The War of Sikai [Level 4]

About the adventure

Sikai is a land inspired by ancient Japanese culture and fulklore, along with a few things from other Asian Cultures. Sikai is full of Yokai, Oni, Shinigami and other creatures of myths and legends, and has ever been at war within itself. The Arapat and Jaizou have been fighting over their land with the natural divide of the Tatsu Mountains for as long as anyone can remember, even outliving the reason for the conflict outside of simple resource control. Nevertheless, Emperor Kurogame of the Arapat, a Towering battle-hardened Minotaur, and Emperor Yamioka of the Jaizou, a shrewd and deceitful Bugbear, fight on, seeking to gain ultimate control over the many resources the Mountains have to offer. The greatest of these locations being Shiryo’s Pass. Rich with many resources sought for their various technologies, the most important of which being those used to make gunpowder, with whoever holding the pass gaining a great advantage in production and materials. The Arapat have always preferred a more direct, aggressive approach, focusing on strong and skilled Samurai to lead them in battle and arming them with weapons made of their unique Spirit-forged Steel. Where the Jaizou prefer the more subtle tactics, focusing their training on silent and deadly shinobi, capable of sneaking past enemy lines and taking out the opposing leaders, clothing them in their special Shadow Silk and poisons derived from the Dusk Spider. Some people however, prefer to risk other dangers to the south rather than fight in what seems like a pointless and futile war. And to the south, exist the real threats of the land. A frozen waste that contains a Vampire, and Krampus, both of which offering protection for a price, but most feared of all are the Kurai-Tori, or Hallow Ones. The Kurai-Tori are forgotten spirits of the dead that manifest into frozen forms and roam the wastelands. They strike fear into anyone they come across, as defeating their physical forms is only temporary, causing the spirits to wander for a short time until they coalesce into their icy forms once more. But the most terrifying thing about them is when they kill a person, they not only destroy the body, but the memories of the person too. The only thing that remains after a Kurai-Tori kills are the belongings as evidence of their existence, erasing all memory of them for those that knew the deceased. The only thing holding the Kurai-Tori back from the north is the Wall, and the use of Spirit Forged Steel and Dusk Spider Poison, the only things effective against them. But rumors are that the Kurai-Tori are growing stronger, with their attacks becoming more frequent and more intense, the many castles of the wall needing extra reinforcements and greater resources to defend them. Some have concerns that soon, they may not be able to hold back the Kurai-Tori any more… We will be starting at level 1 and using 2014 rules for this game.