[004] A Call to Retribution

[Marullus]

I need actions for Amano Daitaro, Satake Taka. Dropping a PM to check in.

[Samwell Turleton]

Daitaro Amano

Daitaro peers out from the side of the shrine down on the traveling wagon. He aims an arrow at the body of the nearest animal hauling the cart forward. He thinks that stopping their forward progress and disabling the cart on the bridge will create some disorder and slow down the two guards on either side of the cart. He looses a willow leaf arrow and hears the thud and bellow of the animal. He looks on as he pulls another willow leaf arrow from the dirt and readies it in his bow.

Daitaro Arrow [1d20]=5
Am I understanding correctly that it would be Short Range 31-60 with a Man Rating 2 and Long Range of 61-120 with a Man Rating 2. It is either no modifier or a -4 BCS modifier and -2 Man Rating. I rolled damage twice in case it is relevant for the 2 man rating damage at short range.
Willow Leaf Damage [1d6]=5
Willow Leaf Damage [1d6]=1

Satake Taka

Taka is going to hold her action and try to remain concealed. She doesn't want to be immediately recognized if the ambush is not going in their favor. She tries to calm her breathing as she anticipates she will call upon her skills as a Shugenja and wants to be able to feel a connection to the trees and river around her.

Sorry for the slow response time everyone! I am looking forward to getting back into this and will make sure to do a little better as we keep on going!

[jemmus]

Damage is 1d6 per man-rating. So for Daitaro's bow, 2d6. But if you're at point blank range (2-10 yds for a dai-kyu), add +1 man-rating. So 3d6. That's the way we've sorted it out along the way, at least. (Book 1, p. 11). Bows are really powerful in Bushido. In the other game, we've been adding the character Strength damage bonus also. Not everyone agreed about that, since arguably the characters Strength is covered by the man-rating of the bow he can use.

Shooting a dai-kyu is a Basic action and can't be done as a Secondary action. So only one dai-kyu shot is allowed per turn. (Book 1, p. 61) I suppose that kind of balances bows vs. handheld weapons. One big damage attack vs. 2-3 lower damage attacks.

WB!

[Samwell Turleton]

If it were considered long range it would reduce the man rating by -2 to a minimum of 1, is how I read it. I am assuming this is not a long range distance and I rolled the 2d6 for damage but I did it separately just in case. Does that approach make sense!? Hopefully, these bows won't be cursed like the last batch.

What is the distance of a square on the map Marullus?

Happy to be back in some small capacity!

[Marullus]

The squares are roughly two yards. (The map grid and the measurement grid are slightly different). I have it in a Roll20 map so I can do real measurement, though, and give you answers.

Dataro is 36 yards from the lead horse and 45 yards from the rear guard. So, he's safely in the Short Range for all shots.

[Marullus]

Hit Points	Power	Turn Order
Satake Motoyuki 30 / 30 Satake no Taka 9 / 9 Daitaro no Amano 19 / 19 Kamine no Zenrin 15 / 15 Saizo 22 / 22 Keiso 15 / 15	Taka 38 / 38 Keiso 39 / 39	Phase 12: Saizo (Base Action) Phase 10: Satake Motoyuki (Base Action), Kamine no Zenrin (Base Action), Guards (Base Action) Phase 7: Daitaro no Amano (Base Action) Phase 6: Saizo (Primary Action) Phase 5: Satake Motoyuki (Secondary Action), Daitaro no Amano (Secondary Action), Kamine no Zenrin (Secondary Action), Guards (Secondary Action) Phase 3: Keiso (Base Action), Satake no Taka (Base Action) Phase 2: Daitaro no Amano (Secondary Action) Phase 1: Keiso (Secondary Action)

---

Turn 1, Bonus Action
When the cart rolls by and the last yakuza passes him, Saizo rises from the bushes and a length of his manrikigusari spins. He quietly approaches Kogataro from behind and strikes to entangle. The smug merchant, walking ahead of the wagon and its plume of dust, registers the shocked look on his face just before the long chain winds around him. He tips over sidways, totally imobilized and, though wriggling, unable to even loosen the bonds.

"Get him!" he screams, his face reddening.

When the cart rolls by and the last yakuza passes him, Saizo rises from the bushes and a length of his manrikigusari spins. He quietly approaches the man from behind and strikes to entangle.

