@eaglejarl @Velorien @OliWhail @Paperclipped My understanding is that Hazou/Kei popped up onto one of the sides of this section of cave, and that Hazou witnessed Kei being pooped out of the stone. This location is narrow and nearly vertical, with a stream running down it.

  1. What angle did Kei pop out of? This is important since I expect if we dig down in that direction we will arrive at the section of cavern we were previously in.
  2. Does the stone appear to be crystal or similar structure to the golems? The description does not seem to suggest so, but I wish to be sure.
  3. If possible, could we have a map/diagram of the general area? I am picturing Hazou and Kei being on a ledge along the waterfall, with the stream-waterfall being above us and the pond being farther below us; but am unsure how accurate this is.
  1. Perpendicular to the cave wall, with a shallow upward angle.
  2. When Hazou and Kei briefly extinguish their Jiraiya's Awesome Daybright Lantern seals, they can see that the cave wall is still streaked with a faint blue light.
  3. They are in a nearly-vertical (60 degrees incline) shaft with water running down it. The shaft is a little more than a meter in diameter -- there's barely any room for them to stand apart. They can see nothing else, as the shaft levels off both above and below before anything interesting can be seen.
Also @eaglejarl @Velorien @Paperclipped how far down does Hazou think the team went?
Hazou does not know how to estimate depth well, so he might say they're at least 1 kilometer down with huge error bars. They definitely have walked at least 5 kilometers of cave, but that was very non-linear exploration.

To be clear: Can Earthshaping be used in this manner?
It would allow Hazou to make a hole at most 2^(AB = 4) = 16 meters into the ceiling.
 
Hazō stumbled slightly as he stepped down on the uneven grass of the Seventh Path, and the sensation of vines wrapping around his shoulders quickly faded
interesting. the vines and the golem did not get reverse summoned with hazou as his "possession"
noise of their reverse summoning
reverse summoning creates noise? i'm guessing they (as ninja) had enough resolve to not cry out from pain.
Drop seal protections (earth dome etc.) against the cave system changing again in response to a reverse-Summon
how does earth dome protect against cave changing?
edit:
It would allow Hazou to make a hole at most 2^(AB = 4) = 16 meters into the ceiling.
i think they meant for communication. since hazou was said to be communicating the stone to change shape before
 
Last edited:
Then, the wonders started. In one chamber, a natural waterfall fed a series of small pools, each surrounded by a colorful diversity of plants and fungi. They had found the first location from Orochimaru's notes.

Instead, they had arrived in a narrow, nearly vertical stretch of cave that had a stream running down it like a waterfall. Below, Hazō could hear the waterfall emptying into a pond of some sort.

Any bets it's the same waterfall emptying into the same pond/pool?

Logically, the spot they were in is now filled with rock and the summoning pushed them to the nearest empty area. We don't know the precise orientation of the side room with the waterfall relative to the room with the shallow lake, but it's certainly possible it would be at an angle which is closer to the crystal chamber, with the waterfall source closer still (given the angle).

@eaglejarl @Paperclipped @Velorien can you tell us how those rooms were oriented with regard to each other and the crystal room. I know that's probably a bit spoon intensive, but you see why it either gives Hazou/Kei a very decent and plausible guess of exactly where they are or that they know they have no clue whatsoever.
 
Hazou does not know how to estimate depth well, so he might say they're at least 1 kilometer down with huge error bars.
Wow that's a lot. They must be in a zone where the geothermal gradient is low, or ninja can more or less (sur)naturally deal with that "because chakra, bitches".
... I'm overthinking it, aren't I

[JK] Action Plan: Draw Parallels Between Chakra Beast Population Density And Natural Heat Sources
 
Last edited:
@eaglejarl @Paperclipped @Velorien can you tell us how those rooms were oriented with regard to each other and the crystal room. I know that's probably a bit spoon intensive, but you see why it either gives Hazou/Kei a very decent and plausible guess of exactly where they are or that they know they have no clue whatsoever.
Regrettably not. The disorientation of a nearly-failed reverse summoning has jumbled Hazou and Kei's sense of direction.
 
Regrettably not. The disorientation of a nearly-failed reverse summoning has jumbled Hazou and Kei's sense of direction.

