Despair and Wisdom: Imperial March

Theme: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r2CRLDMqeSI


Unable to restrain itself any longer, the commander of the Shadowlands forces enters the fray. While it is a fearsome foe in itself, if it can be killed, then its army will falter and fail.

All PCs participating in this stage will roll Initiative, as will the enemy commander. Combat will ensue as normal. Keep in mind, however, that if the kansen do not play fair, the Shadowlands’ chosen belie the fact of rules themselves. This will not be an easy fight, and survival is decidedly not guaranteed.

Owing to Dangerous Terrain (Core 267), PCs take Fatigue equal to the Strife showing on their kept dice. Owing to Defiled Terrain (Core 267), each PC acting in this stage must make a TN 2 Fitness or Meditation check, with failure imposing the Afflicted condition (Core 271). (Tainted beings reduce the TNs of their checks to resist effects by 1 while in Defiled Terrain.) Owing to Obscuring Terrain (Core 267), visibility is limited to Range 2 (TN adjustment is already factored into rolls for this event).

This Stage is successfully completed once the Legion kills or otherwise incapacitates the enemy commander.

Will need your Initiative, TN to hit you, current Endurance, current Composure, and current Void, please.

Will also need your Fitness or Meditation check result.

Everybody's starting at Range 2.

Going to give this some time to populate before closing and kicking it off. When the commander posts, things will begin.

Unscathed, though not overconfident, after her encounter with the goblin Mukai rides out to hold the line against this newest threat. Trusting in her jade and in her loyal steed she prepares for battle.


(D8, Commander Battle: Tactics/Water for Initiative - starts in Water Stance | TN: 1 | Success: 2 / Opportunity: 1 / Strife: 1


1 Opportunity to remove 2 Strife, 1 Strife from roll (Net -1 for 5/12)
Fatigue due to kept Strife soaked by armor

D8, Commander Battle - Defiled Terrain: Rolling Survival in place of Fitness while Mounted, Survival/Water | TN: 2 | Success: 2 / Opportunity: 1 / Strife: 2


1 Opportunity to remove 2 Strife (5/12)
Fatigue due to Strife soaked by armor


Mukai is not Afflicted
Initiative Value: 7
Endurance 0/12
Composure 5/12
Void Points: 1
TN: 2
Armor: Physical 3)

The Kitsuki was feeling the stress of the conflict, but he was determined to help however he could. Sword in hand he approached what appeared to be the final battle.

- - -
Stage 4: Kill the Commander, Fitness (Water) | TN: 2 | Success: 4 / Opportunity: 0 / Strife: 1
Not Afflicted

Stage 4: Kill the Commander, Initiative, Tactics (Water), Focus 4 | TN: 1 | Success: 3 / Opportunity: 0 / Strife: 1
Should have kept the other die...

Edogawa is not Afflicted
Initiative Value: 7
Endurance 0/8*
Composure 4/10
Void Points: 1/2
TN: 2
Armor: Traveling Clothes (Physical 2)

*Did not realize Armor soaked the Strife Fatigue he previously took.

Though his armor was no longer pristine (goblin blood will do that), Hametsu had managed to tear his eyes away from the mess at the right moment to spot the arrival of the commander. He knew his duty was to defeat the enemy. And he also knew that one defeats the enemy by concentrating the greatest force at the crucial point. That point was over there, and so he strung his bow and picked his way across the field to do or die.

D6 Combats: Kill the Commander Initiative. Tactics/Water | TN: 1 | Success: 2 / Opportunity: 2 / Strife: 2


Spending 2 opportunities to remove 4 strife.

Armor (r4) soaks damage

D6 Combat: Kill the Commander. Fitness/Earth roll to account for terrain | TN: 2 | Success: 2 / Opportunity: 0 / Strife: 1


Armor (r4) soaks damage. Hametsu is not Afflicted.

Initiative: 7
TN to be Hit: 2
Composure: 3/12
Endurance: 0/10
Void Points: 1

Yoshiko was called to arms when the battle was about to get worse. The towering Hida moved to the new orders given by the command. She readied herself to be the mountain and the wall needed to restrain the commander of the enemy force.

//
Not afflicted. Rolls in PF
Init=7
Endurance: 0/10
Composure: 4/12
Focus: 3
Vigilance: 2

After his headlong charge into the enemy ranks, Daidoji Nobu found himself in sight of the enemy command post. The big Crane breathed hard with the exertion; his armor bore many nicks and dings from the battle. Glancing around, he saw several other comrades nearby. Nobu nodded to his friends, then raised his gleaming naginata into a ready position.

