Jade Legacy [L5R 3eR] - Act 2 Chapter 2a: Akatsuki/Dawn

[Rain Yupa]

After listening to everyone (and their rolls), Omiko seems to mostly value Miyako's input on the matter. Nodding to Miyako, the six-year-old would just barely squeeze through the bars, looking around upon her escape.

The only guard nearby seemed to be paying more attention to the stairway down to the basement than anything else, and either did not notice or did not care about Omiko's escape.

For a few minutes, there would be no sign of the little girl, and the guard would give periodic glances in your directions - though giving no indication he noticed she had disappeared from the cell.

After what might seem like an eternity of waiting, Omiko would quietly slip back from around a corner to the front of the cell door, hugging a ring of keys tightly to her chest so they did not rattle.

Then, from within the pit of the basement...

"EEEEAAAAAAAARRRRRRRGGGGGGHHHHHHHH~~!!!!!"  

[Tei Kae]

Miyako tried to stay as near the cell as she could and as she spotted the girl returned, prayed the Kami was with them as the girl moved closer. But the scream put even her on edge and she could only hope that it was enough to keep the guards attention away from Omiko as the girl moved closer to the door. As for herself, she and her weapons moved closer to the door as well, if anything tried to harm the girl as she tried to free them, Miyako would do all she could. At this point, it was all she could do.  

[Rain Yupa]

With a clatter, Omiko would drop the keys and say but one word, barely audible under her gasp:

"... Brother!"

Omiko would dart past the guard towards the basement, who would suddenly snap to attention. "HEY!"

The man would turn around to quickly glance in the direction of the jail cell; it was in time to see that one of the Boar had grabbed the keys and was currently unlocking the door.

Doing a double take with his glowing eyes, he would shout louder, "HEY! We have an escape!"

He would rush the door as the lock would click; footsteps would be heard from other directions, but so far, only the one guard could be seen.

This will count as a Mass Battle scene rather than combat, to represent the confusion the jail break represents!

Step One: Declaration

Miyako, choose from the following four levels of activity!

• Reserves (trying to stay all the way back and avoid combat)
  
• Disengaged (trying to stay towards the rear of the group, involving minimal danger)
  
• Engaged (trying to stay in the middle of the group, involving intermediate threat)
  
• Heavily Engaged (leading the jailbreak, being on the front line and dealing with the highest threat)

We will move to Step two once you decide.  

[Tei Kae]

Actually, once Miyako realized what was going on, she'd head back to Ninsei-san and try to get his attention. "Ninsei-san, Omiko and Heichi-sama are in great danger. If you don't lead these men to their rescue, they will die and it will be nones fault but yours, and then you won't even deserve to perform seppukku to redeem your honor." He was the only one these men would listen to and the best chance to organize was the best chance they had of surviving.

[Awareness/Etiquette 8k4 + Rank + Voice = 8k4 + 3 =29
Free raise from voice + 1 Raise to spur him to action =24  

[Rain Yupa]

Miyako is in Reserves, with Ninsei.

Ninsei groggily looks at Miyako, but her words seem to return some life to his eyes and he nods, before standing. "I cannot fight, but I will try to lead as best as I can," he would respond.

Step Two

Ninsei is still kind of out of it, so he delegates through Miyako. Miyako, you will use your own Perception/Battle (Mass Combat) skill roll (for you, I believe that's untrained), but you will gain his double Emphasis bonus (+4).

Enemy units: 1 (with more on the way)
Friendly units: 14 (including Miyako & Ninsei)

Enemy has a chokepoint on the unthralled, but numbers will still give a sizable advantage. Miyako gains +25 to her roll for a 6+ to 1 Advantage.
However, the enemy army is better equipped than the friendly one. Enemy gains +5 to their roll.

Miyako, give me that Battle roll!  

[Tei Kae]

{Perception/Battle 2k2 =15+29 = 44}  

[Rain Yupa]

"Have them try to seize any equipment they can. And subdue any opponents possible, in case this can be reversed," Ninsei instructs Miyako.