I understand their disorientation as to the now, but I meant the mental map they had previously created when exploring the cave system - or do you mean the near death summoning messed with that?

In terms of more common experiences, I understand being so dizzy you might not know which way is up right now but you would still know that if you're standing in your bedroom that your kitchen would be approximately X distance in Y direction from that spot in your bedroom (you could point through a wall), though if you had just experienced a recent trauma I understand not having immediate access to that mental map of your home either.
 
Hazou does not know how to estimate depth well, so he might say they're at least 1 kilometer down with huge error bars. They definitely have walked at least 5 kilometers of cave, but that was very non-linear exploration.

Time for some math, Hazou can cast Tunnel Excavation 12 times at full chakra, 13 with mild overdrawing. He's spend a few cp already on PKH so let's say he has 12 casts left. Based on the math for excavating a tunnel to the Great Seal. Hazou can cover 20m a round. He get's 20 rounds per cast. So 400 meters of tunnel per cast of TE. We should be fine to just point ourselves at the ceiling and hit go.
 
Perpendicular to the cave wall, with a shallow upward angle.
Sweet! I would also like to ask Kei how far she was from the walls/ceiling, though if this is too spoons-intensive it's still OK.
When Hazou and Kei briefly extinguish their Jiraiya's Awesome Daybright Lantern seals, they can see that the cave wall is still streaked with a faint blue light.
fuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuu

@FaintlySorcerous I do not think doing anything to the cavern walls is a good idea.
They are in a nearly-vertical (60 degrees incline) shaft with water running down it. The shaft is a little more than a meter in diameter -- there's barely any room for them to stand apart. They can see nothing else, as the shaft levels off both above and below before anything interesting can be seen.
Right, definitely want to go up .
 
Right, definitely want to go up .

I dunno, decent odds that the water goes into a room we already know about and know how to get to the exit from.

The alternative is that Hazou/Kei were extruded much further away from where they started or that the cavern has multiple waterfall features in relatively close proximity while also being in entirely different chambers.
 
I dunno, decent odds that the water goes into a room we already know about and know how to get to the exit from.

The alternative is that Hazou/Kei were extruded much further away from where they started or that the cavern has multiple waterfall features in relatively close proximity while also being in entirely different chambers.
Well, yes, we should be acting to secure our exit first? And also returning to the fight chamber to see how Akane and Yuno ended up?
 
[X] Just Upwards
Word count: 278
  • Write out a sitrep. Have Kei drop it with Noburi or somewhere he can find it.
    • She should return ASAP - a few seconds at most.
    • Schedule more-frequent-than-normal check-ins.
    • We appoint him clan head in case we do not return.
  • When Kei returns, ascend the shaft as fast as possible.
    • When upward progress becomes difficult, use Tunneling Excavation to tunnel directly upwards at all possible speed.
      • Be on maximum guard. Have MARS and Summons ready to deploy.
      • Based on Hazou's experience constructing tunnels to the Great Seal, knows that he should be able to tunnel about 400m per cast.
      • When casting TE, extinguish lantern seals beforehand and target rock that is not glowing.
      • If the tunnel breaks out into a cavern, use skywalkers to get to the top and keep tunneling directly upwards.
      • Fight with maximum prejudice, but focus on escaping
  • If the tunneling jutsu fails, proceed with the following:
    • Follow that water - assess whether it's fresh water or something else. If it's fresh water, follow it - it'll lead out eventually, probably.
    • Explore, trying to stick to upwards-seeming passages etc. Use mundane tunneling where possible.
      • Leverage any navigational tools you have - chakdar, lodestones, etc. Ask any Summons if they know any techniques that help navigate.
      • Try to scent/track Yuno/Akane.
    • Leave a trail, make a map. Watch for shifts in the rock.
    • Do not return to the 7th Path for more than a few minutes at a time, and only one of you returns at once.
  • If no real progress is made after 24 hours, try Earthshaping again.
    • Specifically, to communicate, as clearly as possible, that you want to leave peacefully.
=========================================
Main difference is that in this plan we try to tunnel out before following the natural cave system. I'll be around this afternoon and evening to make edits, ping me here or on Discord if you have suggestions.
 
