Ninja Wars.pdf - Dorks and Dragons!

Act 8—The Monk’s Revenge*AvengerThis act can be used when the DM sees fit, but onlyafter the events of Act 7, It can be used whenever thePCs are abroad in the streets, unaccompanied by Benju’ssamurai. Read the following:In your short time in Aru town, you’ve becomealmost accustomed to the heavy press of peoplethat usually fills the streets. When it isn’t there—like now—you almost miss it . . . almost.“Murderers!” The cry rings out with no warning.For a moment you look around, bemused, lookingfor the murderers. Then, with a shock, you realizethat the voice must be referring to you.“Die, you death-mongering barbarians!” Thescream—an obvious challenge—hangs on the stillair. Then a figure hurtles like an orange-clad projectileout of an alley and into your midst.The “orange-clad projectile” is the monk Yaemon. Heis unarmored (of course), but carries a lajatang. He attacksthe PCs with great ferocity, concentrating his attentionson warrior-types first.If Yaemon notices a PC spellcaster preparing a spell,read the following:“You honorless fiends,” the monk cries. “Wouldyou use magic as you use assassination? The soulsof those you murdered curse you!”He immediately concentrates his attack on the spellcaster,trying to disrupt the spell.The PCs should quickly realize that Yaemon is operatingunder incorrect information. Claims of innocencewon’t sway him from his course, however. Ifthe PCs want to force him to see reason, they’ll have tosubdue him somehow.Throughout the fight, Yaemon continues to screamthings about the PCs having no honor. This should cuethem that the monk holds honor in the highest esteem.If one of the PCs issues him an honorable challenge,Yaemon will accept it immediately, and stopfighting until he faces the challenging PC one-on-one.Should the PCs attack Yaemon during this pause, orshould anyone interfere with the progress of the duel,each PC immediately loses 3 points of honor. Yaemonwill insist that the duel continue until one combatantis reduced to one-quarter of his or her current hitpoint total.If Yaemon wins the duel, he immediately challengesanother PC. This continues until Yaemon is defeated,or until he vanquishes all PCs. Should the monkemerge victorious over all of the PCs, he insists thatthey accompany him to the nearest magistrate as hisprisoners, where he will accuse them of the crime describedin the following section.If Yaemon loses, read the following:The monk bows to you. “Even foul murderershave some honor,” he says harshly. “I have failed inmy duty to my charges. My life is forfeit to expiatemy failure.”Unless the PCs stop him, he extracts a small knifefrom within his robe and does what honor demands.If the PCs subdue Yaemon, if all lose in their duelswith the monk, or if they prevent him from taking hisown life, the PCs have a chance to learn the reasonsbehind his attack on them.Murder Most FoulAs described in Act 7, Yaemon had tried to arrange amidnight meeting with the PCs at the Shining Templeof Bishamon. As circumstances developed, he didn’tmake the meeting. (This was the night that the PCssaw the glowing “tiger-bird spirit”.)Before climbing to the temple to meet with the PCs,Yaemon decided that he’d stop in to visit some of “his”pilgrims—travellers who’d accompanied him on theroad, and who were staying at a nearby ryokan.When he arrived, the inn was in an uproar. Accordingto witnesses, a number of armed people had smashedinto the rooms occupied by the pilgrims and had slainfour as they tried to scramble out of their beds. Themurderers had then fled, cutting down a fifth pilgrimwho’d tried to stop them. None of the witnesses knewthe attackers, but Yaemon was able to piece togethergood descriptions based on various people’s testimony.The descriptions almost perfectly match theappearance of the PCs . . . Filled with righteous anger,Yaemon went forth and tried to track down the PCs sohe could destroy them.Assuming that the PCs can force Yaemon to listen tothem, it should be possible to prove to him that theyweren’t responsible for the killings. If they werepresent for the events in Act 7, the PCs will be able toget the samurai to testify that they were at the ShiningTemple when the murders were being committed.Yaemon will accept this alibi, since it fits in with rumorshe’s heard, but has up to this point discounted.Once Yaemon has accepted that he’s in error, he’svery apologetic towards the PCs, and insists thatthey let him “take the final journey” to remove thestain of the false accusation from his honor. If theydon’t persuade him otherwise, Yaemon will kill himself.If they do prevent him from taking his own life,he will promise to help them in the future in any honorableway; all they have to do is ask. (The PCs can’tforce him into an action that he considers dishonorable;if pressed, he always has the final escape of anhonorable warrior.)Eventually, the PCs should remember to ask themonk why he’d originally tried to set up a meetingwith them. If they finally do ask, read the following:27