IZOU'S PALACE

[goei]

KYOTO BAKUMATSU PALACE
You find yourself in historical Kyoto at night. The city is shadowy and beautiful, elegant but hostile. It's a sophisticated city, but you don't belong there and it knows it. Everyone knows it. You are being watched.

Worst of all, a terrible demon haunts the streets of this powerful capital city.

Eli Walsh, Kirumi Tojo, Still Sunrise, Argenti, Yi Sang, Celeste, Mafuyu Asahina, and McGillis Fareed, do you dare journey into hell?

 

♪♪♪

Comments

BOSS BATTLE: KAKURENBO

[goei]

[As Shadow Izou steps into the shadow and vanishes, everyone is once again subjected to a flash of memory.

A younger Izou, barely even an adult, is sitting in seiza before a severe looking older man. This time, we actually hear Izou speak, "Please, Takechi-sensei. I know I ain't smart or rich or good at talking like Ryouma is, but I wanna help too."

The man looks Izou over, mouth still set in a thin line, but he nods. "Of course. Unlike the shogunate, I'll have plenty use for a swordsman like you, Okada-kun." He smiles, but it doesn't reach his eyes.

As the memory fades, torches alongside each of the eight doors (I lied earlier when I said sixteen) flare into being, illuminating name placards above each of them.

In order, going around the room, the doors are labeled:

Toukatsu
Reviving Hell

Kokujou
Black Thread Hell

Shugou
Crushing Hell

Kyoukan
Screaming Hell

Daikyoukan
Great Screaming Hell

Jounetsu
Burning Hell

Daijounetsu
Great Burning Hell

Mugen Jigoku
Endless Hell

MECHANICS: Each turn, everyone can choose a room to enter. If they choose the room Izou appears in, they enter a round of combat. You can split up however you like. Landing a Hit on Shadow Izou will require a DC 15 check so make sure you strategize so you can add bonuses to your rolls.]

♪BATTLE START♪

[cleansewithfire]

[ ...There is the slightest frown on Sunrise's face, which way as well speak volumes. ]

I do not know if the names are meant be indicative.

[beautifulknight]

Perhaps he is waiting to battle us in one of them...whatever the case I see no reason to hesitate.

[ He will go towards Endless Hell.... ]

[beautifulknight]

[ Time to enter into them, so Argenti just looks into Endless Hell or he is going to immediately go for that. ]

[idealitas]

...The poem pieces Eli and I found mention a demon moving from one hell to another.

[ He'll just recite it from memory: ]

The demon flits between the hells, where he goes this rhyme can tell...
First along the shadow's edge, the demon follows somber threads.
Next chasing distant screams, amidst the fires panic seems.

[cleansewithfire]

...I am not sure which door would count as "shadow's edge", but it seems after that..."Black Thread Hell", then one of the screaming hells, and then the burning hells...?

[fullmoonmutt]

...what the hell is this? [ Literal, apparently, considering the door names. ] I don't get it?

[ People are referencing the poem, but looking from door to door, he only feels confused. As such, he will be entering no door. ]

ROUND 1 RESULTS

[goei]

[In our first round, everyone's locations are thus;

Main Room: Eli and Mafuyu
Reviving Hell: McGillis, Kirumi, & Celeste
Black Thread Hell: Yi Sang & Sunrise
Endless Hell: Argenti

Here's what they'll find;

MUGEN JIGOKU: ENDLESS HELL
Argenti finds himself in a room where everything is upside-down, and the floor is a black void, giving a vertigo like feeling. It is as hot as an oven and indiscernable chanting can be heard.

KOKUJOU: BLACK THREAD HELL
Yi Sang & Sunrise find themselves in a room where everything (lanterns, a low table, bookcase) is bound in black thread and black lines criss-cross all over the floor and ceiling.

On the table, is another scrap of paper. It says;

Third he twists all upside-down, over the chasm voices sound

TOUKATSU: REVIVING HELL
McGillis, Kirumi, and Celeste find themselves in a room entirely made of iron. The floor is scorching hot, which wouldn't be a problem for anyone wearing shoes. Blood and Iron Weapons are scattered around the room.

Also, out of one of the shadows, comes Shadow Izou!! He takes a swing at Celeste (11). There is no dodging a strike this fast. But now you three get a chance to attack him as well!]

im going to murder dw

[cirquedesang]

[Unfortunately, not everyone is wearing shoes! It's fine, though, probably, especially since he has bigger problems, with Izou coming out of the shadows to attack.

In combination to his reaction to the heated floor, he tries to kick Izou in the side in retaliation to getting slashed across the chest, but unfortunately misses (8).]

[idealitas]

[ Poem piece!

Yi Sang is also staying put in this room for the turn. ]

The demon flits between the hells, where he goes this rhyme can tell...
First along the shadow's edge, the demon follows somber threads.
Third he twists all upside-down, over the chasm voices sound.
Next chasing distant screams, amidst the fires panic seems

[beautifulknight]

[ He's not moving, closing his eyes for a moment. ]

Re: ROUND 1 RESULTS

[beathollow]

...

( she has! no reason quite yet to go investigating herself! but she will spend this time centering herself and calming down so her arrows can fly true. )

ROUND 2 RESULTS

[goei]

[Our second round everyone is as thus;

Main Room: Mafuyu, Eli
Endless Hell: Argenti
Black Thread Hell: The Rest

And they find... Nothing! Wait, actually, Argenti didn't notice it earlier, but now he's noticed... another scrap!