Last edited:
[X] Action Plan: Onwards Mark
Word count: <300
  • Mark the location and angle where Kei popped out of the wall with mundane ink or similar. ~10ft in that direction is where the crystal core was.
  • We Declare (-1FP if needed) that Kei and/or Hazou wrote out a sitrep while preparing to return. Kei drops it off for Noburi via Seventh Path.
    • She should return ASAP - a few seconds at most.
    • Schedule more-frequent-than-normal check-ins.
    • Hazou appoints him clan head in case we do not return.
  • Follow the water upwards - assess whether it's fresh water or a...cave monster secretion. If it's fresh water, follow it - it'll lead out eventually, probably. If not, go up.
    • Explore, trying to stick to upwards-seeming passages etc. Use Skywalkers to avoid contact with the ground, and be prepared to fight whatever hostiles are in the cavern.
    • Summon carefully - we have limited chakra and the area may not be well-suited to some Summons.
    • Leverage any navigational tools you have - chakdar, Living Roots, lodestones, etc. Ask your Summons (when you Summon them) if they know any techniques that help navigate (how deep down are you, ideally) or anyone with techniques like that. Try to scent/track Yuno/Akane.
    • If this path leads to a dead end/too-small area, double back and check the pond for a path, using a similar SOP.
  • IFF neither direction gets us outside or to Akane/Yuno, we break ourselves out.
    • Use mundane tunneling (pangolins, explosives) where possible, jutsu if not. Avoid the hell out of golem-rock if at all possible, and create the mother of all trap arrays (Skyslicers?) beforehand in case more golems spawn.
    • Take the obvious precautions in digging up - we don't want to blow the bottom out of an underground lake or whatever.
    • Leave a trail, make a map. Watch for shifts.
    • Sleep in shifts if necessary. Do not return to the 7th Path for more than a few minutes at a time, and only one of you returns at once.
  • Maximum prejudice, but focus on leaving, not fighting.
  • If no real progress is made after 24 hours, try Earthshaping again.
    • Specifically, try to shape a hole to the surface. Communicate, as clearly as possible, that you want to leave peacefully. Don't try to shape much earth, but do try to get the message across.
 
Last edited:
Write out a sitrep. Have Kei drop it with Noburi or somewhere he can find it.
We Declare (-1FP if needed) that Kei and/or Hazou wrote out a sitrep while preparing to return. Kei drops it off for Noburi via Seventh Path.
Just hand it to a Summon, she doesn't need to go with them. And it'll still cost the initial summoning CP either way.
Leverage any navigational tools you have - chakdar, lodestones, etc. Ask your Summons (when you Summon them) if they know any techniques that help navigate (how deep down are you, ideally) or anyone with techniques like that. Try to scent/track Yuno/Akane.
Hazou also has living roots, which is much cheaper than a Summon. He can try sensing if Akane/Yuno are nearby with that as well (why did we never level it...?). Still, even at a low level it enables unconventional Alertness checks. Tbh I think it'll be much more useful than current chakdar, which kinda... doesn't seem to do anything. Kagome's seals are less clear on exact functionality but they seemed more like sensing very slight minutia more related to scoping out the Rift site, idk.

[X] Action Plan: Onwards Mark
Overall I think I like trying to navigate out first better, so I'm going with this one. I expect the cave to freak out again if we start reshaping the rock.
 
Last edited:
Note won't go back with them. They're in a chakra shell, not their real body. We could have them memorize a message and deliver it that way
Didn't we see Jiraiya use this trick a bunch? Also how did Kei's Pangolins bring flaming barrels to the human path if they can't transfer stuff? It only goes one way? The fire was a chakra shell?
 
Didn't we see Jiraiya use this trick a bunch? Also how did Kei's Pangolins bring flaming barrels to the human path if they can't transfer stuff? It only goes one way? The fire was a chakra shell?
I don't recall Jiraiya using this trick.

My understanding was that the transfer is one way. They can bring stuff, but not take stuff back. The stuff is a chakra shell, and when they pop, the stuff does too.

You're referring to the tournament fight? I thought Kei was supplying the barrels there.

