Romance of the Three Kingdoms campaign - Team 1, Adventure 1

[Tackyhillbillu]

Hu Kaiheng

Kai looked at the Dwarf with barely veiled anger. He didn't want to, but he didn't have the time to beat the Dwarf into submission.

"I will not admit all men make mistakes, Master Zhao, or Nong, or whatever you wish. I cannot judge any men above my station. It is not my place to determine if the actions of my betters are mistakes. I was born to my station, and will not rise above it."

Kai breathed out, continuing.

"However, I think what you desire is more an admission that I have made mistakes. And that I admit."

Rumi's death proves that.

"As for your story... this one Lady Liang can stay and hear. She might know it. If not, it might illuminate her understanding of certain facts of my existence. When I was a young man, I fought the Green Bandana's. I surivived the war, and saw them broken. At that point, I decided to lay down the Sword and Spear. The war had ended, and the Green Bandana's were no more. What was left of their members were sure to return to their farms, I believed. I rode home to my village, believing that."

Kai's anger had dropped away, his voice becoming completely flat, without emotion. He could have been reading off a manifest of supplies. He wasn't even looking at Fei anymore, staring off at the ceiling.

"On the way home, I saw a man in the torn uniform of the Green Bandana's. He looked pathetic, and was terrified of me. I stopped by the road, and gave him a little bit of food, and some water, counselling him to return home and burn the clothes he was wearing. He nodded. We parted way after a bit. The last thing he said to me was 'I'm sorry.' I arrived to find my village destroyed, my fiancee and parents lying dead on the grounds, carrion for whatever creatures lurked. They'd been killed by the Bandana's."

Kai looked back toward Fei, his anger returning. He didn't like thinking about that. He didn't like thinking about anything relating to his village.

"Now come, Master Zhao. That is the story of my greatest failure. Your price has been paid."

[Zjackrum]

Fei Zhao

As Hu speaks, the dwarf's own anger seems to dissipate. He scratches at his beard, seeming deep in thought. When the story ends, Fei nods sadly, apparently relating and understanding.
"I... I understand." He speaks slowly. "I understand. And I'm sorry. Dwarves in similar situations would raise glasses to toast and recall the departed with fond memories, but I find myself more akin to the human method of mourning."
He offers his hand for a handshake.
"You will have my aid then, friend. And my sword and bow, if necessary."

[ghostaxe]

Day 14, 4pm:

The guards at the Lu Bu's manor gates recognize Hu Kaiheng and his "subordinates," and has a messenger inform Lu Bu of your arrival.

Lu Bu returns a short time later, and seems pleased with Hu Kaiheng that seemed to bring some competent folk.

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For those who haven't seen Lu Bu before:

Lu Bu is a towering figure of a goliath clad in red full plate mail. He has an unimpressive white short spear strapped to his back, and a large shield adorned with the symbol of a black sun on his left arm.

"Excellent. It looks like the four of you may have a chance. Come with me!"

The mighty warrior leads you into his manor, and takes you through an open area to his sparring room, in the north side of his home.

CURRENT MAP


Lu Bu is the purple dot. You guys are #1 through #4 (Hu Kaiheng = 1, Tianlu = 2, Liang Xiu = 3, Fei Zhao = 4).

Lu Bu boldly declares, "The test is a simple, but not easy. The four of you have 2 minutes to touch me or my armor with your fists or weapons. If any one of you manages to touch me, that counts as a success for your entire group. Touching my shield does not count. I have a variety of weapons in the armory that you may help yourself to, if you wish. Do not worry, I know that you are no match for me in proper combat, so I will only defend and not attack. Let me know when you are ready to begin."

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You have 20 rounds to hit Lu Bu's touch AC. Bull Rush attempts count only if you manage to win (otherwise Lu Bu smashes you back with his shield). Hitting with arrows also counts. Lu Bu has masterwork weapons in his armory that you can borrow. Hitting his armor with an arrow also counts as a win. You may discuss strategy for about 5 minutes before you begin.

[DrakeRaids]

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OOC: Alright, if I spam Emerald Razor + Cloak of Deception I should be able to hit Lu Bu with a flat-footed touch attack very round, and if that doesn't work I dunno what will. Any of you got ideas? Also which stance do you want me to use? Island of Blades so we all get flanking bonus, or Stance of Clarity which increases my own chance?

