Master Isaac Storyline

The Scorpions Strike - Act 1

Rokugan is Doomed...

Holding an outpost castle near the road to capital you have always been in your daimyos favor. Your father watched over the River of the Sun bridge and now it is your duty. Today started out like most others. Due to a powerful rainstorm last night, traffic on the bridge has been light. The added water has made the river current fast and powerful. During your morning inspection, nothing seemed out of place, but inside yourself you felt a stirring. Much like the feeling you experience before battle.

As you sat down to the afternoon court, shouts from the outside wall draw your attention. You quickly rush to the window and notice a messenger carrying your Daimyos standard has entered the main gate. The messenger's horse looks like it has been denied rest and water for several hours and is close to collapse. You straighten your Kimono as you rush to your receiving room and await the messenger. The messenger enters quickly, prostrates himself, and hands you a message from your lord.

The message has obviously been quickly written and reads.....

Gather as many men as possible and secure the River of the Sun bridge. Scorpion Troops are moving on Otosan Uchi in less than 3 days. I am gathering a main force and will be at the bridge tomorrow. Our representatives in court have reported that the emperors own life might be in danger in this attack. Other clans will also be moving toward the capital. It is imperative that our forces arrive first in defense of the empire. Deny other clans access to the bridge until our troops and supply train have crossed. There are reports that other troops from an unknown clan are also closing on the bridge. I expect they are a vanguard for a larger force or an effort to delay us. Deny them access to the bridge and secure it for our quick movement to the capital. Be watchful of the Scorpion.

For the glory of the Empire and our clan.....

So that's the situation. You get to build an army of 1000 koku (it is a relatively small outpost so your don't have many men to draw from) and you have to secure the bridge for your clan. This will be a one-on-one battle so it will be you against someone else. You will both start and equal distance from the bridge on the same side of the river. The winner will be the force that is in most control of the bridge (judged by me) at the ending time of 9:15. No one can play the Shadowlands or Scorpion clans. Whatever clan you choose will need to be the remain the same for the next 3 scenarios. If you can manage to capture the bridge for your clan you are assured that your Daimyo will reward you in the next scenario. If no one is in control of the bridge no one will be declared the victor.

Pics from Act 1
You'll notice the Naga on the left do a disappearing trick in the 3rd round that is long held ancient secret of the Nagaorian Empire.  Got a do something while you are sleeping.

The Scorpion Strikes - Act 2

Otosan Uchi is Doomed...

Smoke, fire, and the vial Scorpion clan define the capital. All gates are closed, rumors are the Emperor is dead, and all your approaches to the city have been met with poison arrows from the archers that hold the battlements. Your orders are to assemble your troops on the Plain of Fast Troubles and secure it for your daimyos assault into the city. Unfortunately it appears the other clans on-site leaders have received the same objective. Tempers are short and each clan is accusing the other of being secretly in league with the Scopion Clan. Your discussions with other clans have ended with the heads of your messengers being sent back to you in a box. It appears chaos rules and it is every clan for themselves in defense of the empire. Your orders are clear, Secure the center of the Plain of Fast Troubles for your daimyos arriving forces or your entire army will be slain by your own clansmen.

You quickly give orders to your force to organize and approach the objective. When it seems your task is accomplished, you see another army moving through the smoke toward the same position. Are they Naga, Lion, Phoenix, Scorpion? Does it matter....

For the glory of the empire and your clan....

The scenario is each player builds a 2050 point army. The battles will be one-on-one where possible. Both armies will start an equal distance from the center of the Plain of Fast Troubles. The goal is to have a unit on the center point at 9:30 when the game ends. The center is worth 15 victory points. Terrain is all field with nothing else to hide behind or restrict travel. No one can play the Shadowlands or Scorpion clans. If you lose this scenario to your opponent or neither army controls the middle point, your army in the Scorpion Strikes - Act 3 will be reduced by 10% of the total points allowed. This is because your daimyo had part of your force killed off for not securing the Plain of Fast Troubles as you were instructed. Your head may also be included with those that are viewed by your daimyo this evening.

