November 6
The party spent roughly 15 days in the capital of Shou Lung. In theory they were gathering information, but in reality they were training while an empire suffered. They learned that the Giants in Gray were spotted throughout the empire. The Giants in Gray are heralds of disaster. They are 40ft tall oriental men in gray clothing that are always seen from a distance.
They also heard rumors that the immortals were dying, the immortals were leaving, the immortals were being murdered, and the immortals were punishing the citizens of Shou Lung. The rumors were becoming plentiful, moreso as time went on. This was odd given how much the emperor was trying to keep it quiet.
Minister of State Chang Kana also assigned a young man to serve as their guide. His name was Hoppara, and he was in the Ministry of Security. He is hoping to be successful to bring honor to his family. If he is killed, then dying in the service of the empire will also bring honor to his family. For Hoppara, he can’t lose with this wonderful opportunity.
The party knows that the first immortal to go missing was Chih Shih, the god of tradition and history, and he lived in a cave west of Li’Ping. The second was Fa Kuan, the god of law and justice, and he lived in a temple south of Chowchou. They headed for Chowchou first.
Chang Kana mentioned to Eron that using Shadowalk was a crime, but so long as no public figured were involved then it should not be difficult for the empire to look the other way. Hoppara was used to bending some laws for the good of the empire. With that in mind, the journey to Chowchou was very quick.
Chowchou was in a province ravaged by war for centuries. Lords would battle each other over imagined slights to their families, and the peasants suffered. Chowchou itself was a half ruined city, though it was completely full. Fortunately, the party did not need to stop there. They went on to the villages in the area of where the temple was believed to be. They went into a tavern and tried to make conversation. They stood out quite a lot, but then Eron decided to show some uneducated peasants an illusion of a globe. This was nearly a disaster. However, they eventually worked out that there was a forbidden valley in the area, and they headed off that way.
The valley was not hard to find. There was a sign indicating trespassing was not permitted by imperial order. Hoppara, though fully authorized to disobey that sign, had serious trouble entering the valley. He sucked it up, and entered. They valley was very peaceful, with beautiful trees and a lovely brook. It was hard to not contemplate one’s life and the decisions they had made. In the valley is a beautiful clearing with cherry blossoms surrounding a temple with beige walls and a green tile roof. There was a stench coming from the temple, the stench of death. The rogue and the monk stealthily approached the temple to peek in the windows. So did Tyrone, but the monk and the rogue didn’t notice him. They saw bodies inside.
There were bodies in the robes of priests in the main part of the temple that had been primarily bludgeoned to death with parts of the broken furniture. In a closet they found eight bodies in only underpants. These people had been stabbed. When speaking with the dead, the priest learned that these people had been killed by the darkness.
Confused, the party headed off to the area of Li’Ping. They passed through dense bamboo jungle before emerging onto a mesa. With the wind howling, they sought help from a villager. Hoppara did not like these villagers. He said they eat parrots and monkeys. They learned somewhere to the south there was a place where the west wind met the south wind, and there the cave would be found.
Heading off, the party saw a pack of displacer beasts. They made some great arguments whether or not to kill the displacer beasts, but eventually they decided they would kill the little bastards. After the battle, they found a small valley that ran north-south. The wind howled through it to the north. The party headed south until they came to a crossing valley where the west wind blasted through it. In the middle, the wind howled, and there was a small cave entrance. It was also marked with a no trespassing sign.
Hoppara decided he would run past the sign at full speed rather than a slow, deliberate step. Yenrab decided to mess with his head and blasted him with lightning as he passed the sign. Hoppara sat down and cried.
The rest of the party headed down into the cave. They found another temple, carved into the stone. They found that carved into the wall was the entire history of Shou Lung in great detail. It was simple, yet beautiful. They found another arrangement of dead priests in the main part of the temple and bodies stuffed into a closet.
One of the men in the closet lived longer than others. He drew in blood a picture of an owl with very large tail feathers. He also wrote “Forgive us” below it. Hoppara had a few comments on this image.