—
8EA Commander stage, Initiative Water/Tactics TN1 | TN: 1 | Success: 2 / Opportunity: 2 / Strife: 1

+2 to Initiative, 2 water opportunities to remove 2 fatigue. +1 strife; armor absorbs dangerous terrain

8EA Commander stage, Resist Defiled Terrain Water/Fitness TN2 | TN: 2 | Success: 3 / Opportunity: 2 / Strife: 2

Succeeds (no taint), 1 water opportunity to remove 1 fatigue, 1 water opportunity to remove 2 strife. +2 strife; armor absorbs dangerous terrain.

Initiative 6, Void (1/2), Fatigue (0/8), Strife (3/12), TN to be hit 2

Masayuki returns the nod to Nobu and readies his tetsubo to meet the oncoming leader. "That's the one we need to take down, Daidoji-sama!"

Intiative | TN: ? | Success: 1 / Opportunity: 3 / Strife: 1



Fitness | TN: 2 | Success: 5 / Opportunity: 1 / Strife: 3

Earth Stance to account for terrain
Using all opportunities for both rolls to negate strife

Masayuki is not afflicted
Initiative: 5
TN to be Hit: 2
Composure: 4/10
Endurance: 5/12
Void Points remaining: 1

Armor soaks 4

Suddenly, he is there, his rotting flesh stinking, bloody armor showing hints of blue where it is not scarred or besmeared with brains and bile and worse.

He draws his katana and moves in...

~~~~~

Initiative 10, https://sakkaku.org/r/14363
Affliction irrelevant; he's already Lost
TN to Be Hit 2 (Armored, Wargear)
Strife: 0/?
Fatigue: 0/?
Begins in Water Stance

Looks like the turn order will be

Kippei 10
Mukai 7
Yoshiko 7
Edogawa 7
Hametsu 7
Nobu 6
Masayuki 5

Ties scored by Honor (low to high, per RAW), then by Status (high to low), then by Glory (high to low), per signatures

...and with gratuitous speed, he stands before the big Daidoji, snarling with fetid breath and unnaturally good dentition.

His katana, ichor-stained, swings in a wide arc, connecting solidly with the Crane's midsection, just above the hips.

"Suffer!"

~~~~~
Kippei moves one range band to close with Daidoji Nobu (https://sakkaku.org/r/14364), no check required.
Attack with katana on Nobu, TN 2, succeeds with 4/1/3; spends opp to eat 2 Strife for 4/0/1 net (https://sakkaku.org/r/14365)
Inflicts 6 damage on Nobu
Range 1 with Nobu, now just into Range 3 from everybody else
~~~~~
Initiative 10
Affliction irrelevant; he's already Lost
TN to Be Hit 2 (Armored, Wargear)
Strife: 1/?
Fatigue: 1/?
Still in Water Stance

Hachiko, barely needing prompting from her rider after all these years, moves just enough to keep their foe in eyesight amid the swirling fog. From her quiver, most of which are fletched in white, Mukai draws forth an arrow that instead bears bright green feathers. Feathers that match the head of jade that now glows in the darkness. She did not like using such a precious resource but the enemy commander seemed a worthy prize for it.

Not able to risk such an item on trickery and stunts she instead focuses, breathes, and launches it true to bite deep into the foe through any protections it might have had.

(Free move to keep 2 range bands between her and foe

D8 - Commander Battle, Round 1: Martial Arts Ranged/Water, school ability to reduce TN by 1, Void to Seize the Moment, jade yajiri | TN: 1 | Success: 6 / Opportunity: 0 / Strife: 2


2 Strife (7/12) causes 2 Fatigue soaked by armor

Yumi due to range 2 restriction, jade yajiri adds Sacred quality: 5 + 5 Bonus Successes = 10 Damage that ignores all Resistance of Tainted target

Endurance 0/12
Composure 7/12
Void Points: 0
TN: 2
Armor: Physical 3)

The arrow bites deeply, although it loses some of its force from the armor that yet hangs upon Kippei's suppurating body. A roar of pain leaves its mouth, putrescent in Nobu's face.

