Fantasy Core RPG: Jianghu Setting Adventure Part 5

Fantasy Core RPG
© Jerry Harris 2013
Published here as Open Game Content.
(This link will take you to the Fantasy Core Index.)

Jianghu Setting
Sample Adventure “Dark Waters Have Unknown Depths”
Part 5

Human treachery is the most dangerous demon of all.

Road outside of the buried city (2 XP)
A mounted troop of 12 disreputable looking individuals will be waiting for the characters just as the exit the city. Both sides are going to see one another fairly easily. The leader of the band will come forward to parley and announce himself as Jing. Shin, the raider leader, will recognize him, “You miserable Triad cockroach! You lead my people into trap!” Jing will ignore him and ask what the party was offered for the job. If answered, he’ll throw out a bag of gold to the characters doubling the reward, in return for what they’ve recovered.

Here’s one of those hard decisions I mentioned in the introduction. It’s up the players what they want to do. In this case (and certainly this shouldn’t happen with every hard decision), their decision will lead to a fight either way, but the question is, will it be an honorable one?

If they take the money, Shin will try to escape if possible. The Triads will take possession of the hostages and the idol. Jing and 3 others will take off for the village, but before they go Jing will tell the rest to get his gold back. It may be possible to catch Jing, since his group is loaded down, but they’ll have to hurry. If they don’t take offer, it’s a straight up fight. Shin will want to fight (and escape). Jing will retreat if the fight goes badly and any left will join him. In either case, the Triads will want Shin dead as their main goal, since he could expose the Tong’s plan.


Are you fighting your enemy, or your greed?

Approaching the village (1 XP for avoiding a fight and getting into town)
Leaving the desert, a dust cloud can be seen in the distance. It’s the troop of 6 Imperial troops (5 soldiers, 1 sgt) patrolling the fringe of town with Sub-Minister Tai at the head. The characters will see them first, but the troop is headed in their direction.

It is at this point that Boo the Kappa reappears. He offers to get the characters past the soldiers in return for the Oni horn (which the characters hopefully have). If they know what it can do (though not its expiration), there’s going to be some reluctance to part with it. If they hand it over, the Kappa casts an illusion that sends the troop in the wrong direction, allowing the characters to make it to the village. Boo may be useful acquaintance for any further trips into the desert.

If the characters refuse, Boo leaves and won’t be so friendly if they meet again. Hopefully the players come up with a scheme to get them past the soldiers, because if it’s a straight fight, the characters will be massacred. The only worse possibility would be actually killing Tai, that would make the characters very, very wanted murders. (Though certainly they’re likely to fight at some point in the future anyway.) The rest of the troop would scatter and go for reinforcements at that point.

Near the village, there might be some interference from the Brotherhood if warranted. Shin may be make a break for it, if given the opportunity. But, this seems more like a good place to end this.