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The players do not have access to the following information. They will have to figure it out or research parts of it through bard’s tales or magical means. This information is for the Game Master only in order

to understand and rollplay Ayeka correctly.

The information in the NPC Player’s Sheet is sufficient to hand it to someone, say a player’s girlfriend or wife, who wants to play. (It does happen.) And while this may give other players great insight into Ryoko it won’t blow the mystique or ruin the campain.

Ayeka is an 8th Level Monk

Alignment: Lawful Good

Though very graceful in manner and speech and able to act in a courtly manner, Princess Ayeka is spoiled and has a bad temper when crossed. She is from a royal line of Elvin warriors who pride themselves on their fighting and strong magical talents. Her royal family ensures all their children receive combat training and magical training, both male and female.

The old monk class in AD&D 1st edition fits Ayeka too well, so we will resurrect it. If any player objects they can certainly role up a monk character 500 years in the past, and he has to be a member of the Royal Jurian family. So he won’t be in this campaign unless we get back there somehow.

Furthermore, I’m going to tamper with the monk class in Ayeka’s case and allow Ayeka to dodge both missile and hand to hand attacks as a normal monk is able to dodge missile attacks (save vs paralyzation). This will keep her alive during her constant quarreling with Ryoko. The monk ability to take no damage on a saving throws instead of half damage verses magic and breath weapon attacks should help too. It may actually come down to open hand martial art attacks by Ayeka verses claw, claw, bite attacks from Ryoko (still in human form, but remember her teeth and fingernails!) Remember that scene when they both had red handprints across their faces …

Ayeka has a pair of hair pins that transform into +2 quarterstaffs and a few more magical trinkets (remember she’s from a rich royal family). The staffs can also expand as long as 30 feet. If they last it will be a good set of tools for Ayeka, who is more than able to quickly climb up a pole or walk across a thin pole bridging a chasm. Ayeka and Sasami have jewelry and small mithril ingots bearing the royal seal and clothes and golden silverware and fine china all worth about 100,000 in gold half of which is tied up in the two royal tiaras and miniature replica scepters. This is stored in Azaka the ship with some jewelry on their persons. Some will be lost in the crash. Having Ayeka and Ryoko fight is a great way to use up all Ryoko’s breath weapon attacks and all her spells, and to destroy Ayeka’s magic items and some of her loot, not to mention rooms, buildings, wagons, and chase away the horses and non-player characters in the party. This might run up a big bill in town. Mithril silver isn’t known well in this current kingdom and age, so most jewelers will offer her silver prices for it. What a waste, there is more treasure here than you’re likely to see in many dungeon campaigns. Again, the best way not to waste all this is to keep Tenchi with the girls in a quiet safe place.

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Ayeka and Sasami’s Guardians: Azaka & Kamidake

Ayeka has two magical guardians, Azaka & Kamidake, which function a bit like golems. Let’s call them wood golems. They appear as two upright floating logs, about 4 feet in diameter and 6 foot tall with a big magical symbol carved on one side. Azaka’s symbol is red and Kamidake’s symbol is blue. They can speak and understand words. While the princesses can command them they also have programmed instructions from her parents which cannot be countermanded. They also serve as the princesses’ attendants (both Ayeka and Sasami).

Azaka and Kamidake levitate, and move themselves and other objects telekinetically up to 500 lbs. Normally they move at 12” per round but can accelerate doubling their speed each round (12”move, 24”move, 48”move, etc. up to a max of 1000” movement ) in action. They function as intelligent magical staffs of 12th level magical ability and 25 charges each. They can create or absorb a wall of force (1 charge) the forms of which can be; a wall, as a band or as a bubble, both moveable and immoveable, clear, opaque or translucent. They can fire volleys of (6) magic missiles as a 12th level mage (1 charge). Each magic missile does (1) four-sided dice + (1) additional point of damage. Each missile can be targeted individually, There is no saving throw but they must roll to hit (like a fighter using a wand of magic missiles) and there are magical protections vs. magic missiles in the game. They recharge one charge per day in the sun. A “plant growth” spell heals and charges them at 1 point per level of the spell caster. Weighing in at 500 lbs they will knock creatures back if they run into them doing 1 six sided die of damage per 12” of traveling speed, if they then slam a creature into a solid object they will do (2) six sided dice of damage per 12” per round of traveling speed. They follow Ayeka and Sasami but in tight areas or due to certain obstacles they may get stuck and have to pound through a wall. In combat they co-ordinate perfectly.

They are armor class 2 and have 75 Hit points, but unless totally destroyed (say burned to ash over a few hours or chopped to bits with 500 hit points of damage from an axe or magical means) they will regenerate 1 hit point per day with sun, water and soil. A plant growth spell will help heal them 1 point per level of the caster.