Enemy roll: 20

Miyako wins this Tides of Battle roll by over 2x the enemy's roll. Miyako gains a +8 to her next roll due to Morale.

The captured Boar quickly overwhelm the single guard, beating him senseless and taking his stuff! Due to the sweeping success of this round, no Determination is rolled, skipping the next two steps and going to Round 2!

But first, 1k1 reinforcements arrive!  

[Rain Yupa]

Miyako, before the next round begins, do you interject as per Ninsei's request that his fellow Boar don't kill their possessed jailkeeper?  

[Tei Kae]

"Subdue! Not kill, if possible! Maho works through blood. Blood gives the sorceror strength!" She had no idea if that was how it worked or not, but it couldn't hurt and they didn't know any better than she. She really would have to sit the Hare down for a good talk if she lived through this.

[Courtier/Awareness (Manipulation) + Rank + Mastery + 1k0 = 8k4 + 8 = 33
Voice Raise + 1 raise to convince them of it's importance and to listen to her =28.  

[Rain Yupa]

Ninsei would smile to you as your Boar would pause, look to the two of you, and settle on kicking the cell guard into submission.

ROUND TWO, STEP ONE

"Please, we should get closer, in case the battle gets drawn away from here." Ninsei says from the back of the cell.

By this point, everyone has left the cell but the two of you. More guards approach, weapons drawn, and this doesn't sound like all of them.

Miyako, you must choose to stay in Reserve, or move up to Disengaged!

STEP TWO

ENEMY SOLDIERS: 3
Defeated enemy soldiers: 1
FRIENDLY SOLDIERS: 14
Defeated friendly soldiers: 0

After that, roll Perception/Battle (Mass Combat) with the following benefits:
+4 from Ninsei's Emphasis
+8 Morale bonus from your roll last round.
+15 from 4-to-1 advantage.

Enemy will roll with a +5 for superior equipment. If you win this round, this bonus will fade.  

[Tei Kae]

"As you wish." Miyako wasn't completely stupid, she wasn't at all prepared for battle so she was more than willing to let someone else lead, though it felt weird being a very vocal piece for someone instead of sly innuendo. She'd move as he directed, moving them both forward as much as she was able without placing him directly into harms way since this was the best chance she had of keeping him and herself alive.

Moving to Reserve, I guess.

[Perception/Battle 2k2 = 14 + whatever bonuses Sleepy kitty...]  

[Rain Yupa]

STEP ONE

Miyako opts to stay back in Reserves.

STEP TWO

Enemy roll: 8.

Miyako wins this Tides of Battle roll by over 2x the enemy's roll. Miyako gains a +8 to her next Tides of Battle roll due to Morale (round 3).

STEP THREE

Miyako, roll Perception/Battle (Mass Combat) to see how Miyako herself is faring in this battle, now that there are multiple opponents.

You may refuse to make this roll. This will count as a refusal of an Battle Opportunity. You may only refuse up to two Battle Opportunities during this scene.

In addition, roll 12d10 (no explosions). Each 10 yields a defeated enemy soldier. Your fellow escaped prisoners have already dispatched one enemy soldier, so you may add +1 to one roll. The enemy will be rolling 3d10, and every 9+ will defeat one of your allies.

Since you won the last Tides of Battle roll for Step Two, you may opt to reroll any or all of these dice, but only once each.

If you succeed on a Battle Opportunity, it may alleviate the defeat of one or more allies.  

[Tei Kae]

First 3 die, Perception/Battle
Next 12 die...defeats  

[Tei Kae]

Rerolling, duh.... 11 since one was a 9 so +1 makes it a 10.

Total : 2 Defeats  

[Rain Yupa]

Enemy defeat rolls: 3d10 = None.

What kind of Battle Opportunity does Miyako have?

TN 25 (Reserves), with +5 to her roll for her army having advantage this turn (Tides of Battle) = 16 vs TN 25 = Failure (by more than 5).

Miyako, roll your Mass Battle Table result! Roll 1k1, add your Water Ring (2) and your Battle Skill (0), and your penalty for failing determination by more than 5 (-4), a net -2 modifier. The die explodes as normal.