Base Action - Silent Kill, BCS 6 (get no modifier for facing) [1d20]=9 (Silent Kill is only possible if the opponent is surprised).

Primary Action (Saizo has Zanshin 2) - Manrikigusari entangle attack, BC 13 + 10 rear facing = 23. [1d20]=11 Effect number is 12, 12 Restrictions. (Unless the target changes facing before Saizo's second action; then the effect number would be different. Damage [1d5]=3
Entangle
The Entangle attack is an attempt to subdue an opponent. If the
attacker makes his BCS roll, the target is considered entangled
unless the target can make a Speed Saving Throw. If the Saving
Throw is made, the target suffers Restrictions equal to the attacker’s
Effect Number.

Hit with the chain, he gets a Speed ST:
Kogataro Speed ST (BCS 5) [1d20]=18
...fails.

Silent Kill
If the attack hits, it is automatically a Critical Success! If the attack
fails, the victim is no longer surprised (startled yes, surprised no). If
the Silent Kill attack fails, the Ninja may roll again on his Raw BCS in
the attacking Bugei. Success in this roll inflicts a normal hit on the
target. Critical Success or Failure on this second roll have no special
effect.

So, th Silent Kill misses as the bonus action, but you get to roll again with the normal Bugei immediately on the Silent Kill miss. The Entangle hits on the bonus action but without the critical success, inflicting 12 restrictions and 3hp damage.

The attacker may attempt to completely subdue the target by
thoroughly wrapping him up. Once the target is entangled, the
attacker, on each available Primary Action Phase, may accumulate
Effect Numbers from his Base BCS. Once the Effect Numbers total
10, the target is totally subdued and incapable of attacking or
breaking free.

So, with 12 effect, you've exeeded 10, and he is totally bound and incapable of attempting escape!

Turn 1, Phase 12
The merchant Kogataro totally immobilized, Saizo glances only briefly at the two adjacent guards, offering each a perfunctory nod, before he darts back into the thick underbrush. He winds the chain around his arm as he goes, reeling it in and dragging the struggling and cursing merchant into the forest. Kogataro disappears from sight but continues shouting curses and orders to his men from within the overgrown woodline...

You achieved your whole goal on the first turn. Your chain is occupied by keeping him entangled and you have a guard in striking distance at your side facing and at your rear facing:

Shrine Fight 1-12.JPG (70.1 KiB) Viewed 790 times

So, your two main options with this as a Base Action are to move (dragging the merchant into the woods with you) and/or parry (allowing jujutsu counterattacks):

The use of the Parry Option with Jujutsu has a unique form. No
addition is made to the Armor Class of the user. Whenever an
attacker fails in his attack against the user, the attacker is subject to
an immediate attack by the user if the attacker is inside the user's
range. The user's attack receives a positive modifier equal to the
absolute value of the attacker's Effect Number for the failed attack.

Having the good fortune of incapacitating your kidnapping target early, I'm going to assume you choose to ninja-style escape with him. (Though the Jujutsu parry is a sweet option if you hadn't been this lucky.) You are not yet engaged so can choose the Run action to double your movement to 14. I then cut it in half for dragging your incapacitated foe. (I don't see any Bushido rule for this, but the 5e rule works fine here.) With 7 yards movement you can run back into the woods, dragging him with you by the chain, so both end up concealed in the brush.

Turn 1, Phase 10
Zen monk Zenrin, defender of the Buddha's temple and believers, finds himself in the woods, about to ambush a yakuza. He cannot guess how the causation of karma and law of dharma have converged the parties in this point in space and time. It is not for him to judge.

When the merchant and first guard have passed by, Saizo's chain flies forward and entangles the merchant, springing the trap. The sohei steps forward out of the treeline and swiftly snaps the long blade of his naginata at the front guard who still stands in shock behind where the merchant just was. The guard's wakizashi never clears its sheath as the powerful polearm guts him from navel to nape like a fresh-caught trout (-24). The man is dead before his pieces hit the ground. Despite his pondering about moral ambivalence, the pious monk feels the weight of this murder on his soul.

