Qin - Tianxia

Fifth session of the campaign, on May 19th, 2007. The group is recovering from the departure of four of its seven members following a disagreement about the number of players a campaign of this type can accommodate. While waiting for replacements, we continue the story with Cheng Minh, Liu Mei Shan and Tian Zaisheng. And what a story, since we're finally getting to the heart of the matter: the double scenario "The Prisoner of the Desert | The Faithless Prince" serves as the introduction to the Tianxia campaign. It all starts gently, with a stroll through the desert...

Characters Present

• Cheng Minh, "The Snake"
• Liu Mei Shan
• Tian Zaisheng

Preamble

After ten days of well-deserved rest, our group of heroes runs into some cohesion problems. Soothing Hand, still reeling from her dealings with Lo May, decides to stay in Hungo in the hope of seeing her again. Ciu Wang wishes to join the city's administration, to put his unrivaled knowledge of administrative matters to good use. As for Thirsty Panda, he vanishes mysteriously in the early morning. Only Liu Mei Shan, Tian Zaisheng, Cheng Minh and the soldier Lu take the road toward Yanshan again.

How the Session Unfolded

Slowly but surely, winter is drawing to a close. The snow is still around, but the waterways are beginning to free themselves from their prison of ice and reveal their power. In the cities, the alleyways are finally passable without fear of falling. To compensate for their small numbers, our heroes decide to hire mercenaries to bolster their ranks. While Liu Mei Shan goes off to buy goods to resell, Tian Zaisheng lends an ear (the only one that still works) to the rumors concerning possible expeditions to Yanshan.

Lady Liu tries to procure some alcohol at the Four Sisters inn, where the innkeeper offers to sell her five bottles for 250 dao. Outraged by this excessive price, Mei Shan manages to negotiate a gentler rate of 200 dao for the five: nothing like a few explanations about the prohibitive nature of Zhao taxes to convince a seller to give in.
For his part, Tian Zaisheng hears about a soldier close to retirement, eager to leave the city. No matter: our Mohist will go inquire at the city garrison. The guards point out the man in question: a crude old veteran with rustic manners, whose motives seem rather obscure. One might suspect him of wanting to desert. Realizing that such a man bodes nothing good, Zaisheng politely declines the offer and heads back to the inn.

Meanwhile, Cheng Minh emerges. The last few days haven't spared him. Pale-faced, he steps out of the dormitory and finally meets Tian Zaisheng. Suffice it to say the two men hold opposing views on many subjects...
Our three heroes are discussing the next legs of the journey when a strange individual interrupts them: a young man wearing a green bandana, whose bearing betrays a certain ease in the art of combat. He declares that he wants to travel with them, which can only delight the group. The departure is scheduled for the next morning. With that, the mercenary turns around and leaves. Cheng Minh follows him; he goes to a neighboring inn of rather humble quality. Nothing suspicious. Later in the evening, the aforementioned soldier close to retirement takes advantage of his guard shift to burst into the inn and tries once again to convince Zaisheng to take him on. The Mohist, cunning as a fox, pretends to take the bait and gives him an appointment two days later at noon. Visibly fooled, the soldier returns to his duties. As for Cheng Minh, he checks that he hasn't lost his thieving talents. He walks into a dark alley and steals the purse of a tipsy young gentleman, without arousing suspicion. Pleased with himself, the Snake heads back to the inn and goes to bed in anticipation of the difficult day awaiting him.

In the early morning, the heroes wake up and look for the bandana-wearing individual, who is standing at the door, true to his word. Now five strong, the little group takes to the road, for better or for worse. It takes a few hours of walking before their new traveling companion agrees to reveal his name: Guo Ts'ai-Ja. For weeks, they sleep in seedy way stations and make their way as best they can through plains, forests and canyons, until they come upon a wide river whose bridge has broken. The group is stuck; turning back would take too much time. Fortunately, the Heavens have provided them with company: a merchant and his two henchmen face the same problem. The merchant, small and rotund, immediately strikes up a conversation with Liu Mei Shan. Both quickly understand that it would be in their interest to pool their resources, and so their groups merge. Tian Zaisheng prepares the plans needed for the bridge repairs, while Cheng Minh and the merchant's two henchmen take care of cutting the wood. The pleasant little man goes by the nickname "Little Profit". Hard to say whether it's just a front, but honesty oozes from every pore of his skin.

When night falls, everyone gathers under a tent, where Tian Zaisheng invites Little Profit to a game of weiqi^[1]. Our Mohist was indeed burning to try out this well-preserved antique weiqi board he had unearthed, by chance, among the merchant's supplies. The latter, a novice in the matter, takes up the challenge and wins the game, to everyone's surprise. Embarrassed, he hands over the game board and its pieces for a miserable 6 dao, by way of apology, which Zaisheng hastens to accept. After a quick look at the merchandise, Mei Shan formally identifies its material: ivory, a rare good, all but impossible to find in the north of the Zhongguo.

