The Legion must cross the miles between East Hub Village and the Wall. While a fair bit of the lands between are settled and tamed, not all of them are, and while the size of the Legion under arms might well dissuade some attackers, its baggage train may prove to be an all-too-tempting target for many of the more desperate in the open lands between villages and between the Clans.
This event will consist of three rolls, all of which take place within a single time slot:
Advantages/Disadvantages on this step: Expert Tracker, Subtle Observer, Keen EyesightDetect the Bandit
The first step in keeping things safe is to see the danger. Roll Command, Meditation, Skulduggery, or Survival, TN 3 (Air 2, Void 2); success allows progress in the event, while failure lowers the Legion’s Strength by 2 as a bandit makes off with some provisions and / or equipment. Opportunities on this roll may be spent *only* on the General Examples uses listed in the Core Book, pg. 328.
Advantages/Disadvantages on this step: Quick ReflexesIntercept the Bandit
Seeing the bandit, the PC must get to the bandit to engage them. Roll Fitness or Martial Arts [Ranged], TN 3 (Air 2, Water 2); success allows progress in the event, while failure lowers the Legion’s Strength by 1 as a bandit makes off with some provisions and / or equipment--but not as much as could have been. Opportunities on this roll may be spent *only* on the following:
- Reduce Strife, amount depending on Element rolled (2 for Water, 1 for any other element), per Core 238;
- Add 1 kept Ring die set to Opportunity to the next Martial Skill check made per Air Opportunity spent to that purpose;
- Increase the TN of Attack actions against the PC during “Interdict the Bandit” by 1 per 2 Earth Opportunities spent to that purpose;
- Inflict 1 Strife on the bandit in “Interdict the Bandit” per Fire Opportunity spent;
- Remove 1 Fatigue from the PC per Water Opportunity spent to that purpose; or
- Increase the PC’s Initiative in “Interdict the Bandit” by 1 per Void Opportunity spent to that purpose.
Advantages/Disadvantages on this step (Attack Roll): Bishamon's Blessing, Large Stature, Soft Heartness, Sworn Enemy (Ganbataar), Meekness, DaredevilInterdict the Bandit
Reaching the bandit suggests ensuring that they never do such a thing as assail the Legions again. Engaging in a skirmish for each PC would be far too much for GM staff to handle, so instead, PCs reaching this stage of the event will do the following:Absent modifications from the PC, the opponent
- Roll Initiative as if for a Skirmish
- Make a single Attack action (this can be any Attack action the PC can perform in a single round; Stances and Techniques apply) from Range 0-3 against their bandit opponent.
Bandit will die if they take damage equal to or greater than their Endurance, or they suffer a critical strike of severity 12+. Bandit will be incapacitated (surrender) if their Strife exceeds their Composure or they suffer a critical strike of severity 5-11.
- Acts at Initiative 6
- Attacks at Range 0-1 with a club (damage 5, deadliness 2) in Water Stance or with Yumi at Range 2+ (players should roll for the attack, 3 Ring and 1 Skill, using any Opportunities *only* to negate Strife, as available)
- Has 3 Strife before making the attack.
- Dice priority: Exploding dice, exploding with strife, success, opportunity, opportunity with strife.
- Has Endurance 9 (wearing Traveling Clothes [Physical 2]) and Composure 6
- Will only make a single attack action if able; if not in range to attack, or if not dead or Incapacitated after the PC attacks, the bandit will flee into the night, evading capture amid the tumult.
Results
- Being defeated by the bandit (i.e., made Incapacitated or worse) will earn the PC 0 In-Game Metagame Points and cause a Minor Forfeiture of Honor and Glory (Core 300), in addition to the usual effects of being smacked with a club.
- Unsuccessfully attacking the bandit will still drive them away, earning the PC 0 In-Game Metagame Points and Trifling Honor and Glory awards (Core 300).
- Successfully attacking the bandit but not killing or incapacitating them drives the bandit away, earning the PC 2 In-Game Metagame Points and Minor Honor and Glory awards (Core 300).
- Successfully attacking the bandit and killing them earns the PC 4 In-Game Metagame Points, a Minor Honor award, and a Major Glory (Core 300).
- Successfully attacking the bandit and incapacitating them results in the bandit being taken captive, earning the PC 6 In-Game Metagame Points and Minor Honor and Glory awards (Core 300) + 1.
Note
If more participants fail this event than pass it, or if fewer than 5 PCs attempt it, the Legion’s Discipline will be reduced by 5 as morale falls. This is in addition to the reductions in Strength occasioned by PC failures.