EDIT:
The two of them had been waiting for her call; Pandamonium's neck was looped with a rope that supported a pallet full of half a dozen small casks. Each cask was filled with very flammable lamp oil and had a burning torch tied to it. Smashed into the ground with pangolin-powered muscles, the casks would turn into burning fountains of flaming area denial. Perfect for keeping a close-combat specialist such as Hazō at bay.
I don't know how the fuck Summoning works
 
Last edited:
Alternatively, Summoning is just like Reverse Summoning, except the Summons are in chakra shells for ....reasons.... and they can bring whatever they can carry. The stuff is real, not a chakra shell and it only goes back with them if they're carrying it when they pop.

In which case a note would work fine
 
I am interested! I really enjoy reading the roll sections. Even if it's only some rolls. I find it helps the players decide which combat stats are the most important. There's no substitute for life or death situations to see which stats end up mattering.
Seconded! Just making a big post instead of trying to embed them is fine if that's easier
@Paperclipped Thirded. If you've saved the rolls, I'd love to read them! If it makes it easier on you, a big, separate post would be perfectly fine!
Well, I found the time to clean up the rolls (well... somewhat). I'll attach them in a spoiler in this post and also edit them into the original chapter.

More rolls with more extreme results the deeper in they go and the longer they explore.

Encounter rolls:
  • #1: Day 1, Moderate quantity, moderate strength
  • #2: Day 2, High quantity, moderate strength
  • #3: Day 3, Moderate quantity, high strength
  • #4: Day 3, Low quantity, ultralethal strength

Treasure rolls:
  • Day 2: Good
  • Day 3: Minor
  • Day 3: Legendary
  • Day 3: Rare

Combat prep – Hazou can sustain Cantelope for around 4 hours, after which he is dry on chakra. Assuming Kei Snowflakes up at T-20 hours and Akane SCs at T-8 hours, that gives them:
  • Hazou: 138 CP going into the cave
  • Cantelope: 162 CP
  • Kei: 2x Snowflakes, 264 CP (Snowflakes at 33 CP each)
  • Akane: 2x SCs, 138 CP (Akane SCs at 40 CP each)
    • One SC is Bait™, the other SC is Hazou-Sitter 9000 (maintaining a bodyguard Block to swap Hazou out of danger in the event of an ambush).
  • Yuno: Full, no prep needed
Alternately, Candoru offers 8 hours:
  • Hazou: 195
  • Kei: 234
  • Akane: 94




Encounter #1

A group of beasts try to psychically dominate, then consume the party. As they are insectoid, they have the Aspect "Fragile Physiology"', which means they do not have a Severe Consequence slot. They start with a sonic/psychic attack against every member of the party:

Beasts (Brain Overwrite): ?? + ? (group bonus) + 3 = ??
Hazou (Resolve): 50 + 3 = 53
Cantelope (Resolve): ?? - 3 = ??
Kei (Resolve): 60 + 3 = 63
Crystal (Resolve): 60 - 3 = 57
Spiral (Resolve): 60 - 6 = 54
Akane (Resolve): 65 - 9 = 56
Hydrangea (Resolve): 65 + 3 = 68
Zinnia (Resolve): 65 + 0 = 65
Yuno (Resolve): ?? + ? = ??

Cantelope takes 12 mental stress. He barely avoids total personality death, and instead opts to be Taken Out, removing the Severe Consequence he would otherwise have taken. If he took one more stress, he would have been forcibly Taken Out and permanently mentally crippled.

Yuno takes 1 mental stress, and is a little irritated. Everyone else is fine.

The rest of the fight: Does not really need to be rolled, as apart from their psychic ability, they're weak. The team can easily wrap them up.

Damn Gouketsu and their high Resolve.



Encounter #2

The swarm of (rolls) 18 spider… salamander… spidermander-things attack! As they are insectoid, they have the Aspect "Fragile Physiology"', which means they do not have a Severe Consequence slot. This is deeper in the cave, so their stats are substantially higher.

