CYOA: Legends of the Jianghu

B wins.

"Do I look like I can drive?" you hiss furiously. "Does it appear that my pugilistic education included a period in which I learned to drive a vehicle?"

"Look, it was worth a shot, okay?" Gertie snaps back. "Get in. I'll work it out."

You and Zhilan get in the car, yourself in the front seat and Zhilan in the back.

"Musical talent or not, I'm liking her less and less," Zhilan mutters.

The next twenty minutes are terrifying. Gertie manages to start the vehicle, and after bumping between the walls of the alley several times, gets acclimatised to the driving wheel (or whatever she calls it through the swearing), and slams on the axelemator to drive off. Through the honking and the vast speed that you are going at, you have the distinct impression that other vehicles on the road are swerving to get out of Gertie's way as you clutch to the seat and the sides of the car for dear life.

"I wish I didn't eat before this..." Zhilan mutters, behind you, clamping her hand over her mouth.

"Get off the road, moron!" Gertie yells, swerving between two cars as they begin to honk furiously and swerve around her. She dashes through an intersection, and grins.

"Almost there," she says savagely. "Just a few more tu-"

There is a loud honk, a banging noise, and everything spins. You are aware of the lights and screaming before your head hits the pavement. Everything goes dark.

You awaken with a groan. Almost every part of your body hurts, though a quick wriggle confirms that nothing is broken. Your injured arm, however, gives a painful twang (-2 Endurance). You pick yourself up, to find that you have been thrown clear of the vehicle's wreckage. Zhilan, a few feet away, groans as well, and gingerly sits up.

"What happened?" you murmur, shaking your head.

"We crashed, obviously," Zhilan groans. "Gertie hit a car. Or a car hit us. I don't know. Where's is she?"

"A good question," grunts a voice from behind you. You turn, to see that it is Mr. Tien and his two goons, all sporting dark bruises. It dimly occurs to you that after the crash, you don't look much better yourself. "She's around, somewhere," Tien snarls, cracking his knuckles. "She can't have recovered from the crash faster than you have, and you were out for a while. Now step aside and give her up to us. Don't you want to get on the Sung family's good side? There's good money in it for a couple of kids who can fight." The men behind him give a chuckle. "C'mon, give it a think over."

You decide to...

A: ...tell Tien to get lost and try to find Gertie.

B: ...accept Tien's suggestion and help him find Gertie.

Spoiler stats :

Orthodoxy: 52

Endurance: 5/6

Skills:
Dodge: 2
Gambling: 1
Guns: 0
Medicine: 0
Meelee: 2
Neigong: 2
Qinggong: 1
Repair: 0
Speech: 2
Stealth: 0
Survival: 0
Unarmed: 4
Wisdom: 2

Equipment
Spoiler :

1 Gong
1 Martial Arts Robes
1 Peasants Clothes
1 Wokou Battle Rifle (5)
1 Combat Knife
1 Masterwork Sabre
1 Burn Ointment


Reputation
Spoiler :

Tianxia: 10
Wo: -50
Peasantry: 70
Bandits: -70
Orthodox Sects: 10
Unorthodox Sects: -10
Master Yi: 85
Jue Zhilan: 55
Huashan: 100
Beggars: 78
Kunlun: -25
Kongtong: 5
Soo Bao: 10
Wudang: 0
Haiyang Police: 35
Sung Family: -20


Party
Spoiler :

Jue Zhilan:[/i] (Independent)
-Martial Arts Robes
-Peasants Clothes
-Wokou Officer's Revolver (3)
-Jian



Active Quests
Spoiler :

Investigate the Murder of the Museum Curator
A museum curator from the Provisional Capital by the name of Shyu Manchu has been murdered in Ningyo. Travel to Singqi to investigate his death.
 
C, tell him we're already booked for the evening and wink complicitly before kicking their ass once more. ;)
 
changing from implications of A to definitely C
 
Definitely C
 
JohannaK's C wins.

"Thanks for the invitation," you say, grimacing as the pain shoots through you, "but I've got other plans this evening."

A savage grin spreads across Tien's face. "Suit yourself then. Get him!" he snarls at his goons.