Attacking the yakuza on the north side of the wagon. BCS 17, + 5 side attack = 22. -1 for Second Strike = 21. If target is surprised, +1, = 22.[1d20]=1 Damage [2d6+2]=6+2=8 Crit success [1d10]=4 Triple damage.

Butt stroke (second strike) - BCS 1/2 = 10 or 11, depending on if the yakuza was surprised. [1d20]=11 Damage [1d3+2]=1+2=3

The Yakuza is still surprised until he acts, but the butt stroke isn't necessary. The triple damage main blow more than did the job. I believe, though, that your Second Strike halves the base BCS before the situational modifiers, so it would be 17/2 = 8 +5 side attack +1 surprise = BCS 14. If the Yakuza has an AC 3 or less (which is a level 1 character in winter clothing, which you all wear), it would hit.

Pious laymen will be liable to incurring Sin or Pollution just as
Gakusho are. Each such Sin/Pollution will reduce their effective
Level by 1 in using the benefits of Piety. If the effective Level in this
regard is reduced to 0, they lose all such benefits.
...
Buddhist Gakusho of any kind must observe the following vows or
suffer a Sin.
—May not eat meat (fish permitted)
—Avoid needless violence
—Avoid killing (for any reason)
—Temple Clergy are celibate
—Avoid gluttony and drunkenness
Major sins, very serious in their effects, include:
—Rape
—Defiling Holy Place
—Murder (by treachery, as opposed to killing in self-defense)
Any Sin reduces the Gakusho's Religious Power by 1 Major Sins
reduce it to 0 at once.

Following a ninja into an ambush and slaying an unarmed man with surprise is pretty firmly "Murder by treachery." As a Major Sin, he will find that calling upon his Pious Layman abilities (p.48) will fail to work until he is purified in a temple.

Seeing their companion dead on the road is enough to snap the remaining three guards from their shock at seeing their employer abruptly whisked into the forest right before their eyes. They draw their wakazashi first, warily eying the Sohei warrior that stands in the road before them.

Caught flat-footed, they need to draw weapons before they charge. Otherwise they could charge and use the laijutsu for their attack, but I'm ruling that the Yakuza aren't trained in that skill. They COULD charge with Sumai, but given this guy just murdered their companion, they're preparing for lethal intent.

Turn 1, Phase 7
Daitaro peers out from the side of the shrine down on the traveling wagon. He aims an arrow at the body of the nearest animal hauling the cart forward. He thinks that stopping their forward progress and disabling the cart on the bridge will create some disorder and slow down the two guards on either side of the cart. He looses a willow leaf arrow and hears the thud and bellow of the animal (-7). The horse rears in pain, the arrow sunk to the fletching in its chest, a grave wound. The horse rears in panic, trying to buck out of the harness and flee backwards as it continues to make bellows of pain and fear. The cart driver, not expecting to become involved, is now also wide-eyed with fear as one horse bucks violently within its harnesses, the other horse spooks with it, and the entire cart threatens to lurch off the bridge...

Daitaro is using a Han-Kyu, not a Dai-kyu, so can fire with primary actions instead of base actions. His Zanshin is currently 1 (his Will+Speed+Deftness is 50, and would need 60 to have a Zanshin 2) so he can fire two shots a round beginning at 3rd level, not second.

His Strength of 21 is exactly enough to get him a Man-Rating 2 Han-Kyu bow, so his shots roll 2d6 damage. His short range is 21-50, which covers everything in this encounter given his positioning on the high ground above the shrine. He has a +1 damage from his Strength score, and does add that to his damage rolls with the bow. So, his willow leaf arrow does 2d6+1. He rolled a 7, and the horse had 8 hit points... I'm triggering the horses flight response.

I will have the cart driver make a roll to save the the cart and anyone on the bridge will need to make a save to not get knocked off by the cart's turning.

Next up, Turn 1, Phase 6! See turn order above.

Turn 1, Phase 2
Taka tries to calm her breathing as she anticipates she will call upon her skills as a Shugenja and wants to be able to feel a connection to the trees and river around her.

Feasible to have her use the Observe Situation action if you don't have another purpose.

Taisho remains kneeling in prayer at the shrine, a curiousity to the merchants before, now forgotten in the sudden assault.

Including your waiting here... you can decide an actual action when you are reached in turn order.