Each one picks a random target each round:
  1. Yuno
  2. Akane
  3. Hydrangea
  4. Zinnia
  5. Kei
  6. Prism
  7. Snowflake
  8. Hazou
  9. Candoru


Initiative:
Yuno
Beasts
Akane + SCs
Beasts
Kei + SCs
Candoru
Beasts
Hazou

Everyone can be fully prepared, as they're entering the den. That means:
  • Yuno: Thunderburst, Ghost Scales
  • Kei: Ghost Scales
  • Kei SCs – None
  • Akane: Flame Aura, Ghost Scales
  • Akane SCs – None
  • Candoru: is too young to get fancy ninjutsu
  • Hazou: Ghost Scales

They also unseal a bunch of Substitution targets at the mouth of the cave they're coming from.

Round 1:

Yuno

Yuno attacks one at random: #10
Yuno (Melee Weapons): ??
#10 (Mandibles): ??

10 is very, very dead

8x Beasts
They make attacks against:
Prism: ??
Akane: ??
Hydrangea: ??, ??, ??
Zinnia: ??, ??
Kei: ??

Prism's dodges:
  • Prism (Athletics): 50 + 6 (Rocket Boots) + 10 (Sub) - 1 (PCJ) + 12 = 77, dodges
Akane's counterattacks:
  • Akane (Taijutsu): 54 + 6 (Youthful Fist) + 2 (Ghost Scales) + 9 (Flame Aura) + 3 (Narrow-angle blast rings) + 6 (Rocket Boots) - 1 (PCJ) - 9 = 70
  • Akane spends a FP to reroll!
  • Akane (Taijutsu): 54 + 6 (Youthful Fist) + 2 (Ghost Scales) + 9 (Flame Aura) + 3 (Narrow-angle blast rings) + 6 (Rocket Boots) - 1 (PCJ) - 3 = 76
  • Akane deals ? stress + Mild + Moderate to #1
Hydrangea:
  • Akane (Taijutsu): 54 + 6 (Youthful Fist) - 1 (PCJ) + 3 (Narrow-angle blast rings) + 6 (Rocket Boots) + 3 = 71
  • Akane (Taijutsu): 54 + 6 (Youthful Fist) - 1 (PCJ) - 9 = 50
  • Akane (Taijutsu): 54 + 6 (Youthful Fist) - 1 (PCJ) + 0 = 59
  • Deals 3 stress + Mild to #9, her PCJ is broken, deals ? stress + Mild to #17
Zinnia:
  • Akane (Taijutsu): 54 + 6 (Youthful Fist) - 1 (PCJ) + 3 (Narrow-angle blast rings) + 6 (Rocket Boots) - 6 = 62
  • Akane (Taijutsu): 54 + 6 (Youthful Fist) - 1 (PCJ) - 3 = 56
  • Deals ? stress + Mild to #3 and #6
Kei:
  • Kei (Athletics): 50 + 6 (Rocket Boost) + 10 (Sub) - 1 (PCJ) + 3 = 68, dodges

Akane + SCs
Akane saves FA for counterattacks as needed. All three PKH up, spend a Supp grabbing new Narrow-angle blast rings, then attack the uninjured ones: (#0, #15, #16)
She gets Youthful Fist on on #0, #15.

Akane:
  • Akane (Taijutsu): 54 + 6 (Youthful Fist) + 2 (Ghost Scales) + 12 (Pantokrator's Hammer) + 3 (Narrow-angle blast rings) - 1 (PCJ) + 0 = 76
  • Counterattack ??: ? stress + Mild on #0
Hydrangea:
  • Akane (Taijutsu): 54 + 6 (Youthful Fist) + 12 (Pantokrator's Hammer) + 3 (Narrow-angle blast rings) + 12 = 87
  • Counterattack ??: ? stress + Mild + Moderate on #15
Zinnia:
  • Akane (Taijutsu): 54 + 6 (Youthful Fist) + 12 (Pantokrator's Hammer) - 1 (PCJ) + 3 (Narrow-angle blast rings) - 6 = 67
  • Counterattack ??: ? stress on #16

4x Beasts
They make attacks against:
Snowflake: ??
Zinnia: ??
Snowflake: ??
Hydrangea: ??