~~~~~
Range 1 with Nobu, Range 2 from Mukai, just into Range 3 from everybody else
~~~~~
Initiative 10
Affliction irrelevant; he's already Lost
TN to Be Hit 2 (Armored, Wargear)
Strife: 1/?
Fatigue: 8/?
Still in Water Stance

Yoshiko moved closer to the commander of the enemy and gave it a swing to the creature with her tetsubo.

//D8 Event Kill the Commander Round 1 Martial arts [Melee] water Cumbersome Tetsubo | TN: 3 | Success: 4 / Opportunity: 1 / Strife: 2

Opportunity to lower strife by 2
Damage 7
Init=7
Endurance: 0/10
Composure: 4/12
Focus: 3
Vigilance: 2

Edogawa watched the others engage the imposing creature. Their assault was brutal, but the Dragon did not doubt that the enemy would retaliate. The continuing battle around them had left clouds of fine dust drifting and swirling around them. It would be easy to lose sight of the commander if they moved too far away from him.

But, that should be true for their opponent as well, especially if they moved with the dust storm. Edogawa motioned for the others of the Fourth Kaisha to follow his lead, hoping the Unicorn would understand the signals. If they repositioned themselves, they'd be able to use the terrain to their advantage.

- - -
Stage 4: Kill the Commander, Round 1, Slippery Maneuvers, Command (Water), Targeting all allies | TN: 2 | Success: 3 / Opportunity: 0 / Strife: 2

Success: During a skirmish, choose a position containing terrain that you
can see. Each target may immediately move 1 range band toward it. Attack checks targeting any of your targets inside the terrain treat the terrain as having the Obscuring terrain quality. This effect persists until the end of the scene.

Edogawa is not Afflicted
Initiative Value: 7
Endurance 0/8
Composure 6/10
Void Points: 1/2
TN: 2
Armor: Traveling Clothes (Physical 2)

Having followed Edogawa to more favorable ground, Hametsu turned about and saw the monster's assault on his fellow Crane. He drew himself up to his full height, resplendent in his armor, and cried out at Kippei with iron in his voice.

"You have raised your sword against the Emperor's own! Desist, or know his fury!"

Then, with a nod toward Mukai, he drew and nocked his first arrow.

-----------------------
Hametsu follows Edogawa's signal.

D6 Boss Battle round 1: Civility Foremost. Command/Earth tn=Kippei's Vigilance. Speaking in Silence adds 2 opportunity. | TN: ? | Success: 3 / Opportunity: 1 / Strife: 3


Well, I hope his Vigilance is 3 or less! Effect=if Kippei continues to attack Nobu, he incurs 3 strife+any bonus successes.

Spending 1 opportunity to reassure Mukai, allowing her to reduce her strife by 2.
Spending 2 opportunity to reduce my own strife.

Tacking to Air stance next round.

Endurance: 0/10
Composure: 4/12

Nobu grunted at the impact of the enemy’s blade, but his armor and his rolls of fat absorbed the brunt of the damage. The Iron Crane channeled his pain and fury into a fierce battle cry as he raised his grandfather’s naginata high, then delivered a powerful cut with deadly accuracy.

—
Nobu received 6 damage - 4 armor = 2 fatigue.

8EA Commander round 1, attack with naginata Water/Martial Arts (Melee) TN2 with Bishamon’s Blessing, Seize the Moment | TN: 2 | Success: 3 / Opportunity: 2 / Strife: 3

Succeeds with 1 bonus success. Use 2 opportunity for critical hit. Should deal 6+1+6 = 13 damage. Sacred weapon reduces the commander’s physical resistance.

Not sure if moving into Edogawa's Slippery Maneuvers means moving away from the commander - if it's possible to benefit from the fog cloud without leaving melee, Nobu will move into it; otherwise he'll stay put.

Nobu is in Water stance. Void (0/2). Fatigue (2/8). Strife (6/12).

Between the blows of the towering Crab and the pillar of Crane before him, Kippei falls to his knees. What drips from him is not blood, or not just blood; it steams as it falls to the dust, and a layer of choking ammoniac stink is added to the foul air.

~~~~~
Range 1 with Nobu, Range 2 from Mukai and Yoshiko, Range 3 from everybody else
~~~~~
Initiative 10
Affliction irrelevant; he's already Lost
TN to Be Hit 2 (Armored, Wargear)
Strife: 1/?
Fatigue: 22/?, Incapacitated
Still in Water Stance

Seeing Nobu's hit, Masayuki steps to the commander and delivers his blow with Lady Sun. "For the Empire!"

Killing the Commander | TN: 2 | Success: 4 / Opportunity: 0 / Strife: 2


Fire stance 6 damage

Composure 6/10
Endurance 5/12

Whatever flaws or failings or memories of older days might have prevailed before, as Masayuki's tetsubo comes crashing down, deflecting slightly off of the remnants of the kabuto on the commander's head--which shows a dark blue where the weapon scores through clinging viscera--but still driving the contemptible face into the ground.

The thing yet twitches, fingers clenching, legs struggling as if to stand on their own, but it is clear that it is not aware of itself or its surroundings.

~~~~~
Range 2 from Nobu, Masayuki, Mukai and Yoshiko; Range 3 from everybody else

Resists critical hit despite misread TN, https://sakkaku.org/r/14373, 3/2/1, using 1 Opp to remove 2 Strife and 1 Opp to remove 2 Fatigue; severity reduced to 0

I think.
~~~~~
Initiative 10
Affliction irrelevant; he's already Lost
TN to Be Hit 2 (Armored, Wargear)
Strife: 0/?
Fatigue: 20/?, Incapacitated, Unconscious
Would still be in Water Stance

Mukai should be up.