The following functions are programmed and cannot be countermanded except by the King and Queen of Jurai:

PRIME DIRECTIVE #1: PROTECTOR They will protect the Princesses at all times: If Ayeka or Sasami are attacked they will bubble the princesses with walls of force first. ( One slight problem with this approach is that they cannot hear Ayeka or Sasami when bubbled so they will then be totally on their own initiative.) They may bubble the attacker if human sized or place a wall in front of a large attacker or a group of attackers if one or two 10’X10’ walls will completely block the passage. Additionally they may handcuff one or two attackers with bands of force. They shoot magic missiles volleys at flying or otherwise unreachable attackers. In physical combat they charge and smash. The princesses will be released when the threat is over, if they are out matched they will retreat with the princesses bubbled. If they are killed the walls of force stay and must be removed by normal means in the game. They were

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meant to call the palace guards after neutralizing attacks for a human decision as to what to do with prisoners, so they will not further attack opponents who are no longer a threat unless ordered to. Unless they have been told to guard against certain individuals, they do not respond to individual people only to actions. The same people whom they attacked one day would not immediately invoke an attack the next day until they first violated the safety of the princesses.

PRIME DIRECTIVE #2: CHAPERONE They will protect the modesty of the Princesses and will guard their chambers: No males may see the princesses immodestly dressed, kiss the princesses, or take inappropriate actions with the persons of the princesses. Translucent walls of force may be needed to guard her bathing if in an open area, no male can enter her sleeping chamber, and if she is indisposed they must first be announced. A warning shot of magic missiles may be used to discourage inappropriate behavior before deadlier force is used the next round. Unconscious, bubbled, pummeled or shackled trespassers should be taken to the King, but since that’s not possible; Ayeka, the eldest princess, will told and asked what to do with them. Ayeka is not allowed to command human prisoners (humans, elves, dwarves, etc.) to be executed. While lawfully she does have the right, the King and Queen realize she is a little spoiled and has a bad temper so this limit was placed on her command of the guardians. Note: after reviewing the series Ayeka certainly seems to have the ability to command Azaka & Kamidake to kill. But I do note that Tenchi was in Ayeka’s bed chamber so all that was needed was to alert the guards, they would have attacked him with or without the orders to kill him. Ayeka certainly doesn’t know of this limitation, if she ever does order prisoners killed she will receive a recording from the King and Queen, telling her the reason for the limitation and asking her to meditate on being gracious and kind, as princesses should be.

It would be a shame to use up these powerful magical creations over cat fights with Ryoko, or party members and NPC’s trying to peek at the princess, but that’s what will happen without good leadership in the party. It is possibly that obstacles could be purposely used to keep them maybe 10 minutes behind. They ‘see’ and hear as normal characters see and hear. They are always alert; listening and watching and never sleep but they seem not to respond to anything but an actual attack or cry for help. Ayeka can summon them at will. They will automatically take up good positions to stand guard at the entrance to the room, or building where the princesses are staying.

Ayeka’s Flying Tree: Ryo-ohki

I’m going to give Ryo-ohki to Ayeka and Sasami. Ryoko doesn’t need a ship, she’s a dragon who can fly and plane shift. Sorry, but we are changing the story. I don’t need everyone to have a space ship.

The ship has 200 hit points will regenerate 1 point per day with sun and water. If totally destroyed, the ship will form a seed. All persons in the extra dimensional space will be deposited outside the tree if it is destroyed. No matter what orientation the tree is flying in the extra dimensional space maintains its own up/down perspective. Persons inside the tree are not subject to damage from anything outside the tree, neither can they attack anything outside the tree except by directing the tree’s attacks from the

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command center. Persons wishing to help fight off attackers may go out on deck. Ayeka or Sasami must open the portal.

Magically the tree has 25 magical charges and can be recharged 1 point per day with sun and water as long as the tree has at least 25 hit points.

A plant growth spell will heal or recharge the tree 1 point per level of the spell caster when it is in tree form only. In cabbit form magical healing can be used to regain hit points.

This tree has three forms:

a) A sliver barked tree with golden leaves (like maple leaves in fall). In this form Ryo-oki regenerates 1 point per day with sun and water and has an extra-dimensional space inside, much like a Dryad’s but much bigger. Ayeka or Sasami must open the portal to the extra-dimensional space. (Yosho can also command the tree, if possessing Tenchi and if Tenchi has the sword.) The interior is like a sparse forest containing grassy plains and trees with tree houses, palisaded sleeping houses and meal houses built on the grassy clearings and a duplicate of the silver tree. On top of this tree (at the first major branching of the trunk) is the command center. This tree is sentient, it can speak and can display visual and tactical information with phantasmal force. a picture of all that is going on outside the extra dimensional space as well as other information. The tree can talk, answering questions and taking commands.