The Snake remains dubious about Little Profit's supposed naivety. Pocketing a few jewels along the way for his trouble, he searches the merchant's goods and discovers a large number of ancient relics, probably dug up from tombs that any honest person would have left alone. Minh nevertheless suspects the merchant's two assistants, Fu and You, of organizing these pillages behind Little Profit's back, for their own account.

The next day, Fu and You finish repairing the bridge, while Tian Zaisheng and Guo Ts'ai-Ja exchange a few bouts of swordplay. Ts'ai-Ja wins the first: fast as Zaisheng may be, the mercenary's blade outpaces him. It seems to glitter with a thousand lights as it slips from one hand to the other, easily undoing the Mohist's defense, who struggles to understand where the attack will spring from. Asked about this impressive maneuver, Ts'ai-Ja simply states that it is the "Celestial Sword of Lightning Style". The second bout is won by Tian Zaisheng; betting everything on speed, he manages to break his opponent's defense before the latter can repeat his feat. Impossible to conclude these exchanges without a decider, to determine which of the two swordsmen is the senior. This final round is narrowly won by Zaisheng: his blade is faster; Ts'ai-Ja manages to block it for a few seconds, but his riposte falls short. The Mohist deflects the attack and strikes one last time, touching the bandana-wearing mercenary. Satisfied, the two warriors salute each other respectfully, promising to exchange a few martial techniques when the occasion arises.

After weeks of walking, our heroes reach their destination. Their spirits can't help but sink as they take in the situation: in place of ramparts, a mere mound of earth. At its center, ruined buildings, abandoned to the dust. A few more recent huts are built right against the walls of the old constructions that once formed the city of Yanshan, in an architectural shambles bordering on an insult to the rules of Feng Shui. In the middle of the "city" stand the barracks, a large enclosure now housing a permanent market, and the Magistrate's offices — Mok-Shi Minh's — which differ in no way from the other modest dwellings. The latter warmly welcomes the adventurers, inviting them to a delicious meal in the only building still impressive in Yanshan: the Crossroads Inn.

Mok-Shi Minh takes advantage of the supper to tell Yanshan's story: a generation ago, the city was bustling with activity and served as a crossroads between the territories of the Xiongnu and the Zhongguo. Unfortunately, after a major diplomatic incident set the region ablaze, the Xiongnu sacked it in retaliation. A few rare survivors still remember the day that forever marked their memory, and since then, nobody has cared about the place. But Mok-Shi Minh, appointed governor following a conspiracy, has finally found his reason to live: to restore Yanshan to its former glory and make it the symbol of a new understanding between the barbarians and Zhao. He has even arranged the marriage of his son, Mok-Shi Tung, to the daughter of a Xiongnu tribal chief — a certain Xoa. The celebration will take place in two days, hence the surge of activity in the village.

Already used to the whims of fate, our Wuxia sense that a few ill-intentioned individuals could seize the opportunity to cause trouble, so they offer their services to help with the preparations. Mok-Shi Minh can barely contain his surprise at this generous offer: after many thanks, he gives them a list of tasks that require their help. Our little group gets to work on them the very next day.

In the early morning, Tian Zaisheng goes to the garrison to offer his help as a Mohist expert. He quickly reconsiders when the soldier Lu informs him of an embarrassing piece of news: Wan Yei, the young garrison commander, bears a fierce hatred for his kin. Zaisheng then prefers to hide his terracotta badge — proof of his membership in the Mohist sect — before meeting Commander Wan. The latter is reassuring, praising his men's rigor. According to him, the garrison needs no outside help. Zaisheng leaves the office skeptical. He tries to assess the city's defenses by himself, but his interview with Wan Yei has unsettled him to the point of shaking his judgment: the earthen wall won't be enough to stop a charge, but could the city really put another solution in place in the event of an attack? He doesn't even know how many men are available in a crisis. Lost in his doubts, he eventually spots a group of children tormenting an old man not far away. Our Mohist doesn't hesitate for a second before lecturing the children. When they leave the scene, cheeks and ears red with shame, their victim painfully gets back up, brushing aside like a leper all attempts by his rescuer to help him. A rotten day for Zaisheng, whom nobody wants to help. He eventually finds someone who doesn't balk at receiving a hand: the city's Fangshi, versed in the art of feng shui, politely listens to his suggestions regarding the reconstruction of Yanshan.

Meanwhile, Liu Mei Shan mingles with the womenfolk of the city. The constant clumsiness she suffers there earns her a few condescending looks, but this humiliation nevertheless brings her valuable gossip. Among other things, she hears about Sze, an old man rather disliked in the village, whom people treat like pus without anyone really explaining why.