As the first lunges at you, you attempt to dodge sideways, out of his grasp, but your leg gives a painful spasm and you begin to fall. The goon grabs you, and pins your arms upwards as he wrenches you to face the second. He delivers a vicious punch to your gut, and you cry out as you feel the air leave your lungs. (Moderate Unarmed Challenge: Failed. -1 Endurance).

As the second goon winds up for a second punch, you stick your leg behind that of the captor, and twist your body. Your captor stumbles, and the punch hits him in the side. As both are momentarily confused, you shove your elbow into his face, and your captor collapses, unconscious as blood spurts from his nose. (Moderate Unarmed Challenge: Passed).

As the second captor attempts to grab you, you dodge inside his grip, and deliver a stinging uppercut to his jaw. As he collapses, groaning, you turn back to Tien. (Moderate Unarmed Challenge: Passed).

Distracted, you never realised that Zhilan was already atop him, her knees in his paunch as she delivers a sequence of furious blows to his face. "And stay away!" she screams, getting up, and you wince as she delivers a final kick to his ribs.

"Well?" she says, as she turns back to you. "Where's Gertie?"

"I don't know," you say, stepping back slightly and a little afraid of Zhilan at that moment. It dimly occurs to you that seeing you unconscious, she may have attempted to flee to avoid paying you. You shake your head, clearing your mind from the pain, and notice a rich, grey, boa on the ground trailing away, in the direction of the sea. You gesture to Zhilan, and you walk to it.

As you reach the boa, you see a trail of discarded clothing, moving towards the docks. You follow it to the docks district, grimacing, to see, in a line to board a large vessel, Gertie.

Zhilan snarls, and runs at her. You limp along behind her, and are close enough when she notices you to see the panic in her eyes. Behind her trails her half open, and by now fairly empty, luggage. She is clearly torn between fleeing and abandoning her place in the line, and you see her sigh as she gives up.

"Where is our money?" Zhilan snarls, any admiration for Gertie gone. You follow up behind her, crossing your arms. Gertie sighs again, and begins fishing through her coat pockets, counting out a wad of notes and pressing them into your hands. "Fine. I guess you did good work. Thanks. And since your friend is about to kill me, I'll give you this too." She hands you a black disc. "It's a record of my music. You can keep it, she seemed to like it." (8 Gong, Gertie's Record, gained).

You think about saying something, at least to the tune of "You crashed your car and then tried to run away when you thought we were unconscious or even dead!" but throw up your hands and think better of it. As Gertie boards the ship, you wave goodbye to her, and shrug to Zhilan.

"At least we got our money," Zhilan says. She looks at the record in your hands. "Did she tell us how to play it?"

Exhausted and bruised, with your wounded shoulder giving a painful twinge, you hitch a ride back to your inn on the back of a passing truck, and both you and Zhilan collapse into your beds, exhausted.

The next morning, you rise late. After a hearty breakfast, you begin to consider your options once again.

You are in Haiyang, the International City. You can buy and sell almost any good here.

Sale Prices
Spoiler :

Wokou Battle Rifles: 5 Gong
Rifle Ammo: 2 Gong per 2.
Combat Knife: 1 Gong
Wokou Officer's Revolver: 3 Gong
Revolver Ammo: 2 Gong per 2.
Martial Arts Robes: 2 Gong
Jian: 6 Gong
Burn Ointment: 3 Gong
Masterwork Sabre: 7 Gong
Peasant Clothes: 1 Gong
Gertie's Record: 4 Gong


Purchase prices
Spoiler Guns :

Revolver: 3 Gong
Revolver Ammo: 3 Gong per 2.
Hunting Rifle: 5 Gong
Tian Battle Rifle: 6 Gong
Wokou Battle Rifle: 8 Gong
Western Battle Rifle: 9 Gong
Sniper Rifle: 12 Gong
Rifle Ammo: 3 Gong per 2.
Shotgun: 5 Gong
Shotgun Ammo: 3 Gong per 2.
Wokou SMG: 7 Gong
Tommy Gun: 8 Gong
SMG Ammo: 3 Gong per 2.