Liang Xiu

Xiu looped around the room in her more tight fitting and less cumbersome training cloths looking for anything that could be useful for the upcoming bout before moving over to the armory. She hovered there for a moment, debating on what weapons to use, before finally taking two short swords but leaving one on her waist for the time being. Grinning sh emoved back to the group, she couldn't believe this was happening,chance to spar against the single greatest warrior of their time. It was.. Invigorating.

"Well," She said leaning back, "What should we do? I've got some techniques that should fit this situation nicely, but they may not even be necessary. With this many of use there is no way he stands a chance. Even if this is Lu Bu, we have to be able to touch him right?"

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Search: (1d20)[6]
Spot:(1d20+2)[4]

[ghostaxe]

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Er.. I don't see how you can spam Emerald Razor and Cloak of Deception? As a Swordsage it takes you a full round action to recover a single maneuver. Sudden Recovery allows you to recover 1 maneuver as a Swift Action, that you can only do that 1 / day. Adaptive Style allows you to change your maneuvers as a full-round action, but that doesn't increase the number of maneuvers you have left...

Also.. are you looking for something in particular with your spot/search checks? You just find a variety of masterwork weapons in Lu Bu's armory.

[Woodsman]

Tianlu

Tianlu paled slightly. He doubted is was as simple as that. "This is going to be more about luck than anything. All we have to do is keep at it and we should be able to strike him at least once."

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I'm betting we can't hit on anything but a natural 20, with a good roll on the +20 bonus roll. Even for his touch AC.

Fortunately, eightty+ rolls gives us a good chance of hitting him at least once. Unless the dice gods feel like being jerks.

[Zjackrum]

Fei Zhao

The dwarf raises an eyebrow at the man's request, but says nothing. Once they gather to discuss strategy, he raises his concerns.
"I'm a pretty good shot, but I don't know if that would help at all." He confesses. "If I can get behind him I might be able to distract him enough for one of you to land a hit. (Talking about flanking bonus) I also have a priestly ability that might - and I stress might - work: I can command him to drop his shield for a few seconds. Though with an experienced warrior such as him, I don't know, he'll probably just resist it."

[Tackyhillbillu]

Hu Kaiheng

Kai pulled out the potion of Bull's Strength he was carrying. As far as strategy went, this was the most he had.

"I believe now would be the time to use this. Lady Liang, I believe you took the other Potion from the Restaurant. Any advantage we can get is for the best. Other then that, I simply plan on charging Master Lu Bu."

Kai shrugged.

"Master Zhao, use your spell if you can. If it does not help, focus on distracting him so I can land a hit. Lady Liang, try your skills, and if they do not succeed, help Master Tianlu in the same way.:

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Zjack, cast it, and then just start hitting him with your bow. My Attack Bonus, with Flanking, Charging, and the potion of Bulls Strength will be +16. Drake, once you have expended your skills, just keep full attacking for the two hits. With dice rolls a turn, we have a 94% chance of rolling a Nat 20 before 20 rounds it up.

[Zjackrum]

Fei Zhao

Fei Zhao nods his head at the plan.
"You know, when you said you had need of my skills, I was really hoping you needed some women seduced..."

If available, Fei Zhao will collect some masterwork arrows from the weapons collection. If there are none, he will take some regular arrows, to avoid wasting the ones he spent his own gold on.
Once everyone else is ready, Fei will cast command on Lu Bu, Will Save vs DC 13 to drop his shield.
After that, he will fire arrows at Lu Bu at 1d20+8 (or 1d20+9, if he found some masterwork arrows), unless one of his companions comes up with a better strategy.

[DrakeRaids]

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I think adaptive style lets me spend a full round action and pick all new maneuvers, the full amount, not the ones I had readied before. At least thats how I read it, and while I could be making a mistake here I think thats how it works.

Heres a Q and A from WotC which seems to support me here....

[Tackyhillbillu]

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Adaptive Style lets you choose a new set of maneuver, and sub out expended ones for ones that you did not have before. However, you cannot refresh maneuvers using it.

