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14:43, 28th March 2024 (GMT+0)

0005 - Zi Cheng.

Posted by Dao MasterFor group 0
Dao Master
GM, 24 posts
Sat 17 Jul 2021
at 13:40
  • msg #1

0005 - Zi Cheng

A puff of fog escapes your lips as you look ahead at the silhouette of tall city gates beyond you obscured by a mild snowstorm, lit by the presence of a few braziers of flame.

Seated on a goods wagon owned by a kind travelling merchant of textiles - Deng An, you can see the towering walls of Yunshuang fortress grow larger and larger as the wagon draws closer to the renowned fortress city.

After a quick inspection of the goods by the tall, bulky looking guards wearing fur lined helmets and armor, the wagon travels for a moment through the steam filled streets as you see all manner of shops peddling warm looking steam buns and sticky white soups - their clouds of fragrance warming your cold nose.

It is just the middle of autumn, and yet snow has already begun to fall in Yunshuang Fortress. Normally a person such as you desparately on a journey to carry out the task set to you by your Master would likely not come to this fortress of mortals and would more likely search for clues and information in places for immortal cultivators such as Ciban Chengshi Red Striped Market City and Mieyun Cheng Cloud Destroying Castle. Unfortunately, in the past few years, you have been ensnared and perpetually badgered by an annoying mortal - Er Lian.

Due the troublesome nature of your debt and her incessant demands for you to carry out errands for her, you've had little choice but to carry out her requests for now. As such, the reason why you are here is to assassinate the Ore Merchant Xu Piao - said to be guarded by a few exotic mortal experts he hired from Xiawu. It is said that he has a rather large mansion in the Cloud District (lol) of Yunshaung Fortress located next to the Pavillion of Gathering Clouds.

Soon you realise the wagon you are on coming to a halt, and you find yourself at an unloading bay at the back of a medium sized shop.

"We've arrived Lady Zi. I hope the ride hasn't been too bumpy...! I've been using this old wagon for too long a time..." the merchant Deng An chuckles as speaks. You happened to meet this humble man while trekking towards Yunshuang, and accepted his offer to allow you to hitch a ride to this fortress city.
This message was last edited by the GM at 02:51, Sun 18 July 2021.
Zi Cheng
player, 4 posts
Sat 17 Jul 2021
at 16:01
  • msg #2

0005 - Zi Cheng

She stretches and pushes herself from her meditation, the bumpy ride meaning she certainly couldn't focus enough to properly cultivate, but she could at least get some self-reflection in. "Thank you for your help, you are my benefactor, I would have still been a week away from landing in town if not for your help" She dips her head a bit as thanks and helps him unload the cart, her strength as a cultivator more than enough to help a mortal with his duties.

Once she was done helping the mortal, she gave him a smile once again "If you do ever need help, I do owe you a small favour for this, and I will always consider your requests if you wish to hire me for a job of some kind, though currently, I am on a mission" Zi was many things, but ungrateful was not one of them, she had lived her life far too long among those with a superiority complex and she did not wish to follow their example.

Once she was in the city, she started to ask around, gathering information on her target, where his mansion was, using her rather substantial charms to influence the local mortals and make sure she had acquired a pretty good profile on her target, wanting to make sure she could kill him discreetly, without having to deal with fighting too many guards, since as strong as she was, fighting many guards, even if they are mortals, seems like a recipe for trouble, and attracting an actual cultivator that might be a threat to her.
Dao Master
GM, 30 posts
Sun 18 Jul 2021
at 14:17
  • msg #3

0005 - Zi Cheng

In reply to Zi Cheng (msg # 2):

Date (Y/M/D): 1000/10/20
Season: Autumn
Time: Night

"There is no need to worry, it was a pleasure to be of service to a beauty such as yourself," the trader Deng An chuckles as he salutes your with cupped hands and begins unloading his wares into his shop.

....

You spend about an hour wandering about the streets listening for anything related to Ore Merchant Xu Piao, and asking many of the men and sometimes women, who seem to be rather taken by your considerably captivating appearance. Based on a basic level of hearsay, you gain the insight of the following regarding Ore Merchant Xu:

- He is a rather attractive middle aged man, but is quite short. Based on the gossiping of women, he has tried to court many in hopes of gaining a wife, but has failed numerous times due to his considerably short height.