Snowflake:
  • Snowflake (Athletics): 50 - 1 (PCJ) + 6 (Rocket Boots) - 9 = 46, dodges
Zinnia:
  • Akane (Taijutsu): 54 + 6 (Youthful Fist) + 6 (Pantokrator's Hammer) - 1 (PCJ) + 6 = 73
  • #4 is dead!
Prism:
  • Prism (Athletics): 50 + 10 (Sub) - 2 (Sub disorientation) + 6 (tag Mild) - 1 (PCJ) - 3 = 60
  • Her PCJ pops!
Hydrangea:
  • Akane (Taijutsu): 54 + 6 (Youthful Fist) + 6 (Pantokrator's Hammer) + 6 = 72
  • ? stress + Moderate to #14

Kei + SCs
Kei draws a Kagome Goo-Bomb and tries to immobilize the ones that haven't yet moved.

Kei (Ranged Weapons): 40 + 5 (Just Follow the Plan) + 5 (Team Uplift) - 1 (PCJ) + 6 = 55
Beasts (Athletics): ??, ??, ??, ??, ??

They're all immobilized! #5, #7, #8, #12, and #13 are taken out of the fight!

Prism and Snowflake attack the weakened ones!
  • Prism (Ranged Weapons): 40 + 10 (tag Moderate + Mild) + 9 = 59
  • She kills #14
  • Snowflake (Ranged Weapons): 40 + 10 (tag Moderate + Mild) - 1 (PCJ) - 9 = 41
  • She fills #6's stress track

Candoru:
Attack #9:
Candoru (Teeth & Claws): ?? + ? (boost) + 3 = ??
Beast (Mandibles): ??

Candoru takes 3 stress, filling his stress track

Hazou:
PKH, attack #11 which hit Kei.*(I did the rounds out of order since Hazou's initiative is so damn low I thought he was in the next round, and only noticed the error now that I'm cleaning up the rolls. I already wrote that Hazou bailed Kei out of a nasty hit, so I'm sticking with it)
Hazou (Taijutsu): 43 + 10 (PKH) + 5 (Team Uplift) + 6 (Rocket Boots) + 3 (Macerators) + 2 (Ghost Scales) - 1 (PCJ) + 3 (dice) = 71
Beast (Mandibles): ??
Hazou deals ? stress, inflicting a Moderate.


Round 2:

Yuno:

Attack #16, which seemed strong.
Yuno (Melee Weapons): ??
Beast (Mandibles): ??
It's on its last legs.

Beasts:
Kei: ??
Prism: ??
Hydrangea: ??
Akane: ??
Candoru: ??
Hydrangea: ??
Hazou: ??
Zinnia: ??

Kei (Athletics): 50 - 1 (PCJ) - 3 = 46. Big hit! Kei takes ? stress, breaking PCJ and putting ? in her stress track. She gains the Aspect "Grappled"!
Prism (Athletics): 50 + 6 = 56. Prism dies
Hydrangea: Akane (Taijutsu): 54 + 6 (Youthful Fist) + 6 (tag Mild) + 6 = 72, Moderate + full track to #3
Akane (Taijutsu): 54 + 6 (Youthful Fist) + 9 (Flame Aura) + 3 (dice) = 72, kills #6
Candoru (Teeth & Claws): ?? + ? (boost) + 0 = ??, Candoru dies
Hydrangea: Akane (Taijutsu): 54 + 6 (Youthful Fist) + 12 (tag Mild + Moderate) + 3 = 75, kills #15
Hazou (Taijutsu): 43 + 5 (PKH) + 2 (Ghost Scales) - 1 (PCJ) + 10 (tag Moderate + Mild) - 3 (dice) = 56, kills #16
Zinnia: Akane (Taijutsu): 54 + 6 (Youthful Fist) + 6 (tag Mild) - 3 = 63, kills #17

Akane + SCs
Akane goes after #2, the last uninjured one.

Akane (Taijutsu): 54 + 6 (Youthful Fist) + 2 (Ghost Scales) + 12 (Pantokrator's Hammer) + 3 (Narrow-angle blast rings) - 1 (PCJ) + 0 = 76
Beast (Mandibles): ??

#2 is dead.