Spoiler Clothes :

Peasant Clothes: 2 Gong
Martial Arts Robes: 3 Gong
Beggars Robes: 1 Gong
Western Clothes: 3 Gong
Western Suit: 4 Gong
Bandit's Uniform: 3 Gong
Wokou Soldier's Uniform: 4 Gong
Wokou Officer's Uniform: 6 Gong
Tian Soldier's Uniform: 3 Gong
Tian Officer's Uniform: 4 Gong


Spoiler Hand Weapons :

Combat Knife: 2 Gong
Dagger: 3 Gong
Acupuncture Needles: 2 Gong per 3.
Sabre: 8 Gong
Jian: 8 Gong
Quarterstaff: 3 Gong
Spear: 6 Gong
Katana: 9 Gong
Wazikashi: 5 Gong
Shuriken: 2 Gong per 3.
Battle Axe: 4 Gong
Whip: 6 Gong
Meteor Hammer: 7 Gong
Guan Dao: 8 Gong


Spoiler Potions :

Healing Poultice: 3 Gong
Poison: 4 Gong
Opium: 4 Gong


Spoiler Other :

Live Chicken: 5 Gong
A Trained Monkey: 10 Gong


One week to your west lies the village of Samsu. The Wokou have occupied this village and are hunting for the remnants of the Pugilist army there.

For 6 Gong, you can buy a train ticket to the Provisional Capital of Singqi, the Old Palace of Wanpin, or the Occupied Capital of Aitsing.

For 10 Gong, you can buy passage upon a vessel to the Western ruled city of the Hong.

For 20 Gong, you can buy passage upon a vessel to the West.

You decide that you will...

A: ...seek work among Haiyang's criminal underground. Truly, their lives must be romantic and exciting!

B: ...seek work in the Foreign District from the Western and Wokou businesses and agents there. Being rich, they must surely pay well!

C: ...seek work on the Docks district. Hard labour will likely do you good!

D: ...seek training in the Martial Arts. Surely in this city there should be a skilled martial artist to train you!

E: ...seek a doctor for your painfully twinging bullet wound.

F: ...leave Haiyang. Choose a location and a method and go somewhere else.

Spoiler stats :

Orthodoxy: 52

Endurance: 4/6

Skills:
Dodge: 2
Gambling: 1
Guns: 0
Medicine: 0
Meelee: 2
Neigong: 2
Qinggong: 1
Repair: 0
Speech: 2
Stealth: 0
Survival: 0
Unarmed: 4
Wisdom: 2

Equipment
Spoiler :

9 Gong
1 Martial Arts Robes
1 Peasants Clothes
1 Wokou Battle Rifle (5)
1 Combat Knife
1 Masterwork Sabre
1 Burn Ointment
1 Gertie's Record


Reputation
Spoiler :

Tianxia: 10
Wo: -50
Peasantry: 70
Bandits: -70
Orthodox Sects: 10
Unorthodox Sects: -10
Master Yi: 85
Jue Zhilan: 55
Huashan: 100
Beggars: 78
Kunlun: -25
Kongtong: 5
Soo Bao: 10
Wudang: 0
Haiyang Police: 35
Sung Family: -20


Party
Spoiler :

Jue Zhilan:[/i] (Independent)
-Martial Arts Robes
-Peasants Clothes
-Wokou Officer's Revolver (3)
-Jian



Active Quests
Spoiler :

Investigate the Murder of the Museum Curator
A museum curator from the Provisional Capital by the name of Shyu Manchu has been murdered in Ningyo. Travel to Singqi to investigate his death.


Notes: Sorry for the delay, I've had a very busy few months. I'm also not particularly happy with the quality of the choices I've been offering and the quality of the writing, so I'm hopefully going to be improving that in the future when we continue writing. I'm still committed to writing this as long as I can, despite the possibility of fairly long hiatuses.
 
You will be loyal to me, and your school of two, and you may take no other teacher but those I will permit. Rest assured, should you break these terms your study with me shall be swift, and I am not a forgiving man - you should know, from your bruises. So. Do you agree to these terms?"

Would D mean we get the crap kicked out of us by Master Yi?
 
We search for a doctor, ofc.
 
:agree:
 
yeah I think that's probably a good idea, considering we died and all
 
By the by, I still maintain we should be working toward getting back to the country and rescuing our friends. Every good Adventure Story has a good Revenge Arc, ay? ;)

In fact I'd been wondering, what with the information gleaned from the Leytonshire episode, whether we can try to network with Albion/Tian authorities to gain intel into the aftermath of Samsu.
 