The Tree can change into a ship and back again with persons inside it, but not into the cabbit form. In tree form it continuously generates a protection from evil 100’ radius and can expend 1 charge to become invisible or generate a dispel evil 100’ radius as a 12th level cleric.

b) A cat-rabbit. In this form Ryo-oki is portable and even self- mobile and still regenerates 1 point of health or magic per day when fed at least 1 pound of vegetables (preferably carrots). Low quality food will be snuffed at. No powers are available in this form. Ryo-ohki in cabbit form is the favorite pet of Sasami.

c) A tree-like ship. In this form Ryo-oki is an 20’ wide by 100’ long foot ship formed by three intertwined logs. It can levitate (vertical takeoff and landing) and fly at 36” (about 36 mph). In addition to the invisibility, protection from evil, and dispel evil powers the ship in flight can grow turrets like magic staffs (12th level magic user) These staffs can generate lightning bolts, Ice storms, or a wall of force using one charge each. (The walls of force can only cover 15’ x 15’ sections, firing the turrets has batteries can form walls covering the bow, the stern, the port side and underneath, the starboard side and top of the ship). The ship can be commanded from the deck (at the helm) or from the control center in the extra-dimensional interior.

Ayeka’s story:

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500 years ago when there was more magic in the world, Prince Yosho left his betrothed princess Ayeka and set off on a to kill the demon dragon Ryoko, which had attacked their kingdom and never came back. The Kingdom had been devastated, fields and forests destroyed, towns burned. The princess’ parents may have known in time what happened to Yosho, but couldn’t tell Ayeka. Instead they kept her busy with rebuilding, and re-establishing rule in the kingdom and with matters of state. Finally she was grown enough to make her own choices. Her parents still did not tell her. They were old and she would one day be ruler, they tried to make her see that she must remain in order to take the throne. Otherwise the kingdom would fall.

As a princess with access to the kingdom’s resources she decided to find Yosho on her own. Packing supplies and taking her guardians with her she boarded a Flying Tree, one of the many magical treasures of the kingdom. She should have taken knights with her but her parents had forbidden her going on this quest and the knights would question her actions and tell her parents what she was up to. She instructed the boat to find Yosho. When she found out that he did not exist anymore she was heartbroken, then she asked the boat if that demon dragon Ryoko still existed. When she found out that Ryoko still existed she decided on revenge. In fact, at the time Ayeka was searching for her, Ryoko was asleep in a pocket dimension, locked away and unable to be located by the guiding magic of the ship. The guiding magic, a bit more powerful than Ayeka realized, took her to the future at a time when Ryoko was alive again on this current plane of existence. Yosho (at least his body) is dead and has been since Ayeka went looking for him. Without Ayeka realizing it, the ship took her 500 years into the future to confront Ryoko. When she tries to get back she will find that travel back in time is impossible (forbidden without certain command words known only to the king). The younger princess, Sasami, stowed away to see what her big sister was doing.

The party meets Ayeka:

Ayeka should show up the first time Ryoko becomes a dragon. This might allow the G.M. to take away a huge treasure pile the party finds, or to save the party from an adversary that is too powerful. Either because they found a huge pile of coins and Ryoko stripped off her clothes, dived in, and came up a dragon, or in a desperate battle if Tenchi goes down and Ryoko goes berserk and becomes a dragon. Ayeka is after Ryoko, but will recognize Tenchi as looking like a young Yosho, so she will save him, destroying anything hostile in the area. Make the rolls and play it out, the fight should end one of two ways.

Probable Outcome #1 The party bubbled and captured.

Ayeka will not destroy Ryoko the dragon past the point when she loses consciousness and turns into a woman. She won’t know what’s going on. Tenchi is obviously Yosho’s descendent, he looks like him but younger, more her own age. She won’t kill him. It would be best to take the whole party imprisoned back to her father to see what to do. She will heal them (except Ryoko, but she regenerates) until they are at least at half strength. Remember Sasami will let Tenchi go. Tenchi or the party will have to do some negotiating and ask the right questions. If Ryoko gets loose she will crash Ayeka’s ship because

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there is only one possible sentence for her in Jurai. Going back to Jurai will take a month and if they get there it won’t be the past Jurai but the present, with the royal family gone for centuries, the city a shambles but still occupied, all Jurai’s former treasures and magic plundered, the elves living in comparative squalor.

The royal line ended with the disappearance of Yosho, Ayeka and Sasami. In order to prevent this Ayeka will have to return to ancient Jurai and marry someone of Royal blood (like Tenchi who seems to have inherited much from Yosho).

Probable Outcome #2 Ayeka and Sasami bubbled and captured.

Hey, that’s an impressive party. Besides Tenchi’s sword and Ryoko’s firepower, you must have some good players. Congratulations! Be sure to crash Ayeka’s ship. The G.M. playing Ayeka will have to do some negotiating and give the right answers. You can just hear her if you place your ear to the bubble. The ship will not respond to anyone but Ayeka, Sasami (and Tenchi who is a descendent of Jurian royalty, but only if possessed by Yosho who knows the command words, and in possession of the sword which functions as a key). This is a little deviation from the series but necessary to limit the group.