- He is known to be quite eccentric when it comes to pottery, and it is said that he has spent a large sum purchasing potteries from renowned craftsmen throughout Dingzhou. It is said that he possesses an extremely rare antique called the Xuanwu Jade pot - which is a small palm sized pot made of an extremely rare dark colored jade made by pottery Grandmaster Huyuan. It is said to be one of the treasures of the ancient Xia Dynasty that once united the Kingdoms of Dingzhou during times of antiquity.

- Recently a pot Burglar who tried to steal one of his rare pots, was mercilessly slaughtered by one of the 5 expert bodyguards he hired to protect his residence. It is said that the expert came from the harsh lands of Xiawu Absent Summer, and is proficient in the use of the 3 sectioned staff.

After gathering a few of these bits of information, are stumble upon a strange man who overhears your inquiries regarding Ore Merchant Xu. The man appears middle aged, swarthy with neatly combed black and white hair tied in a topknot. He apears to wear rather fine robes and it seems that he perhaps possesses a small fortune.

"Is your esteemed self perhaps seeking audience with Ore Merchant Xu? My name is Wu Kan - you could say that I am a matchmaker of sorts, if you wish, I can arrange a meeting with you and Merchant Xu. May I know your esteemed name?" the man who names himself Wu Kan speaks to you as he salutes you by cupping his fists.
Zi Cheng
player, 9 posts
Sun 18 Jul 2021
at 21:34
  • msg #4

0005 - Zi Cheng

She made mental notes about everything she found out about the ore merchant as she turned her attention to Wu Kan, returning the gesture before nodding. "A meeting with him would be most appreciated" She smiles and pauses for a moment "as for my name, I go by Ye Zhou, but you may call me just Zhou" She stretched a bit as she relaxes.

She pauses once more before asking a question "Well since you can have me meet with him, is there anything else you can tell me about him? I wish to get to know some things about him before we are to meet so that we might have some things to talk about"
Dao Master
GM, 39 posts
Mon 19 Jul 2021
at 11:06
  • msg #5

0005 - Zi Cheng

In reply to Dao Master (msg # 3):

"Oh no! I wouldn't dare to be so rude to a lady on a first meeting!" the man speaks in a flustered tone as he quickly regains his composure. "It is pleasant to be acquainted with you Madam Ye. Let us bring our conversation to another place more conducive for a discussion. Please, follow me."

You notice the envious stares of many of the men in the surroundings, clearly jealous of Wu Kan having successfully making an appointment with a beauty such as yourself.

As the two of you weave through the crowd and make a few turns at various junctions, you eventually come to a restaurant of the name Yang Jiao Bao - Goathorn Pot. The delectable scent of stewed goat can be richly perceived as you approach the façade of the establishment.

After entering and taking a seat at a slightly more quiet table, you notice quite a few stares towards you. Wu Kan too notices this and looks about before speaking to the waiter for a moment and then beckoning to you to follow him to a more private dining room deeper inside the restaurant.

Judging from the decoration and the tastefulness of this room's interior, you surmise that it probably costs more to dine in here than at the main dining area. To think that this man would be prepared to fork out so much for a random stranger he just met!

Over a length meal of rather succulent goat hot pot and warm wine, you discuss a few things with Wu Kan regarding the Ore Merchant and learn the following information:

- Merchant Xu prefers a lady who can shares the hobby of pottery collection and appreciation. Unfortunately, this seems to be commonly a male pastime and throughout his career as a Matchmaker, Wu Kan has never encountered a lady who had the similar hobby as him. Luckily for Wu Kan, he managed to keep a good relation with Merchant Xu also because he shared the same hobby. He has tried to drill into girls some basics of pottery appreciation, but sadly none have had the motivation to do so.

- Merchant Xu greatly appreciates a lady who is not picky with her food. There was once a falling out with him and a woman she courted as she could not take the Xiawu cuisine that Merchant Xu often ordered his cooks to prepare.