Let's say your Maneuvers list consists of:
Clinging Shadow Strike
Cloak of Deception
Mighty Throw

You use all three, take a full round action for adaptive style, and change out

Clinging Shadow Strike -> Sapphire Nightmare Blade
Cloak of Deception -> Burning Blade

so your maneuver list consists of:
Sapphire Nightmare Blade
Burning Blade
Mighty Throw

Mighty Throw is still expended, but you can use Sapphire Nightmare Blade and Burning Blade.

[DrakeRaids]

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Q: If you take the Adaptive Style feat (Tome of Battle, pg. 28), can you pick new maneuvers and/or ready all maneuvers by spending a full-round action in the middle of combat?

A: Yes, you can use Adaptive Style to pick new maneuvers in the middle of combat. Since you are picking new maneuvers, they would all be readied. This is a clear advantage for a class such as the swordsage, who normally has to spend a full round action to recover a single maneuver, and would be a great feat to pick up.

Doesn't that mean I can ready all of my maneuvers?

I'm confused now...

[Tackyhillbillu]

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Readying Maneuvers is terminology from the ToB. It means that you put them in the list you are capable of using. Recovery is the term used to indicate that you regain maneuvers that were expended.

All it is saying is that Maneuvers that you sub in are ready to be used.

[DrakeRaids]

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But here is another Q&A Customer service respones where they said that is lets you regain them too... Its in the spoilers, under feats.


Q The Adaptive Style feat in Tome of Battle allows you to change your readied maneuvers as a full round action rather than spending five minutes to do so. Does this...

A) Allow a martial adept to regain and change all of their maneuvers with a single full round action

or

B) Allow them to change the maneuver that is readied in their unexpended "slots".

A Adaptive Style will actually let you perform option A) from your list. So as a full round action, you can choose a new set of readied maneuvers, and in doing so, reset all of your maneuvers. I hope that clears things up. Have fun and good gaming![/SBLOCK]Adaptive Style [feat] - multiclass adept maneuver Recovery

If it doesn't work like I thought can I please switch it out far another feat? there are some things I can use much more then that if it doesn't let me regain.

[ghostaxe]

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Hm, in light of the Q&A from Customer Services, and also my general interpretation, I will rule the following:

Whenever you take a full round action to change maneuvers, all of the *new* maneuvers that you switched to are readied/recovered for the current encounter. It does not affect maneuvers you do not swap.

So if you expend Shadow Jaunt and Cloak of Deception and Burning Blade, you can recover all 3 in 2 full rounds by switching them out and then back in. (Of course, for maximum efficiency you may want to expend the 3 new ones before switching back.)

I hope this is an acceptable compromise. If not, feel free to switch to another feat.

When all of you have finished discussing and grabbing weapons, you walk back into the training area, where Lu Bu is waiting. Seeing you all properly armed and dressed, Lu Bu nods to you and adopts a defensive stance. "The time will begin whenever you make your first move."



Round 1:

DM:

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Lu Bu Will Save: (1d20+15)[28]

Fei Zhao casts his spell, and shouts out "Drop your weapon!" Lu Bu snorts in disgust and ignores the spell.

Liang Xiu, Tianlu Li, and Hu Kaiheng are up to move.

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No need for initiative. However, please still state movement using the grid, as that determines flanking, etc.

[DrakeRaids]

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Alright Ghost, I think I understand, and tthat'll work well enough for me.

Also, you guys go ahead and hit him, then Xiu will go in with island of blade so we all get flanking bonus, and hit him with emerald razor CoD combo. Heres hopin for a early end.

[Zjackrum]

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Holy **** a +15 Will save? Even with Iron Will and other such feats, that makes Lu Bu a - what, level 30 fighter? Just... Wow. Unless he's got really amazing magical armor. Damn cheater offering us "masterwork" weapons... I cant wait to see what his AC is.

[ghostaxe]

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Er... Lu Bu isn't a straight fighter. He's multiclassed into 5 different classes. He's the strongest NPC in this game for a reason you know. And yes, he has good gear.

And you shouldn't be reading things tagged DM.

EDIT: Liang Xiu, you do realize Emerald Razor converts a normal attack to a Touch attack, right? It doesn't lower his touch AC at all, and the goal is to be able to hit his touch AC...

[DrakeRaids]

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Er... Lu Bu isn't a straight fighter. He's multiclassed into 5 different classes. He's the strongest NPC in this game for a reason you know. And yes, he has good gear.

