Fantasy Core RPG: Jianghu Setting Adventure Part 3

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 3

The desert sands will cover everything eventually. Only determination stands in their way.

Outside the Buried City (0 XP)
The characters are given a map and told that when they enter the desert proper, stick to the path. It’ll lead right to the buried city. The “path” is a washed out gully that seemed to once be a road. An hour later, all sight of the village and cultivated lands have disappeared. Topping a rise, a series of large irregular dunes can be seen. With a second look, it is obvious that the dunes are laid in a civic pattern and are in fact completely or nearly buried buildings. It’s difficult to judge how big the ruins are as they seamlessly fade into the surrounding sands.

At the bottom of the hill, just entering the city, the characters see a depression. Inside are a collection of several dead bodies and a group of disreputable looking individuals picking over them. A gang of Brotherhood scouts is on the trail of the raiders and has come upon their bodies and are examining them. The characters are not going to know this however.

If approached in a non-threatening manner or any other manner, Yi the leader, will immediately demand their surrender and want to know where the hostages are. Then they attack. There are 5 of them, 2 fighters, 3 thieves. 3 (including Yi and the 2 fighters) are visible. The other 2 thieves will circle around and attack from the rear. If they are being defeated, Yi will definitely attempt to run and any others with him, to go get reinforcements (but they shouldn’t return before the characters have left). If any are questioned, they’ll refuse to identify themselves and tell the characters that they will be hunted down like dogs for what they’ve done.


No deal with the devil will be in your favor.

Kappa (0 XP)
After the bandit encounter, the characters hear a purring, feline voice, “Looking for something?” Out trots a bright red little humanoid cat-like demon, a Kappa. If attacked, he will run away and disappear, the characters will spend another hour looking for the hostages, and will meet a party of Brotherhood members on the way out of the town.

The Kappa introduces himself as “Boo,” and already seems to know who they are. He mentions that the dead humans were killed by a horned demon, an Oni. (The bodies do show some extensive mauling.) Boo wants the Oni’s horn and is willing to tell the characters where he is in return for it. Boo also mentions that the Oni took a few of the humans with him for presumably “entertainment” purposes. Hopefully the characters agree, in which case Boo gives them quick directions to a buried temple. If the characters survive, he’ll meet up with them afterward. If the characters aren’t interested, they’ll be wandering around for a while, perhaps fighting a random monster or two, before hearing a girl’s screams from a temple.