- Merchant Xu greatly appreciates a dignified lady who is learned in the ways of etiquette and would not embarrass him should he have guests in his home.

"If you have any other things you wish to learn about Merchant Xu, do not hesistate to ask! I imagine that I would be able to arrange a meeting with him at least one week later after you have your portrait drawn by a painter."
This message was last edited by the GM at 11:12, Mon 19 July 2021.
Zi Cheng
player, 10 posts
Mon 19 Jul 2021
at 11:45
  • msg #6

0005 - Zi Cheng

She enjoys the rather lavish meal with thanks, she felt almost bad for the man, spending so much to matchmake her eith Merchant Xu, when she was simply here to kill him. This didn't stop her from enjoying the food however, she had gone without such tasty meals for quite some time, her debt meant she was living quite frugally, so this was a great change of pace.

Once she had heard what he had to say, she simply nodded "I may ask you to tell me about his manor, as I dont wish to get lost while I'm there, and it would he too embrassing to ask him or be caught asking a servant" she chuckles a bit before she considers pottery, shaking her head "unfortunately I haven't had the chance to learn about pottery, I do quite enjoy Jade and other such arts though, so I would be more than willing to learn the basics if you would teach me" she gives a soft smile, playing into her beauty as she shifts into a position that better showed off her body "After the portrait is taken, I shall be working on a small project within the city and will be unavailable, so you will have to teach me about pottery before the portrait is done" she stood up and bowed her head slightly, giving the man a soft smile "there is much to do before I meet Merchant Xu, where shall I meet you to learn the arts of pottery?" Once her question had been answered, she took her leave, politely excusing herself, her plans needed much preparation.




on top of learning pottery, she will also be sourcing(presumably by picking them herself) poisonous herbs and animals to refine into a poison with which to kill Xu, if the materials are avaliable she will of course try to refine one that can be mixed in with tea or alcohol without being able to be detected, though that might not be possible, who knows
This message was last edited by the player at 11:49, Mon 19 July 2021.
Dao Master
GM, 44 posts
Tue 20 Jul 2021
at 16:33
  • msg #7

0005 - Zi Cheng

In reply to Zi Cheng (msg # 6):

You notice Marchmaker Wu stare at your slight provocations, occasionally shifting restlessly on his seat.

As you make your proposals, he hurriedly shares with you verbally the rough layout of his manor, which contains quite a number of guestrooms and even a fancy teahouse. Though based on his description alone would likely not suffice to exactly pinpoint the private quarters of Merchant Xu, you imagine you might be able to identify a number of landmarks that would narrow down your destination within the manor.

Based on the description of your needs, Wu Kan agrees to tutor you about pottery in the evenings at his friend Merchant Luo's pottery establisment in the southwest district of Yunshuang.

While looking through the herb and animal markets in Yunshuang, you notice the availability of a few poisonous herbs and venom sacs - that would cost around 5 silver taels each. Based on your understanding of Medicine, you unfortuantely do not know any poisons that are undetectable, but the most lethal of that you know of ingestable poisons that can be procured with the materials available in Yunshuang is Dogsbane poison which requires Rodent Root, Woodstooth Fungi and dried Fallfish Eyes. All of these can be bought at the quantity required from the market for 10 silver taels each, or harvested.

If you decide to search for the plants and fungi needed, make a Herbalism self check. (Lower than skill is success)

After a day passes with having lessons on pottery with Wu Kan, you estimate that you will likely become somewhat familiar with the subject of pottery in 1 month. Based on Wu Kan's estimates, he is able to arrange a meeting with Merchant Xu by the end of 3 months at most, after which he is not certain if the merchant will still remain in the fortress city.
Zi Cheng
player, 11 posts
Tue 20 Jul 2021
at 22:55
  • msg #8

0005 - Zi Cheng

Zi would agree to take the pottery lessons for 2 months, wishing to have enough of familiarity to pass casual inspection and conversation, as well as learn a little for if she needs to know again in the future. As she taking these lessons, Zi uses the cover of night and her free time to pick the herbs and fungi needed, finding more than enough for a dose or two to kill Merchant Xu with, refining the poison and preserving it so that it does not lose effectiveness as she prepares to meet Merchant Xu.