Would D mean we get the crap kicked out of us by Master Yi?

Yi did give you permission to learn from whoever you wanted when he told you to go, so you have his permission.

You do know from your extensive experience that entering into a formal Shifu-student relationship would probably be considered a betrayal of that relationship with him, but you can learn from Masters without entering into that formal relationship.
 
Yeah alright, let's go get this freaking bullet pulled out of us and then go get some more training.
 
E wins.

You leave the inn to begin to search for a doctor.

After being turned away from several Western style clinics for being clearly scruffy and too far under their traditional price range, you find yourselves outside a small doctor's office in the Docks District of Haiyang. As you walk through the door, you are immediately hit with the scent of various herbs and medicines - a not entirely pleasant smell that cloys together and assaults your nostrils. As you wrinkle your nose, a bearded Tian man walks out of the back room and positions himself behind the counter.

"I am Doctor Wen Shinjing," he says bluntly. "Do you need a doctor, or are you lost?"

You tell him that you are looking for a doctor to treat a painful, old wound.

"Good. Come into the back room. You too, I might need someone to hold a scalpel," he says to Zhilan, who goes pale.

He beckons you into the room, which contrary to your suspicions, is clean, white, and apparently sterile, and motions you to lie on a bench.

"Take off your clothes, then. Show me where the wound is," Doctor Wen says, brandishing an ominous looking metal implement. You strip off your robes to your waist and lie down on the bench, as Doctor Wen and Zhilan loom over you. The doctor pokes at your wound with his finger, and your arm gives a painful spasm as you gasp involuntarily.

"How did you get this?" Doctor Wen asks. You lock eyes with Zhilan.

"Uh..." you begin to mumble, but he cuts you off almost immediately with another painful poke.

"Never mind. Shut up and don't like to me, stupid boy. It's clearly a bullet wound. Who treated this?" Zhilan raises her hand. "You have fingers like an ox. The wound has reopened and the bullet has moved again, and now it's rubbing up against a nerve. You're lucky you came to me now before you got a infection."

The doctor reaches backs and grabs a pair of delicate tongs and a small jar of a green liquid. "Drink," he grunts, as he opens the jar and forces it down your throat as Zhilan cries out. The liquid tastes foul, but almost immediately you lose control of your limbs and your eyelids involunarily close.

You open your eyes again, and the room is a little brighter - it is clear a brief time has passed - and your shoulder no longer gives you pain. "A muscle relaxant, made from the extract of foxglove and cork bark." Doctor Wen says tersely. "I needed you unconscious so I could close the wound properly," he gives Zhilan a dark look, "and remove the bullet without you struggling like an ox." (+1 Endurance)

You begin to get up and thank him for his work, but he waves you off. "Don't thank me. Pay me. 5 gong." he grunts. "Or," he adds, looking over you with a keen eye, "you can do some work for me. You look like you can handle yourself. With only one bullet wound."

You enquire as to the work he is proposing.

"I did not always spend my time in a tiny office in the back of the Haiyang docks treating idiots like you all day. I used to be a successful researcher! One of the leaders of my field! I was working on my latest publication; the 60 Medicinal Uses of the Mandrake Root, when my idiot assistant stole my research notes! Without my notes, I was set back two years, and without anything to show the other academics I was denied my grant and thrown out of the university. Now, I hear my assistant, Fan Tsuen, is going to publish my work as his own! My work!" He slams his fist on the bench so hard you fear your wound might open again. "I want you to break into his house and steal my notes back! Do that for me, and I'll forgive what you owe me for the work I did, and throw in some of my own medicines as a bonus. Well?"

You tell Doctor Wen...

A: ...that you will agree to his proposal.

B: ...that you don't want to break into Fan Tsuen's house, and instead you will pay him the money you owe.

C: ...nothing. You run out of the office as fast as you can, avoiding paying any money or agreeing to anything!

