Alt-Onin - Journey to the West, Part 2 - Oni-Mura and the Demon Fort

As the PC’s journeyed toward the mountains, the sun set, becoming pitch black and stormy…. Yet sight is easy and rain never actually falls. Eventually, they reached "Oni-Mura", the Goblin Town. The settlement is a rude mixture of lean-tos, tents, buildings of all sorts, a few ship hulks, and other random things that the universe has dumped on this realm or dragged here by the residents. It sprawls up both sides of a valley, with Kurokinoku’s demon fort floating above the valley's center.  The locals are a violent mix of bakemono, dangerous animals, yokai, and humans from around the region. Surprisingly enough, both merchants and craftsmen live here, protected by Kurokinoku’s “laws” and hired goons. Other residents live by few rules - the economy is barter or theft. The only law is what Kurokinoku says it is. The PC’s were able to walk around in Oni-Mura without attracting too much attention as long as they looked ragged and mean. 

The Humans of this world are all descendants of people from the region near the shrine, which is a weak spot between worlds. The Yayoi ancestors were swept out to sea by a great storm, and some arrived here. Many others are simply casualties of storms on the sea… anything near the shrine can wind up in the demi-plane. Time has little meaning here, though it seems to pass indefinitely. In general, Humans from the outside world will remember their origins until nobody remembers them - at that point, all ties with earth become hazy, and their memories fade; Aging seems to happen slowly, if at all. Humans who die here generally loiter around as spirits of some sort. Still, those of strong religious faith soon fade away as they pass on to their final destinations. 

While in town, Yukichi was pressed (or volunteered) to join an impromptu war band of one of the local demons that made up the ruling class. This demon, named Pakupun, marched his troops out into the wilderness, eventually encountering the warband of a rival demon called "The Green General". The rest of the PC's joined in the fight, slaughtering many bakemono and then slaying Pakupun. This act eliminated one of Black Mushroom's lieutenants and gained them a fearsome reputation in one fell swoop. 

Kurokinoku’s Tower squatted like a mushroom above Oni-Mura, a diseased-looking stone dome on top of an enormous floating rock chained to the ground with absurdly large iron chains. A single wobbly rope bridge connects the giant boulder to the hillside; a small gatehouse is guarded by four bakemono and a single bored O-Bakemono. The castle is made of black basalt rock, with strange faces twisted and melted into the rock, suspended above the boulder atop a forest of stone pillars extending further in all directions than possible given the space available. Traveling unescorted through this maze is very difficult, and strange howls echo from within. The external surface is also augmented with various parts from ships and ruined temple structures, a couple recognizable as Kyoto landmarks burned in the fighting. Seeing it for the first time should call for a Fright Check, as it is plainly both huge and unnatural. Favored bakemono are allowed to camp under the shade of the fort, providing an extra layer of security. 

The PC's presented themselves as official emissaries of Prince Akihiro, who's name appears to carry some weight even in this strange place. They were granted an audience, and were escorted into the castle. A single staircase wound up through the center of the fortress. The interior layout is dark and twisting, lit only by skull lamps sitting in niches, with odd changes in the flooring position. Each floor has a general purpose, but the specific layout is almost random. Servant bakemono and humans scuttle here and there, trying to avoid being kicked by the Dai-Bakemono who throw their weight around here. At the center was Kurokinoku’s throne room, where he affects the status of a great lord or daimyo. This pyramid of bullying and intimidation is the basic structure of Kurokinoku’s empire, despite what he pretends otherwise.

"Kurokinoku, Lord of All He Surveys" is an Oni. Black Mushroom is a bit like the Dai-Bakemono who serve him but larger and leaner. His name comes from the huge enchanted black jingasa he wears, with a glowing green candle flame at the top. However, he is much more intelligent than his minions and henchdemons, and has acquired some magical abilities. Despite his intellect, he is arrogant and boastful, prone to bluster and overconfidence. Flanked by his two lieutenants, the daibakemono named Hyakume ("Hundred Eyes") and Suragon, Black Mushroom opened with a parley. This of course eventually turned into a bloody fight that ended with several PC's wounded but standing. At the same time, all of the oni, daibakemono, and bakemono were either slain or driven off. The PC's took the demon's head and proceeded further up the stairs to try and locate the missing Dragon Pearl.

Santo no Kai separated from the party and traveled across the outer face of the castle. On the next level up, he encountered a Mujina, but his will was too strong and he escaped intact. Eventually the group made it to the top, and bluffed their way past an O-Bakemono guard into Black Mushroom's private chambers. They eventually found his treasure chamber, broke into the vault, defeated a demon-ape guardian, and found the Dragon Pearl. By the time they were done freeing a prisoner and looting the chambers, they discovered that Black Mushroom's followers and troops had massed on tghe other side of the small bridge, and an inevitable fight broke out. The PC's repulsed the first attack handily, slaying one of the remaining daibakemono, the flying one called Zurutzu, famously armed with a spiked chain of great size.

When the PC's tossed Black Mushroom's quarters, the last one out of the treasure room noticed a floor panel dislodged in the fight with the hideous monkey thing. Beneath it was a circular shaft, about 5' or so in diameter. It seemed like a well, as a metal pipe spans the shaft across the center. A braided hide rope, almost like a 1" thick whip, hangs from the pipe and is braided around it. The rope has some play on it, but it also seems fastened at the bottom. The shaft is completely still and silent and descends farther than you can see. The descent will require polearms, greatswords, and bows to be tied together and lowered separately lest they snag on the rough rock on both sides of the shaft. Despite Yukichi's size, he will fit down the shaft... not comfortably, but he will fit.

Will the rope hold him? Probably.