At this point, all the beasts are critically injured and there's basically no further risk of failure as almost everyone gets to go before the beasts can attack again. The cleanup is easy, and Hydrangea, Zinnia, Kei, Snowflake, Hazou, and Yuno kill one more each. Final kill counts:

Yuno: 2
Akane: 2
Hydrangea: 2
Zinnia: 3
Kei: 1 + 5 immobilized
Snowflake: 1
Prism: 1
Hazou: 2

Akane: 0 FP gain
Hazou: 0 FP gain
Kei: -1 FP loss

Sadly, Kei was the only one who actually took stress in this fight! Can she shake off the poison?

Kei (Physique): 33 + 3 = 36
Kei (Physique): 33 + 0 = 33
Kei (Physique): 33 + 3 = 36

Yes, Kei is very buff.



Encounter #3

This encounter happens underwater. Hazou and Kei take a ½ penalty to all physical skills (as they grew up in Mist and very comfortable with swimming), Akane and Candoru take ⅔ penalty (as they have actually swam in the past), and Yuno takes ¾ (no real water exposure). Otherwise, ABs work as normal.

They come to a dead end and see the cavern bend downwards into the water. Hydrangea is the designated bait, so removes her seals and swims in. She gets a fair distance under the water, and finds the location where the water ends and the cave continues.

The cavefish attack her once she reaches roughly the halfway point.

First attack: ??
Akane (Taijutsu): 54 - 36 (⅔ underwater penalty) - 1 (PCJ) + 0 = 17

Hydrangea dies.

Okay, there are a bunch of fish down there and they're very deadly. They quickly attack anything that comes close. There's no other good way forward, so they'll need to deal with this. Explosions are a great way of killing things underwater… Crystal volunteers, if only for the irony of getting to blow up some more fish. An explosion in Melee will certainly kill the fish.

Some waterproofing of seals allows for a clever MARS thing to be used – Crystal will roll a series of Substitution targets into the underwater passageway, marking them with explosives tied to ARS. When the fish attack her, she'll Substitute out of the way and trigger the ARS-explosive to catch as many of the killer fish as she can. The number of attacks she can dodge in a row without Substituting is the number of fish that she can bait into Melee, to be insta-killed.

For this tactic to work, her reactions need to be better than any of the fish. She'll roll an Alertness check:
Crystal (Alertness): ??
Best of fish (Alertness): ??

Attack 1: ??
Crystal (Athletics): 50 - 25 (½ underwater penalty) - 1 (PCJ) + 6 = 30
Attack 2: ??
Crystal (Athletics): 50 - 25 (½ underwater penalty) - 1 (PCJ) + 10 (Substitution) + 9 = 43

Crystal Substitutes out and triggers, killing 2 of the cavefish. That's two Supplementals, so she'll use her Standard to swim away:

Crystal (Athletics): 50 - 25 (½ underwater penalty) - 1 (PCJ) + 9 = 33

Excellent Athletics roll on the Sprint! She gets 2 Zones away. The rest of the fish can make a Good TN 30 Resolve check to keep it together and keep on attacking Crystal… #1 and #4 somehow pass. However, they can't reach her! They'll give chase to the target.

Crystal notes she's out of chakra, so the Substitution/ARS trick won't work again. Instead, she'll opt to trigger one last explosion in her hands to take out one more fish, and force the other to make a TN40 Athletics check for stress… #1 dies, #4 takes 3 stress, which is a Mild. Crystal dies.


After careful consideration of the possibilities, Prism volunteers to do the same.

Attack 1: ??
Prism (Athletics): 50 - 25 (½ underwater penalty) - 1 (PCJ) - 6 = 18
Prism spends a Fate Point to reroll!
Prism (Athletics): 50 - 25 (½ underwater penalty) - 1 (PCJ) + 3 = 27
Prism's PCJ breaks
Attack 2: ??
Prism (Athletics): 50 - 25 (½ underwater penalty) + 12 = 37
Attack 3: ??
Prism (Athletics): 50 - 25 (½ underwater penalty) - 3 = 22
Prism spends a Fate Point to reroll!
Prism (Athletics): 50 - 25 (½ underwater penalty) + 3 = 28
Attack 4: ??
Prism (Athletics): 50 - 25 (½ underwater penalty) + 10 (Substitution) + 6 = 41

With some incredible rolls, Prism manages to bait 4 in, then detonates.

