The Fire Inside

World's Edge Academy Travels to Ashiara, stopping by Kenkanai, which happens to be near Nishio's hometown. When they visit, Nishio offers to give them a tour, but initially neglects to walk them through the garden dedicated to his parents. When he finally does make his way there, and visits his parents' memorial, he is struck by a sudden sickness, and falls into a deep sleep, hot with fever. What will our heroes do now?

Plot points/Scenes

The Tour

Nishio shows the party around Hikarioka, introducing them to the locals. Perceptive members might notice that he seems to forget or avoid the Yugen no Niwa, and if pressed, suggests that they pay it a visit, thoguh he doesn't go there himself until later that day.

The Sickness

Wen Nishio finally goes to the garden himself, upon visiting his parents' memorial, a sudden sickness befalls him, causing an extreme fever, and putting him into a deep, though restless sleep. The party must find someone that can tell them more about the sickness bfore it's too late!

The Cure(?)

The party learns that Nishio has fallen victim to a unique curse, specifically crafted to to target members of his bloodline that visit the garden. To save him, they must enter Nishio's cursed mindscape, and defeat the entity kmeeping Nishio trapped in an endless nightmare, or he will remain in this cursed state for the rest of his limited time left. Fortunately, the town's healer knows a ritual that will allow them to share this mindscape for a time, and while they won't be in any real danger, they can only enter once, and if they should fail, it's unlikely they will be able to find anyone else to save him...

Into the Fire

Inside Nishio's mindscape, the party discovers a recreation of the village, though it appears a little smaller, as though it's a version of the village from some years ago. The whole place is aflame, and wandering the streets appear to be possessed soldiers, flaming halfling men strapped to burning wheels and the floating heads of dead women, screaming in agony. Our heroes must fight their way through the horde while trying to find the one behind this gruesome nightmare.

A Personal Kind of Hell

Hi-Ju, a powerful Oni of fire has invaded Nishio's Mindscape and crafted this nightmare. If permitted to monologue, he will discuss at length the pains he went through to make certain that this mindscape would serve as a very personal hell for Nishio while the fever takes him, before preparing for battle. He summons one last horde of yokai to fight! When defeated, Hi-Ju reveals that he was sent by another, a vengeful, disgraced samurai that Nishio's father once fought along side, and that, while he still lives, he has made it his mission to ensure that the Nishio bloodline dies with this generation.

Themes

Flames and heat, the smell of burning flesh, screams of agony

Structure

Conflict

Encounter Variations

Trivial: 40
Low: 60
Moderate: 80
Severe: 120
Extreme: 160

Wheel of Agony: 20XP
Elite Skeletal Champion: 10 XP
Elite Flaming Skull: 10 XP
Oni Commander (Re-skinned Ogre Boss): 40XP
Oni Warrior (Re-skinned Ogre Warrior): 10XP
Oni Warrior 2 (Reskinned Ogre Hurler): 15 XP
Oni Fodder (Re-skinned Elite Dark Talon Kobold): 10XP
Dream Caster (Re-Skinned Weak Night Hag)
Trivial encounter at town gates - Low-Med encounters in the city Severe encounter outside the manor Severe/Extreme encounter for boss

Components

Goals

Save Nishio from an eternal nightmare!

Stakes

If the heroes can't save Nishio now, the fever he's caught will soon kill him. The encounters will be many, and some deadly, and if they're defeated in the dream, they can't re-enter...

Cruel Tricks

Approaching the town, the party finds what looks like Nishio's corpse, and on further inspection, it seems like a lot of the other bodies around here are much the same. If the party goes to the tall building in the center of town, as they approach the top, they witness the mini-boss (Oni Commander) throwing Nishio from the top of the tower as they arrive.

Red Herrings

The tall manor in the center of town isn't actually where the BBEG is hiding - but from the top of the manor, they can see another home in the town, where they know a garden should be...

Related Characters

• Akisuke Nishio

Related Locations

• Hikarioka