Today: Zi Cheng rolled 27 using 1d100.  Herbalism TN 56
More than enough to find the plants I need, Herbalism is my highest skill actually.

Could you tell me a little more about the poison? like how I should use it to poison him.

Dao Master
GM, 49 posts
Wed 21 Jul 2021
at 16:18
  • msg #9

0005 - Zi Cheng

In reply to Zi Cheng (msg # 8):

You manage to just spend 1 week finding the necessary herbs you need to refine the poison. As it is not a complicated poison, it simple needs to be mixed and coagulated into a paste - very quickly you find yourself with a small bottle of Dogsbane poison enough to poison a grown man.

According to what you have learnt, the poison can either be ingested (i.e. taken with food) or drank (i.e. mixed in water or a drink) - the scent of the poison is rather intoxicating - like alcohol, but has a rather bitter aroma. Based some obscure records that you've studied, apparently the poison can also taken by rubbing it into a person's eyes - but the efficacy is not certain as there is only one anecdote of the poison being used through the eyes.

Your lessons with Wu Kan have been going rather smoothly, and you gain rather useful elementary knowledge on Pottery. (+7d6 Pottery Appreciation)

On the 2nd month, you gain further knowledge (roll d100 and compare it with Pottery Appreciation. If the roll is higher, add +1d6 to Pottery Appreciation)


During the 2nd month of appreciating pottery alongside Wu Kan, you encounter a fellow cultivator!

This cultivator is appears to be a lanky young man with long black hair and strange green eyes. Your spiritual sense is able to detect that he is at the Middle Qi Gathering stage. During your encounter, your eyes meet, and it seems that he also recognizes you are cultivator, but quickly averts your gaze and pretends nothing happened.

During a seminar of pottery appreciation by a pottery master, you also notice the your target Merchant Xu participating and manage to make his acquaintance alongside Wu Kan.

What seems quite surprising is that Merchant Xu, though initially quite drawn by your appearance, seems to be more drawn towards the lanky young cultivator that seems to be named Ouyang Peng. Based on what you overhear, it seems that Merchant Xu is very excitedly discussing a few obscure pointers about ancient pots alongside Ouyang Peng who seems to be very knowledgeable about the subject. They seem to converse nonstop in considerable animation for the rest of the seminar.
This message was last edited by the GM at 16:18, Wed 21 July 2021.
Zi Cheng
player, 13 posts
Wed 21 Jul 2021
at 20:30
  • msg #10

0005 - Zi Cheng

Though not to a level of knowledge where she could really keep up with Merchant Xu, she knew that she had spent enough time learning and already had her poison ready, so it was time that she struck against her target, making a note of the cultivator for later, such a cultivator at her level was sure to have supplies that would help her own cultivation, or at the very least they should be somewhat expensive. They could be sold off to pay her debts.

She comes to Wu Kan and expresses that she is ready to have her portrait taken and sent to Merchant Xu, making sure she had everything she needed on her person or within her natural interspacial inventory, making sure to keep her sword and the poison within the inventory as to not arouse any suspicion.
Dao Master
GM, 56 posts
Thu 22 Jul 2021
at 17:21
  • msg #11

0005 - Zi Cheng

In reply to Zi Cheng (msg # 10):

Date (Y/M/D): 1000/12/27
Season: Winter
Time: Evening

After having made the necessary preparations for the session of matchmaking, you eventually find yourself at the guest reception hall of Merchant Xu's Azure Cloud Manor in the rich Cloud District of Yunshuang fortress city.

The guest hall is rather large and has finely furnished with meticulously varnished scented redwoods, decorated with very elegant hanging scrolls of mountains and sometimes illustrations of legendary works of pottery.

And of course, most important to Merchant Xu himself, there are numerous pedestals of tastefully placed pottery placed in very eye catching positions clearly intended to be shown off to his visitors.