Prism (Athletics): 50 - 25 (½ underwater penalty) - 3 = 22

She does not manage to get as far away, so she's caught by the remaining fish and swiftly killed.

There's now only two fish left in the cave. The team waits a bit for the fish guts to settle out of the water. With the bulk of the enemy forces taken care of, they'll proceed onward in a group, hoping to spare Zinnia any further self-sacrifice.

The fish emerge from their holes, the heroes have much better initiative. But can they actually compete against underwater predators in their home environment?

Initiative:
Yuno
Akane
Zinnia
Kei
Candoru
Hazou
Cavefish

Round 1

Yuno:

Has her jutsu up (again): ?? - ?? (¾ underwater penalty) + ? (boost) + ? (???) - 1 (PCJ) + 9 = ??
Cavefish: ??

The fish wins, breaking her PCJ!

Akane:
Help Yuno
Akane (Taijutsu): 54 - 36 (⅔ underwater penalty) + 12 (PKH) + 6 (Youthful Fist) + 3 (Blast Rings) - 1 (PCJ) + 6 = 44
Cavefish: ??
Fish takes a Mild

Zinnia:
Help Yuno
Akane (Taijutsu): 54 - 36 (⅔ underwater penalty) + 12 (PKH) + 6 (Youthful Fist) + 3 (Blast Rings) - 1 (PCJ) + 6 (tag Mild) + 6 = 50
Cavefish: ??

Fish takes a Moderate

Kei
Help Yuno
Kei (Ranged Weapons): 40 - 20 (½ underwater penalty) + 10 (PKH) + 5 (tag moderate) + 3 = 38
Cavefish: ??
Fish takes a Severe

Candoru
Finish it off
Candoru (Teeth & Claws): ?? - ?? (⅔ underwater penalty) + ? (boost) + ? (tag Severe) + 6 = ??
Cavefish: ??
The fish is dead


Hazou
Attack/occupy the other one.
Hazou (Taijutsu): 40 - 20 (½ underwater penalty) + 3 (IN) + 10 (PKH) + 3 (Macerators) + 2 (GS) - 1 (PCJ) + 0 = 38
Cavefish: ??

Fish takes a Mild + full stress track

Cavefish
Kill that pesky human.
Cavefish: ??
Hazou (Taijutsu): 40 - 20 (½ underwater penalty) + 3 (IN) + 5 (PKH) + 2 (GS) - 1 (PCJ) + 5 (tag Mild) + 3 = 37
Fish takes a Moderate + Severe


Round 2

Yuno:

Swim away

Akane:
Finish it off.
Akane (Taijutsu): 54 - 36 (⅔ underwater penalty) + 6 (Youthful Fist) + 3 (Blast Rings) - 1 (PCJ) + 12 (tag Moderate + Severe) + 0 = 38
 
PCJ OP. Big SC survivability multiplier.
This encounter happens underwater. Hazou and Kei take a ½ penalty to all physical skills (as they grew up in Mist and very comfortable with swimming), Akane and Candoru take ⅔ penalty (as they have actually swam in the past), and Yuno takes ¾ (no real water exposure). Otherwise, ABs work as normal.
Underwater Basketweaving OP. Huge debuff. If this rule is used in the future, Noburi needs a ninjutsu that submerges targets. When both submerged, his nonphysical skills are not debuffed.

Thanks for cleaning these up! Got to be more interesting things buried in those rolls for rules enjoyers.
 
PCJ OP. Big SC survivability multiplier.

Underwater Basketweaving OP. Huge debuff. If this rule is used in the future, Noburi needs a ninjutsu that submerges targets. When both submerged, his nonphysical skills are not debuffed.

Thanks for cleaning these up! Got to be more interesting things buried in those rolls for rules enjoyers.
Dude, noburi could be the s rank taijutsu spec with the one huge technique that changed the battlefield

He just summons a mile of water and proceeds to beat the fuck out of people all while draining them.

I'm sure some Toads would enjoy that style of fightinf
 
Back
Top