Shrine Fight 1-7.JPG (121.41 KiB) Viewed 790 times

[jemmus]

Hears how I read the second strike rules (p. 64).
-Both attacks are at -1 to BCS.
-The first attack is at full BCS, -1.
-The second attack is at half BCS, -1.

In the cover of foliage, Saizo crouches by the prone and entangled merchant. Rather than risking leaving the man unguarded, he observes the fighting and leaves it to the bushi, shugenja, and sohei, for now.

I'll post Zenrin's action later today. Noted about the sin effect.

[ffilz]

Keiso when he is able to move will scramble for cover in panic (only slightly faked).

[jemmus]

Zenrin charges past the twisting wagon to the yakuza at its southern side. He sweeps the long naginata at its ideal range, far beyond the reach of the gangster's short wakizashi.

BCS 17 +1 charging -3 AC winter clothing (I think) = 15 BCS. [1d20]=16 [2d6+2]=11+2=13

[Marullus]

Hit Points	Power	Turn Order
Satake Motoyuki 30 / 30 Satake no Taka 9 / 9 Daitaro no Amano 19 / 19 Kamine no Zenrin 15 / 15 Saizo 22 / 22 Keiso 15 / 15	Taka 38 / 38 Keiso 39 / 39	Phase 16: Draft horse (Base Action) Phase 12: Saizo (Base Action) Phase 10: Satake Motoyuki (Base Action), Kamine no Zenrin (Base Action), Guards (Base Action) Phase 7: Daitaro no Amano (Base Action) Phase 6: Saizo (Primary Action) Phase 5: Satake Motoyuki (Secondary Action), Daitaro no Amano (Secondary Action), Kamine no Zenrin (Secondary Action), Guards (Secondary Action) Phase 3: Keiso (Base Action), Satake no Taka (Base Action) Phase 2: Daitaro no Amano (Secondary Action) Phase 1: Keiso (Secondary Action)

---

I realized there are almost no possible actions because secondary actions don't have movement, so am rolling forward accordingly.

Turn 1, Phases 6 to 2
In the cover of foliage, Saizo crouches by the prone and entangled merchant. Rather than risking leaving the man unguarded, he observes the fighting and leaves it to the bushi, shugenja, and sohei, for now. His inquisitive eye turns to the captured young merchant, the son of the Yakuza Oyabun, as he struggles futilely against the well-entangled chain. The ninja is a keen observer of humans and their tells... it is obvious to him that the merchant is pressing his arm on his right side and twisting it away underneath him, trying to protect and conceal something he has there within his garments.

On the hill, Daitaro pulls and readies his second arrow, considering the situation as the horses rear and panic from his shot.

Zenrin stands impassively at the front of the cart, blood dripping from his long-bladed polearm as he stands above the body of the slain guard. The guards on either side of the wagon, wakizashi now in hand, take a defensive stance as they look between the potent warrior, the distant archer, and the now-panicking horses on the narrow bridge.

Keiso the Gakusha makes it off the edge of the shrine, taking cover at its forward edge, contemplating the forest beyond.

Saizo has a Primary Action on phase 6, and so is the only one who can really do a move or full action... he chooses not to, so I'll still allow an Observe action.
Saizo Observes (Wit ST BCS 5) [1d20]=4

Daitaro has two secondary actions (on 5 and 2), but without a higher zanshin he cannot use them to fire his shots. At this distance, there's no real secondary action that is truly applicable.

Zenrin desired an attack with his secondary action on phase 5, but he's 8 yards from either of his foes and there's no movement on the secondary action.

The guards also have a secondary action but no movement, so they brace themselves to parry until their next turn (phase 10).

Keiso has his base action on Phase 3 and runs for cover. He is limited by his BMA distance.

End of turn.

Turn 2, Phase 16
The wounded horse and his companion, sharing the wide-eyed panic, continue to rear and scream in terror. They lurch to the south, heedless of their harnesses, and try to flee away from the archer backwards off the bridge. As the wagon lurches and whips around after them, the horses are thrown off-balance. The wounded one is struck hard by the side of the wagon and falls unconscious, stumbling and collapsing right off the edge of the bridge. The dead weight of both horse and wagon pulls the second horse off as well, then the entire wagon and the helpless driver follow, careening off the side of the unrailed bridge.