Spoiler stats :

Orthodoxy: 52

Endurance: 5/6

Skills:
Dodge: 2
Gambling: 1
Guns: 0
Medicine: 0
Meelee: 2
Neigong: 2
Qinggong: 1
Repair: 0
Speech: 2
Stealth: 0
Survival: 0
Unarmed: 4
Wisdom: 2

Equipment
Spoiler :

9 Gong
1 Martial Arts Robes
1 Peasants Clothes
1 Wokou Battle Rifle (5)
1 Combat Knife
1 Masterwork Sabre
1 Burn Ointment
1 Gertie's Record


Reputation
Spoiler :

Tianxia: 10
Wo: -50
Peasantry: 70
Bandits: -70
Orthodox Sects: 10
Unorthodox Sects: -10
Master Yi: 85
Jue Zhilan: 55
Huashan: 100
Beggars: 78
Kunlun: -25
Kongtong: 5
Soo Bao: 10
Wudang: 0
Haiyang Police: 35
Sung Family: -20


Party
Spoiler :

Jue Zhilan:[/i] (Independent)
-Martial Arts Robes
-Peasants Clothes
-Wokou Officer's Revolver (3)
-Jian



Active Quests
Spoiler :

Investigate the Murder of the Museum Curator
A museum curator from the Provisional Capital by the name of Shyu Manchu has been murdered in Ningyo. Travel to Singqi to investigate his death.
 
A, we are a force for justice!
 
A

good thing we aren't kristian or whatever
 
A wins.

You inform Doctor Wen that you will undertake his work. He clasps his hands together greedily.

"Good! Good!" he exclaims. "Fan Tsuen will get what is coming to him, the ignorant brat!" He gives you an address in the International District of the city. "This is his house and clinic. Do whatever it takes, but make sure you get me those notes!"

That night, you creep up to the address. Fan Tsuen's house is small compared to the vast mansions you have seen closer to the centre of the International District, but well appointed, well within the reach of the wealthy Tian residents of the city. It is clear that he has achieved some success. However, it is still merely the domicile of a researcher and doctor - you suspect it is unlikely it will be guarded - unless you are caught breaking in.

You and Zhilan sit down across the road, hidden, to make a plan. You decide to...

A: ...wait till midnight, and then sneak in! Maybe there is an open window or you can pick the lock to the door?

B: ...break the door down, subtlety be damned!

C: ...attempt to talk your way into the house somehow and steal the notes.

D: ...knock on the door, explain the situation, and ask Fan Tsuen politely for the notes?

E: ...something else? Suggest a plan.

F: ...nothing. You go back to your inn room and get some rest. Doctor Wen can get his own notes.

Spoiler :

Orthodoxy: 52

Endurance: 5/8

Skills:
Dodge: 2
Gambling: 1
Guns: 0
Medicine: 0
Meelee: 2
Neigong: 2
Qinggong: 1
Repair: 0
Speech: 2
Stealth: 0
Survival: 0
Unarmed: 4
Wisdom: 2

Equipment
Spoiler :

9 Gong
1 Martial Arts Robes
1 Peasants Clothes
1 Wokou Battle Rifle (5)
1 Combat Knife
1 Masterwork Sabre
1 Burn Ointment
1 Gertie's Record


Reputation
Spoiler :

Tianxia: 10
Wo: -50
Peasantry: 70
Bandits: -70
Orthodox Sects: 10
Unorthodox Sects: -10
Master Yi: 85
Jue Zhilan: 55
Huashan: 100
Beggars: 78
Kunlun: -25
Kongtong: 5
Soo Bao: 10
Wudang: 0
Haiyang Police: 35
Sung Family: -20


Party
Spoiler :

Jue Zhilan:[/i] (Independent)
-Martial Arts Robes
-Peasants Clothes
-Wokou Officer's Revolver (3)
-Jian




Active Quests
Spoiler :

Investigate the Murder of the Museum Curator
A museum curator from the Provisional Capital by the name of Shyu Manchu has been murdered in Ningyo. Travel to Singqi to investigate his death.

Academic Misconduct
Doctor Wen has asked you to steal the research notes of his old assistant, Fan Tsuen, as revenge. Steal his notes and return them to Doctor Wen.


Notes: I'm alive.

I forgot some key mechanics and your max Endurance was meant to be raised after the surgery. This has been corrected.
 
Option D.
Also find out whats the deal with her old hag trying to steal the research notes (with speech skills of 2 !! I am a fighter not a smooth talker damn it !! ). If possible offer our services to Fan Tsuen.
 
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