What does Cheng Minh, the incorrigible rascal with the sharp blade, do? He decides to make the rounds of the inns — not to indulge any passion for drink, but to lend an ear to the common folk, in order to better understand who might want to sabotage the rapprochement between the Xiongnu and Zhao. One must note that hatred of the Northern barbarians still drives many of the inhabitants, to the point that it could fuel a desperate act. Asked about the subject, Mok-Shi Minh also adds that neighboring kingdoms might look unfavorably on Zhao's good relations with the Xiongnu.

When evening falls, the group meets up at the inn: a good opportunity to share their findings. Zaisheng and Mei Shan conclude that Sze is none other than the person rescued by our valiant Mohist, so closely do the two descriptions seem to match. In the middle of the discussion, the Wuxia interrupt themselves when they notice a nervous Mok-Shi Minh, sitting alone at a table with his drink. Asked about his worries, the Magistrate answers that he has been summoned as a witness in a trial at the district capital, preventing him from welcoming the Xiongnu delegation to Yanshan in person. He fears that sending villagers in his stead might set the powder keg alight, so strong is xenophobia still among the population. Cheng Minh gives in to a flash of altruism, soon followed by his comrades: they volunteer to meet the barbarians and bring them back to the city safe and sound. Really, the Magistrate's disarming naivety is quite a persuasive argument!

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During his nocturnal wanderings through the "streets" of Yanshan, the Snake witnesses a strange sight; a skinny silhouette spies on a group of peasants busy with the wedding preparations. A filthy old man, apparently, with a melancholy gaze. Intrigued, Cheng Minh decides to follow him to the edge of the city, crossing the mound of earth that serves as its rampart. But there, upon reaching the foot of this wall of misfortune, Minh loses sight of his target. A hysterical scream brings him back to his senses: the old man has doubled back and is threatening him with his stick, demanding explanations for this impromptu tailing. The Snake babbles some truly ridiculous justifications — he's looking for his lost cat — but the lie doesn't take. Let's admit that the assassin suffers from a distinct lack of credibility, with his penniless-traveler looks. Out of arguments about his feline, our hero tries a second approach. He declares that he hates the Xiongnu and wants to find help to set a trap for them. Once again, the lie doesn't take, so he finally finds himself forced to confess the truth. Apparently unfazed, the old man — Sze — then asks him to leave the premises and to stop following him. Cheng Minh agrees... only to come back a few minutes later. This time, he hides with elegance behind one of the beams that make up Sze's ramshackle house. What he discovers there will remain a mystery, but the next day, Cheng Minh, convinced that Sze is plotting something bad, warns the guard of his suspicion. The latter proves inclined to lock up old Sze for the whole duration of the wedding. After all, it seems, it wouldn't be the first time he has visited the prison.

Ready at last to depart, the group — made up of Tian Zaisheng, Liu Mei Shan, Cheng Minh and Guo Ts'ai-Ja — leaves the city of Yanshan for the distant north. The last hills give way to a long desert of stone and rock. The troupe leaves behind clouds of dust that linger for hours. The low temperature, the dry, saturated air: everything seems designed to create permanent discomfort along the way. Eventually, our Wuxia reach the famous "Great Rock" that serves as the meeting point.

And there: nobody!

The Snake climbs onto the rock and watches. The horizon is empty too. Thirty minutes pass. Then an hour. Then two. Then three. None of this bodes well.
Suddenly, Guo Ts'ai-Ja alerts the group that he's spotted something: a rider is racing in their direction, in the distance. Instead of a rider, it is in fact a corpse, hanging in vain from its mount, which rears up in front of the Great Rock. The man, a Xiongnu, is riddled with arrows. Zaisheng deduces that the equipment comes from the Zhongguo. Since the trail of smoke the horse left is still visible, the heroes follow its tracks until they stumble upon the scene of an unspeakable massacre: some twenty Xiongnu riders and their mounts lying on the ground. Some are still dying; one of them even dies in Liu Mei Shan's arms after babbling a few incomprehensible words. Among the corpses, the group also notices the presence of three men from the Zhongguo — Zhao soldiers, judging by their equipment. Tian Zaisheng tries to picture the scene: in his view, the attackers took their victims by surprise, first pelting them with arrows to bring down their mounts, before executing them on the ground. A technique requiring talent and organization. A trail of smoke leads off in the direction opposite the one our heroes came from — a lead to explore in order to find the murderers.