As the wagon lurches wildly around, it catches both guards who are beside it, knocking them each off their own side of the bridge and into the stream below.

Turn 2, Phase 10
The third guard, who walked at the dusty rear, goes wide-eyed as he sees first his employer dissapear with a ninja faster than a blink and then the entire wagon and all guards go down into the lurch. He turns his back on both the sohei and the distant marksman and runs back the way he can as fast as his feet will carry him.

There is chaos in the stream below as the dead horse sinks, the living horse screams as it drowns in-harness. The driver swims clear of the overturned wagon and the two guards flail in water too deep for them to stand, their wakazashi lost in the water.

Horses are up first, since they've been drawn in. A horse has a BAP of 16, which means they have a Deftness 32, which is a save BCS 10.
Horse Saves (BCS 10) [1d20]=14[1d20]=10
With one fail and one barely pass, they careen off the edge of the unrailed bridge, causing the entire wagon to whip around and then follow them off into the river as well.

The two guards on the sides of the wagon need to also save or be knocked off. Because the horses failed, the guard behind the wagon and Zanrin are not affected.
Guard Saves (BCS 6) [1d20]=12[1d20]=10
Both guards knocked off.

Saizo skips his base turn.

Rear guard runs (BMA 5, 10 yards) He's now at 46 yards from Daitaro. He'll continue to run 10 yards per round (which I'll just add straight-line from here out). Zenrin has the same BMA, so will pace him but knows he won't fully close the distance to catch him. At 60 yards he gets cover and escapes.

The stream is only modest, 8-10 feet wide, but needed a bridge because it was too deep to ford, so it is also 10 feet deep at its center.

Zenrin and the guard go at the same time, and they start 14 yards apart. While the guard flees, I will let Zenrin state a new action that happens simultaneously. Then we resume with Daitaro Amano on Phase 7.

Shrine Fight 2-10.JPG (108.31 KiB) Viewed 762 times

[ffilz]

Isn't Daitaro using a Han-kyu? That allows a bow shot as a secondary action (Dai-kyu does not).

[Marullus]

]Dai-kyu is a Basic Action, so it is only once per turn ever, on your first Action, no matter your zanshin.

Han-kyu is a Primary Action so can be used according to your zanshin score. That's why we talked last post about Daitaro's zanshin.

Secondary actions are when you have more Action than Zanshin... they allow melee strikes at half-BCS but not archery.

[ffilz]

]Dai-kyu is a Basic Action, so it is only once per turn ever, on your first Action, no matter your zanshin.

Han-kyu is a Primary Action so can be used according to your zanshin score. That's why we talked last post about Daitaro's zanshin.

Secondary actions are when you have more Action than Zanshin... they allow melee strikes at half-BCS but not archery.

Ah ok. Hmm so to some extent it’s not worth using Han-kyu until your Zanshin is 2. Which pretty much takes being 3rd level unless you really aim for it…

[Marullus]

Mechanically, yes. Though logistically, you started at 2nd level and the cost of replacing your gear at 3rd level (instead of spending it on training) probably justifies starting with the han-kyu. Of course, if you get enough wealth to spend some real downtime, you might bump your Zanshin even at level 2.

IC, we need an action by Zanshin then Daitaro.

[Samwell Turleton]

Daitaro Amano

Daitaro sets his feet and lines his eye down the shaft of the arrow, anticipating the path of the retreating guard, and tries to find his mark. He looses an arrow in the path of the guard and it soars like a raptor diving towards its prey.

Daitaro Arrow [1d20]=9
Willow Leaf Damage [1d6]=3
Willow Leaf Damage [1d6]=5

[Marullus]

IC, we need an action by Zanshin then Daitaro.

...I meant Zenrin.

[jemmus]

Shooting the horse was effective!

Zenrin's most recent posted action was intended to be his primary action this turn. (I goofed and forgot about his secondary action). Can we change so that he attacks a yakuza in the water?
If not....

Zenrin dashes to the edge of the river near the criminals. Throw your weapons onto the bank.

Saizo says through the black cotton cloth covering his face below the eyes, What have got there, merchant-san? He restrains the merchant's hand and looks at the object to identify it.