Fourth now darting two and fro, avoiding boulders crushing foe

Better luck next time, sports fans.]

[beautifulknight]

[ Argenti opens the door, yells out:

"Fourth now darting two and fro, avoiding boulders crushing foe"

Then he closes the door. He remains in Endless Hell. ]

[cleansewithfire]

...This does not seem right.

[fullmoonmutt]

[ yolo eli is just going to try screaming hell ]

[idealitas]

[ Burning hell it is! The not!great one. ]

[cleansewithfire]

[ To Ceushing Hell she goes. ]

Re: ROUND 2 RESULTS

[beathollow]

( as a note she is braced for any sudden arrivals, listening as keenly as she can for anything as well while she stays put. mostly she is worried about being ambushed while alone... )

ROUND 3 RESULTS

[goei]

[This time everyone tried spreading out!

Main Room: Mafuyu Holding Down The Fort Babey
Black Thread: Kirumi
Crushing: Sunrise
Screaming: Eli & Celeste
Great Screaming: McGillis
Burning: Yi Sang
Endless: Argenti doing his thing

A bunch of new rooms to observe!!

CRUSHING HELL: Sunrise finds herself in room filled with boulders and paintings of fierce wild animals on the walls. A lot of the boulders seem precarious as if they could fall over at any moment.

SCREAMING HELL: Eli and Celeste are... sorry Celest, in a room filled with active fires along with the disembodied sound of many people screaming in a panic. On the floor, safely away from any of the fires, is another line of the poem;

Now spies upon turning pyre, charred flesh no sinner will desire

BURNING HELL: Yi Sang has entered on of the hottest rooms yet! Inside is meat being roasted on spits over roaring fires, though something about it... seems inedible. Red hot iron clubs hang from the ceiling. Yikes.

GREAT SCREAMING HELL: McGillis welcome to the fucking snake room. Everything is covered in depictions of snakes or snakes erupting from people's bodies. There's screaming here as well but it feels more like it's coming from inside his head?

Also I'm crying because Shadow Izou is here and he slashes McGillis with a terrible wound! Nothing major has been nicked at least (18).]

[fullmoonmutt]

...you know, the shoe taking off that dude's head was cool and all, but maybe you should have kept them on after all.

[ Sorry, Celeste. Just a thought. After scanning the creepy room with its fires and screaming, though, he does spot the scrap of paper. He'll do Celeste a solid and be the one to walk in and retrieve it, since he does have shoes and all. ]

ROUND 4 RESULTS

[goei]

[The locations are;

Main Room: Yi Sang & Sunrise
Crushing Hell: Eli, Kirumi, Celeste
Great Burning: Mafuyu + White Men

CRUSHING HELL: It is still full of rocks, though as Eli, Kirumi, and Celeste enter, a rock will fall, rolling right in front of them, ALMOST crushing them. And where the rock was, is another piece of paper;

Then to hell in iron bound, he burns his feet upon the ground

GREAT BURNING HELL: Mafuyu, Argenti, and McGillis are confronted by HORRIBLE DEMONS painted on the wall. The seem to have eyes that follow the viewer. The whole room is aflame and hooked ropes hang from the ceiling that they will have to take care to avoid in order to collect the scrap of paper hanging from one;

Seventh quick he must take care, the traps his kin have left in there

Shadow Izou does not appear in either room!]

ROUND 5 RESULTS

[goei]

[Here's how things stand;

Screaming Hell: McGillis, Argenti, Yi Sang, Eli
Endless Hell: Mafuyu, Celeste, Kirumi, Sunrise

It seems the puzzle has been solved because Shadow Izou does in fact appear in screaming hell!! He tries to attack Yi Sang but, perhaps thrown off by how many of the team showed up in this room, misses entirely and even drops his katana in the process!!! He now only has his shorter wakizashi. Get'em , boys.]

ROUND 6 RESULTS

[goei]

[So Shadow Izou had a bad time this round. After being stabbed badly by both Yi Sang and Argenti he is already in no position to defend, and THEN Eli punches him extremely hard!!! He was downed on the floor, but after just barely being able to reach out and grab Hizen before Yi Sang can steal it, he melds back into shadow.

As they hit Izou, the fires dim, and the temperature in all rooms lower significantly

The boys subsequently ran to the Crushing Room

Meanwhile, the girls and Celeste set up some freaking traps and ambush maneuvers in Endless Hell, which is now just slightly uncomfortable instead of oven hot.

As predicted, Shadow Izou appears, and while he manages to do a big hit on Kirumi (18), he then immediately gets tangled in her webs. Everyone in Endless Hell will get a +5 to their attack rolls because of this and their preparations. Izou is seeming ragged and also very angry.]

You- You all-!!!
[His voice sounds hoarse but unclear if it's from anger, tiredness or both.]

FINAL RESULTS

[goei]

[As Celeste slams Shadow Izou to the floor with Admit One, he yelps in pain before once again sinking into the shadows.

However, once he does, All the doors slam open as the hot rooms cool to room temperature, and in the main room the torches have gone out, leaving the room cold, some corners even icing over with frost as all the fires and heat seep away.

In the center of the room, Shadow Izou is curled on the ground, pitiful and weeping. The straw hat and mask are gone, revealing his face and a faint scar encircling his neck. In a voice that is pitful and soft and yet echoes loud enough for everyone to hear where he is;]

Why I wasn't good enough? I tried my best… what'd I do wrong? Takechi sensei… Ryouma… Why'd you leave me behind? Why?

[It is up to you to decide how to defeat Shadow Izou: Demon of Kyoto.]