As they cross the desert, the Wuxia enter a canyon that gradually narrows around them. The walls, eroded by the years, are as sharp as the blade of a Jian. Night begins to fall. What's more, the wind is blowing harder and harder. So hard that the dust starts to fly, forming a veritable storm. Luckily, Zaisheng notices a small cavity where they could take refuge. Relatively large and dark, it carries the oppressive echo of a wind coming and going, evidence of an absence of exits at the far end. Following nothing but his courage, Cheng Minh explores the place. Feeling his way, he discovers a few tunnels. He sets fire to a rag fixed to a sword, then advances carefully into the cave's three tunnels. The first tunnel ends without sharpening the intrepid Snake's interest. In the second, however, Cheng Minh feels ill at ease. Quickly coming back out, he invites his comrades to visit the last tunnel with him. Tian Zaisheng is alerted by his sixth sense: something is waiting in ambush at the tunnel's exit. He camouflages himself in the shadows, letting his companions retrace their steps. From the darkness then springs a black humanoid creature, endowed with two pairs of three arms. The Snake, quick as lightning, reflexively throws one of his daggers, which hits its target, but the monstrous creature seems unaffected. It lets out a bestial cry before throwing itself at Liu Mei Shan, who manages to dodge the blow. Guo Ts'ai-Ja jumps onto the wall and propels himself to get behind the creature. Tian Zaisheng fights his way through and attacks it, but the demon's body turns to smoke before rematerializing. To cap the surprise, Cheng Minh reveals a magnificent black Dao and slashes the monster. The weapon has an effect, judging by the creature's shrill cry of pain. Liu Mei Shan bursts into the breach with her deadly stings, but here again, there's no point in persisting: everything suggests that only the timely blade can reach it. Zaisheng, wanting to slip behind the monster, displays a nameless clumsiness; with a bad nudge of the elbows, he stumbles and takes Liu Mei Shan and Cheng Minh down with him. Fortunately, with a deft gesture, Guo Ts'ai-Ja grabs the black Dao with one hand before slaying the evil creature, which explodes into a multitude of thorns. Two of them lodge in the Snake and Tian Zaisheng, before melting into them like boiling magma.

Once the tension subsides, a conflict erupts between Ts'ai-Ja and Cheng Minh. The mercenary demands to know where the Snake found this black blade. The latter refuses to answer and orders him to hand it back, which Guo refuses. Exasperated, Cheng Minh retorts that this Dao comes from Little Profit's cargo. Suspicious but gracious, Ts'ai-Ja returns the weapon to him before tending to his wounds. Our adventurers take advantage of the cave's relative calm — it appears deserted — to rest. In the early morning, they set off again, not without noting that the storm has ended. Stranger still: the corpses of Zhao soldiers line the canyon walls. The storm must have hurled them down below. Tian Zaisheng deduces that they had been lying in ambush there, to cover their companions' retreat. With the tracks swept away by the storm, our heroes consider returning to Yanshan to warn the city of the latest events. It's Ts'ai-Ja who volunteers to go, leaving the others to continue their road north.

When they emerge from the canyon, the Wuxia realize the tracks are visible again. Very logically, Liu Mei Shan deduces that the storm must have raged only inside the canyon, but this explanation borders on the unnatural. After fighting a nightmarish creature, however, this outlook seems more than reasonable to them. Hours of walking later, a bamboo forest takes over from the desert, making the tracks impossible to follow. Tian Zaisheng suggests going back out of the woods and lighting a fire to alert any Xiongnu in the area, while Cheng Minh keeps watch, hidden among the vegetation; he thinks that groups of barbarians are likely searching for their princess right now. Fate proves him right, since a few minutes later, the sound of galloping hooves echoes across the desert. Seven Xiongnu riders appear on the horizon and promptly surround the little group. Their chief, a tall, well-built man, dismounts and throws them a rope so they can tie themselves up as a sign of surrender. Zaisheng and Mei Shan comply, not without having expressed their peaceful intentions. Once the discussion is underway, the Xiongnu chief speaks up and expresses himself in the language of Zhao: he is looking for Xoa and demands explanations for the murders of his comrades. Zaisheng tries to convince them that this is a misunderstanding entirely independent of Mok-Shi Minh's will, and that the latter would be delighted to help them get justice. Liu Mei Shan backs him up. As for the Snake, he reveals himself belatedly with a nonchalant "Me too" that alerts the northern barbarians. Visibly displeased at having been deceived, they go fetch Minh and tie him up in turn, before leading the captives toward the forest. There, they display talent far superior to our Wuxia's, detecting signs of recent passage through the bamboo. They follow the trail until they discover a small fort, occupied by Zhao soldiers. From the forest, the motley group observes the situation: two groups of five soldiers rotate on guard duty. They seem to know each other well; their veteran ways leave no doubt as to the extent of their skill. A good strategist, Tian Zaisheng deduces that a direct attack is not the right solution and considers various possibilities for getting inside the fort and saving the princess — if she is even there. Night is beginning to fall. Our heroes will soon have to attack.

Someone has been following them in the shadows. They don't yet know who it is, but they won't be long in finding out...

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1. The Chinese name for Go ↩︎