[Marullus]

Yes - You can reach the Yakuza on the north side and reach him with your polearm to kill him as he struggles against water. I already adjudicated past your last roll, so I'll ask you to make a new one. (Which is good for you, since it failed anyway.)

[jemmus]

Zenrin is momentarily indecisive, but thinks, "The snake you leave alive today may poison someone tomorrow." He slashes at the man in the water.

Naginata BCS 17 Possible modifiers - Elevated position +1, passive target +5 [1d20]=13 [2d6+2]=7+2=9

[Marullus]

Hit Points	Power	Turn Order
Satake Motoyuki 30 / 30 Satake no Taka 9 / 9 Daitaro no Amano 19 / 19 Kamine no Zenrin 15 / 15 Saizo 22 / 22 Keiso 15 / 15	Taka 38 / 38 Keiso 39 / 39	Phase 16: Draft horse (Base Action) Phase 12: Saizo (Base Action) Phase 10: Satake Motoyuki (Base Action), Kamine no Zenrin (Base Action), Guards (Base Action) Phase 7: Daitaro no Amano (Base Action) Phase 6: Saizo (Primary Action) Phase 5: Satake Motoyuki (Secondary Action), Daitaro no Amano (Secondary Action), Kamine no Zenrin (Secondary Action), Guards (Secondary Action) Phase 3: Keiso (Base Action), Satake no Taka (Base Action) Phase 2: Daitaro no Amano (Secondary Action) Phase 1: Keiso (Secondary Action)

---

Turn 2, Phase 10
Zenrin is momentarily indecisive, but thinks, "The snake you leave alive today may poison someone tomorrow." He slashes at the man in the water. His long polearm cuts the deeply into the man's shoulder as he struggles to swim. (-9) The yakuza cries out in pain, looking up wide-eyed at the sohei monk.

Turn 2, Phase 7
Daitaro sets his feet and lines his eye down the shaft of the arrow, anticipating the path of the retreating guard, and tries to find his mark. He looses an arrow in the path of the guard and it soars like a raptor diving towards its prey. The shot strikes true on the fleeing man, the arrow piercing him through his back. (-8) He stumbles, but recovers and continues to run.

Turn 2, Phase 6
Saizo says through the black cotton cloth covering his face below the eyes, What have got there, merchant-san? He restrains the merchant's hand and reaches into the man's robes to find the hidden object. He finds a scroll-case, a small sheaf of papers within.

Turn 2, Phase 5
Zanrin's blade comes back to finish its purpose, slicing across the man's neck. (-8) The river water slicks with red as the yakuza's mouth moves like a carp, looking up at the sohei and ceasing his struggle. His floats downstream under the bridge and then sinks beneath the water.

Continuing the course of action...
Naginata BCS 17/2 Possible modifiers - Elevated position +1, passive target +5 (BCS 14) [1d20]=11 [2d6+2]=6+2=8

Turn 2, Phase 3
From a distance, Keiso and Taka watch their companions complete the bloody work.

Both too far to physically act, but you may add speech or color.

Turn 3, Phase 16
The horse's screams continue, helpless as the dead weight of its companion drags it down, still in harness. The wagon has dissappeared below the stream, an anchor to the bottom.

Turn 3, Phase 12
Saizo unrolls the rice papers as the proud Kogataro struggles and curses at him on the ground. They are letters written in Hiragana, and by fortune the eta is literate. A cursory look identifies the first letter as being from Shoshen Makoto to Hidetoke Kiyomaru, a request form a worried father, requesting divination regarding his younger daughter - Shoshen Ari - and her imminent marriage to the samurai Tsuzawa Hoshii, for whom he suspects some turmoil and wishes sorcerous protection.

Turn 3, Phase 10
On the south side of the bridge, the other yakuza gasps for air, swimming clear of both the flailing horse and sinking wagon, but unable to find any handhhold to pull himself up on the steep muddy bank.

Yakuza strength ST [1d20]=12

The rear guard continues to run as fast as he can, not even pausing to remove the arrow that has pierced him, hoping instead to outpace the archer who threatens his life and reach the cover ahead....
(Now 56 yards from Daitaro.)

Actions again for Zenrin and then Daitaro. Zenrin can reach the other yakuza in the water with a charge if he chooses. This is Daitaro's last shot at the fleeing man before he escapes into the cover at 60 yards.