And you shouldn't be reading things tagged DM.

EDIT: Liang Xiu, you do realize Emerald Razor converts a normal attack to a Touch attack, right? It doesn't lower his touch AC at all, and the goal is to be able to hit his touch AC...

Yeah, but if I got into Cloak of Deception at the beginning of my turn it will count as a flatfooted touch attack, right?

[ghostaxe]

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He's denied his DEX bonus when he's flat-footed, unless he has Uncanny Dodge. He would be flat-footed if he can't see invisible and you use CoD.

The Emerald Razor just makes it so that you actually do damage if you hit his touch AC, rather than his normal AC. If he is flat-footed, both his flat-footed touch AC and flat-footed AC go down. But your goal is only to touch him, which means that with him flat-footed, you only need to hit his flat-footed touch AC. So I didn't really understand the point of Emerald Razor, unless you're actually trying to damage/kill Lu Bu here.

[DrakeRaids]

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Alright, just CoD then.

[DrakeRaids]

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Psych. I talked with some wiser heads then mine, and they suggested I drop it for Shadow Blade. Edited sheet accordingly.

Edit: I don't want to push it, but can I change my base stats around a bit too now?

[ghostaxe]

Liang Xiu:

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That's fine if you rebuild. Just try to keep it mostly consistent with what has happened before.

Tianlu and Hu Kaiheng:

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Uh.. I think Liang Xiu is waiting for the both of you to make your attacks..

[Tackyhillbillu]

Hu Kaiheng

Kai shrugged, supposing he'd be the first one to go. He pulled out the Potion of Bulls strength and drank it down quickly.

"Well, let's see what happens."

Kai unsheathed his Greatsword. He trusted it more then any of the Weapons in Lu Bu's armory. He just shrugged, and charged at Lu Bu, covering the ground between them swiftly.

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I don't know which number I am, but Kai charges at Lu Bu.

(1d20+14)[26] To hit. Not rolling anything else, cause it doesn't matter, right?

[ghostaxe]

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Kai is #1, Tianlu is #2, Liang Xiu is #3, and Fei Zhao is #4. These will be your permanent numbers for all map-based encounters, so please remember it!

Lu Bu contorts his body a little, and your attack fails to connect with anything solid.



Tianlu is up to go.

(Initiative order is Fei Zhao > Hu Kaiheng > Tianlu > Liang Xiu, by your characters' requests/delays.)

[Steilos]

Chen Zhi
OOC: Somehow, somehow I did not spot this thread. Somehow, by all that is unholy, I did not see this. Ah well. Rectified now.

Chen, having not done much at all, now began to think about what had happened over the last few days, more specifically asking around for information on several who had interested him during his travels.

DM:

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How many Gather Info Checks could I have made in the time since the thread started?

[ghostaxe]

Chen Zhi:

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It's still the first full game day after you get to Luoyang. It's 4pm currently, and assuming Chen Zhi got up at 8a, that gives him enough time for 3 Gather Info checks. They're trying to pass Lu Bu's test right now, you'll be in the inn when they finish and return there.

[DrakeRaids]

Liang Xiu

And so it begins. Xiu stood absolutly still and entered her state of cool calm, focusing for a moment before opening her eyes. Then, suddenly, she sprang into motion, loping gracefully toward Lu Bu, and then, seeming to vanish, like an actor stepping behind a screen, one moment she was there, another, just air.

That only lasted for a moment, but a moment was enough, in the blink of an eye she was beside Lu Bu, darting under his guard and darting a thin shortsword under his guard.

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Flatfooted Touch attack:(1d20+9)[24]

There is no way on gods green earth he has a natural AC of 24. Its just not possible.

[Tackyhillbillu]

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Oh ye of little faith.

[ghostaxe]

Round 1:

Initiative changed. It's now Fei Zhao > Hu Kaiheng > Liang Xiu > Tianlu Li.

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Please describe mechanically what you do, for future reference. I'm assuming this is Cloak of Deception + a charge attack.

Liang Xiu, as you dart in, invisible for the attack, you see that Lu Bu is indeed caught off his guard. However, a split second before your attack hits his armor, you feel an magical force deflect your weapon away.