"Welcome, welcome Miss Zi! Welcome to my humble abode! Matchmaker Wu has spoken much about you, and I believe we've met once at a seminar as well? I am truly impressed that you possess such passion to examine such an esteemed pastime like I do. Ha ha ha!!" Merchant Xu laughs heartily as he ushers you to a seat where there is a large porcelain pot of tea and two cups.

You notice standing at one corner is an androgynous person with a long braid in a foreign looking pink robe, casually gazing over at you as you converse. Likely one of the foreign Experts from Xiawu.

"Come! Let us appreciate some fine pottery together over a cup of fine Sparkling Hill Tea from Xiawu! It truly has a refreshing taste indeed! I wanted to ask you for your opinion about this fine Clay relic pot I bought in an auction not long ago..."

Make a pottery roll. If you fail (roll higher than pottery appreciation skill), you may try to propose a method through which you salvage the situation.
Zi Cheng
player, 20 posts
Thu 22 Jul 2021
at 18:42
  • msg #12

0005 - Zi Cheng

She smiles and follows Merchant Xu, looking at the pot quizzically but feeling like she was drawing a blank, not knowing what to say in the slightest about the pot, she had learned some things about pottery, but nothing to do with relics and all that. So, as to not accidentally make herself look badly upon their first meeting, she simply said nothing, inspecting the pot and nodding, keeping her mouth shut so that anything offputting will not come out. Once she had stayed silent long enough to garner a strange look from Merchant Xu, she smiled "The pot was so lovely that I was simply breath taken at their beauty." She pauses and smiles "I am still a novice at pottery, even though I want to learn more, so I will hope you will forgive my lack of specificity, as I do not know what is so breathtaking about this pot yet, only that it is."

She took sips of her tea, tea being something she can appreciate, without needing such skills, quite enjoying the cup of tea as she continues to examine the pot, still having little idea exactly what she was looking at, but doing her best to at least look like she was trying her best to understand.




Well, my luck is back at it again; thank god for no critical fails?
Pottery Appreciation TN 23
11:25, Today: Zi Cheng rolled 100 using 1d100.  Pottery Appreciation.

Persuasion to bullshit my way through it and convince him of my being a novice without offputting him.
Persuasion TN 44
11:32, Today: Zi Cheng rolled 26 using 1d100.  Persuasion

Dao Master
GM, 62 posts
Fri 23 Jul 2021
at 17:18
  • msg #13

0005 - Zi Cheng

In reply to Zi Cheng (msg # 12):

"Good good - though you may be unable to put into the words the sublimity of this work of art, what is important that is you managed to feel the aura of its beauty!" Merchant Xu smiles, clearly satisfied with your explanation.

"No worries - I will teach you and share with you a number of pointers... I am sure you will become a fine appreciator of pots in the future!"


It seems that you're demeanor has managed to pull at the heartstrings of Merchant Xu who seems to enjoy the role of being a teacher of the way of pottery appreciation.

"I think one of the ways to best inspire a passion for pottery would be to show you one of the pottery treasures I possess. When you see it, you will be absolutely stunned! Come with me - come with me to my private quarters!" Merchant Xu excitedly says as he grabs you by the sleeve and very excitedly tries to lead you to the northern part of his manor compound.

As you follow him, you notice the pink robed man slowly following behind some distance - actively trying to stay discreet.

Eventually, after a few moments, you arrive at Merchant Xu's private quarters, and find that it is quite tastefully design.

Upon entering, you see a very fancy and tasteful shelf of potteries of various sizes, and they all look extremely refined and tasteful - even for a beginner of pottery.

"Those are some of my favourites, but the greatest treasure lies here... Come, take a look..."

He moves towards his bed shifts open a hidden wall by his bedside to reveal a very minimal single shelf in which lies a Deep Black Jade Pot the size of a small cup that gives off a slightly cool aura.

"This is... the Xuanwu Jade Pot... I've went through much trouble to get my hands on it, and it is truly a transcendental work of art! You can just feel that aura of coolness from it! Ah... just what treasures await me in Xiawu?" Merchant Xu fawns over his small bedside pot, reciting various couplets to extoll its beauty.

But suddenly, you notice a shadowy streak fly towards the pot - and it disappears!
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