Quote:
I believe he is telling us who did this, of course we do not know if that message can be trusted. The owl represents the Royal Vagabonds, a group of ninjas. The feathers represent a peacock, specifically the Many-Hued Peacock, an organization of ancient and powerful villains. Both groups oppose the emperor, and their cooperation could present a problem. We have not been able to locate the headquarters of the Royal Vagabonds. In fact, we do not believe they have one. They may be slightly less effective without a central agency, but virtually impossible to wipe out. The Many-Hued Peacock represents a similar problem. They maintain the Citadel of Plumage, but it is always moving. It is frequently one of the homes of their members. At one point or another it has been believed to have existed in nearly every major city in the empire. Our priests’ abilities to divine its location have been blocked somehow. Our latest information puts them on the coastal city of Karatin.
Yenrab had a little better luck speaking with the dead this time. He learned that the men in the priestly garb were actual ninjas. The men stripped to the underpants and thrown in the closet were actually the priests. They did not quite piece the entire puzzle together, but they are very close.
The party headed out to Karatin, a weathly city overlooking the mouth of the Hungtse river. It is a major port, yet still rooted in fishing.
Hoppara, who really made the adventure possible, suggested a stakeout to look for some people they believe to be part of the Many-Hued Peacock. After a few days, they spotted one and followed him. This Peacock moved through several buildings, including the Graven Goat Inn and a forge, to lose any potential followers. The party’s spot checks were just sufficient, though, and they followed him to a beautiful estate.
The party immediately refused to consider planning or strategy. They did not observe the estate. They became invisible and flew into an open window. Then the rogue smashed some porcelain horses and the wizard put them in his sack. They then bashed their way into an office and killed some Sohei. They found two offices, but the papers had been destroyed. The men who destroyed the papers also killed themselves with poison pills. After an awkward incident involving a bottle, the party searched the dead men and found this letter.
Quote:
Yellow, We expect to arrive in the marshes again on the 29th of Ches. I begin to doubt whether we can trust these white devils. Though our interests seem to align, I think they may break the deal when they have what they want. Though we are spreading the word of the lost gods, I believe they are trying to stop that word from getting out. I do not know how deep their betrayal may run. Disperse the leaders and ensure the Many-Hued Peacock can withstand our demise. ~Mauve
The envelope indicated it was sent from Tai Tung using the Imperial Post. It was sent to an inn in Karatin called the Grappling Panda and addressed to Mr Yellow. The only swamp near Tai Tung is the Persimmon Swamp. The party set off.
Tai Tung rested above the merging of two rivers and the seemingly endless fields of rice. The walls were tall and ancient, reminders of a time when the city had to repel Tuigan raiders. It is now the heart of a major rice production area. The party stayed at an inn called the Orange Swan, where they had a plethora of tea.
Marchosias decided to rob some people in the night. He did a pretty good job of it since there are far more wealthy people here than skilled thieves. Meanwhile, Hoppara found them a river guide named Tono. Tono was a bit of a filthy fellow, but he was just the sort of guy who might know a swamp.
The next morning they set off on to the slow moving river. Tono poled them along with an envious Eron looking at his pole. After a few miles, the swamp lands along the river gave way to a forest.
Along the river, Tyrone suddenly suggested they should go to the southwest in a hurry. He was so adamant about it that the party agreed. He set off at a run with the monk in close pursuit. Tyrone seemed to know exactly where he was going, and eventually they saw a party of four on horse running for all they were worth. It looked two paladins, a priest, and a bard. Indeed, that’s exactly what it was. Sir Gareth and Sir Tristam were paladins of Torm questing to find the Shepherd’s Chalice, the story of which need not be repeated. Brother Anyon, and priest of Ilmater, and Beven the bard joined their quest.
Two nights before they had come to a monastery and sought shelter during a storm. They had gone into the monastery without knocking as they believed was appropriate. They accidentally saw some part of a ritual, and they were immediately attacked. They have been running every since. They exhausted their prayers, and they were coming near the end of their rope. They did not approve of asking for help, but Beven was a Harper. He sent out the distress call the day before without telling anyone, and Tyrone was finally within range to hear it. The party agreed to help them.
They stood their ground as many monks attacked. The party easily repelled the attack, and Eron graciously gave them a Rope Trick so they could sleep unmolested. Beven was very happy about this.
The party resumed their quest, and they came to the top of a sunken castle. They are prepared to climb down into the darkness below the swamp on the 7th day of Mirtul, the 5th month.
