter storms. As the party trekked off, ominous stormclouds began to gather on the horizon. Regardless, the party pushed on. The water buffalo proved itself quite useful as the snow began to fall once more, his wide feet and strong body besting the ever accumulating snowfall. After a hard day's march, the party pulled off along the side of the road. Under the canopy of am ancient apple tree, the party sets up camp. The winter storms came suddenly and much too early this year. The great apple tree still possessed most of its leaves, with keen eyes still spotting some leaves that were still mostly green!
The jumpy nephew calls out from the back of the wagon, "I took the liberty of, uh, packing a few tents. I figured we might not get to our destination before the next storm arrived." He pulls out a series of tall poles and what seems like an bundle of wool canvas. I, uh, brought three tents worth, just in case any of you forgot to pack a tent. Made from fine wool, very warm... Or so I am told..." He hesitantly looks down at his feet, unsure if he should make such bold claims in the presence of those more skilled and knowledgeable than himself. He is a tall lad of about six feet. He is awkwardly proportioned with skinny arms and legs, with a bulbous belly. His hair is pulled back into a tight pony tail.
The hooded petjar busies herself by gathering rocks for a camp fire. As she wanders around the area, she whispers small prayers to the great Metal Tortoise, thanking him for aiding her in her quest to procure the perfect rocks.
You... That is to say... Adventurers... You do not believe these woods are stalked by monsters, right...? My friend... Acquaintance, really, said his friend saw monstrous dog-creatures in the deeper part of the woods. Not sure if I believe him but... Could it be true?
The priestess pipes up, "Those are just fairy tales told to frighten children. The only thing that lives out here are normal animals... And vicious, blood thirsty bandits." Her voice is quiet yet firm, laced with an air of disappointment (not unlike that of a teacher who once more has to explain the obvious to her dim witted student).
"If... You say, Mother Tortoise. Still, I will keep two eyes on the horizon, just to be sure."
After a fashion, the tents are set up and the campfire is sparked. The priestess and the nephew make a stew, complete with some fresh pork gifted to the party by their brewery-owning patron. As the scent of the meal begins to waft up and out across the forest, the party hears a drawn out, mournful howl. It sounds like it came from a great distance away, from the east. The nephew jumps to his feet, "The monster dogs are coming to kill us. What do we do!?"
The immortal Emperor - Hongse Lao - has entered his decade-long hibernation. The Emperor’s hand picked Regent has been murdered by a rampaging horde of Kongren. Although the invasion was blunted, the threat of another large-scale attack is ever present. The new Regent - General Tsong - rules with an iron grip. The nobles and peasants of the empire chafe under the boot of tyranny. Any threat to the Regent’s rule is met with overwhelming force. Dissension is all but illegal. Sensing the weakness and disunity within the Empire, dark forces have crawled into the wilds - haunting the forests, stalking the old roads and plundering outlying settlements...
You are 3rd-level adventurers. You do not know each other. A Houren businessman named Wan Chonglin wishes to send a shipment of cider from his brewery in Pingguo to his tavern in Castle Yinjian. The road between these two settlements has grown very treacherous over the last month. The last five shipments - and the men sent to guard the cider - never arrived in Castle Yinjian. Some say bandits have overrun the road connecting the two settlements, others speak of supernatural beings that have supposedly been spotted in the area. A harsh winter has descended upon the Empire. Even in the lowlands, the snow is thick and the winds bitter cold. In conjunction with Captain Du Fen of the Pingguo town guard, Wan has hired you to be a member of this unlikely band of adventurers to brave the wilds. Wan has asked that your top priority be to escort his cider to Castle Yinjian, promising a hefty bonus if the shipment arrives quickly; while Captain Du Fen wishes for you to discover what is causing the road to become so unsafe, even if that means sacrificing the cider. Your expedition has been joined by a mysterious hooded petjar priestess of the Metal Tortoise and Wan's trembling nephew - Wan Haipa - who was told to join the venture to keep an eye on the cider.
~----------------------------~
At dawn, the intrepid adventurers set off from Pingguo. With them was a hooded priestess and the timid nephew of the great cider merchant - Wan Chonglin. The party had been given a seven foot long cart, overladen with many barrels of fresh cider. The cart was pulled by a middle aged water buffalo who seemed undeterred by the frigid weather thanks to a large blanket-coat that has been strapped to him. The adventurers left during a break in relentless pace of the winter storms. As the party trekked off, ominous stormclouds began to gather on the horizon. Regardless, the party pushed on. The water buffalo proved itself quite useful as the snow began to fall once more, his wide feet and strong body besting the ever accumulating snowfall. After a hard day's march, the party pulled off along the side of the road. Under the canopy of am ancient apple tree, the party sets up camp. The winter storms came suddenly and much too early this year. The great apple tree still possessed most of its leaves, with keen eyes still spotting some leaves that were still mostly green!
The jumpy nephew calls out from the back of the wagon, "I took the liberty of, uh, packing a few tents. I figured we might not get to our destination before the next storm arrived." He pulls out a series of tall poles and what seems like an bundle of wool canvas. I, uh, brought three tents worth, just in case any of you forgot to pack a tent. Made from fine wool, very warm... Or so I am told..." He hesitantly looks down at his feet, unsure if he should make such bold claims in the presence of those more skilled and knowledgeable than himself. He is a tall lad of about six feet. He is awkwardly proportioned with skinny arms and legs, with a bulbous belly. His hair is pulled back into a tight pony tail.
The hooded petjar busies herself by gathering rocks for a camp fire. As she wanders around the area, she whispers small prayers to the great Metal Tortoise, thanking him for aiding her in her quest to procure the perfect rocks.
You... That is to say... Adventurers... You do not believe these woods are stalked by monsters, right...? My friend... Acquaintance, really, said his friend saw monstrous dog-creatures in the deeper part of the woods. Not sure if I believe him but... Could it be true?
The priestess pipes up, "Those are just fairy tales told to frighten children. The only thing that lives out here are normal animals... And vicious, blood thirsty bandits." Her voice is quiet yet firm, laced with an air of disappointment (not unlike that of a teacher who once more has to explain the obvious to her dim witted student).
"If... You say, Mother Tortoise. Still, I will keep two eyes on the horizon, just to be sure."
After a fashion, the tents are set up and the campfire is sparked. The priestess and the nephew make a stew, complete with some fresh pork gifted to the party by their brewery-owning patron. As the scent of the meal begins to waft up and out across the forest, the party hears a drawn out, mournful howl. It sounds like it came from a great distance away, from the east. The nephew jumps to his feet, "The monster dogs are coming to kill us. What do we do!?"