The Scorpion Strikes - Act 3

Otosan Uchi is Doomed...

Smoke, fire, and the vial Scorpion clan define the capital.  All gates are closed, rumors are the Emperor is dead, and all your approaches to the city have been met with poison arrows from the archers that hold the battlements. Your orders are to assemble your troops on the Plain of Fast Troubles and secure it for your daimyos assault into the city. Unfortunatly it appears the other clans on-site leaders have received the same objective. Tempors are short and each clan is accusing the other of being secretly in league with the Scopion Clan. Your discussions with other clans have ended with the heads of your messengers being sent back to you in a box. It appears chaos rules and it is every clan for themselves in defense of the empire. Your orders are clear, Secure the center of the Plain of Fast Troubles for your daimyos arriving forces or your entire army will be slain by your own clansmen.

You quickly give orders to your force to organize and approach the objective.  When it seems your task is accomplished, you see another army moving through the smoke toward the same position. Are they Naga, Lion, Phoenix, Scorpion? Does it matter....

For the glory of the empire and your clan....

The scenerio is each player builds a 2050 point army. The battles will be one-on-one where possible in preparation for the Clan War tournament at the end of the month. Both armys will start an equal distance from the center of the Plain of Fast Troubles. The goal is to have a unit on the center point at 9:30 when the game ends. The center is worth 15 victory points. Terrain is all field with nothing else to hide behind or restrict travel. No one can play the Shadowlands or Scorpion clans. If you lose this scenerio to your opponent or neither army controls the middle point, your army in the Scorpion Strikes - Act 3 will be reduced by 10% of the total points allowed. This is because your daimyo had part of your force killed off for not securing the Plain of Fast Troubles as you were instructed. Your head may also be included with those that are viewed by your daimyo this evening.

The Scorpion Strikes - Act 4

The Emerald Fortress is Doomed....

The clans have fought among themselves for four days on the Plain of Fast Troubles. Thousands have died while Otosan Uchi continued to burn and the Scorpion troops laughed from behind the castle battlements. The Emerald Champion fought through the chaos to the center of the Plain of Fast Trouble and planted the emperor's standard in the bloody ground. At that moment, fighting among the clans ceased. That same evening each daimyo attended a meeting to establish the plan to retake Otosan Uchi from the vial Scorpion.  

The assault on the capital started ten days ago. The Scorpion troops had used their time well to prepare the city for defensive action. Secret tunnels had been built and each house was prepared to be ignited in flame as needed to slow the assault of the other clans. The Scorpions have made the other clans pay for every city street and building with blood.  Finally the main gates of Emerald Fortress have come within sight, but the top of the walls are lined with Scorpion troops.  
So thats the task. Breach the walls of the Emerald Fortress. Since each clan used magic to reinforce the walls when they were built, magic and special items are ineffective in this entire battle (so don't waste your time buying any).  To counter the magic walls, each clan has worked together to construct a magic resistant siege weapon and 4 siege ladders per clan. The clans have to move the siege craft and ladders to the wall to breach it.  The Scorpion goal is to destroy the siege equipment. It will take 30 points of damage to destroy a ladder and 200 points to destroy a siege craft. Siege craft have to be pushed from behind by a unit of at least 10 men while ladders are carried in the center of the unit by 8 men.  The siege craft will need to be against the walls for 2 rounds to make a 4 inch breakthrough in the wall. Ladders take 1 round for 3 men to climb to the top. Each clan gets 1500 points. Since David and Matt have won previous scenarios in the Scorpion Strikes, they get an extra 200 points to spend. At the end of the time, each clan will be assessed to see how many men they have gotten over or through the walls. This number of troops will help each clan start with a stronger position in the last scenario of the Scorpion Strikes - Act 4. Armies will start 15 inches from the castle walls. Terrain will be some burning buildings (Dave, please bring some buildings). No one can play and troops from the Shadowlands or Scorpion clans. Game ends to 9:30 precisely...