Ikazuchi's Heir

 =Ikazuchi’s Heir=

Overview: Lord Ikazuchi’s Fall
Long ago, an imperious daimyo called Lord Ikazuchi made a pact with an evil spirit, giving up his soul in exchange for an ancient katana that granted its wielder immortality. With this blade, he committed many offenses, always returning from death in battle or execution with a new army and renewed bloodlust. It was his own clan that defeated him at last, killing him, entombing him in a stone sarcophagus, and keeping his evil blade hidden for centuries. Once Ikazuchi was gone, many of his clansmen committed ritual suicide in order to atone for his shameful deeds. Others fled Japan and scattered over the earth, never mentioning the horrors of the past. As the generations wore on, they forgot the name Ikazuchi.

But Ikazuchi did not forget them. Now, finally restored to life by the loyal descendants of his personal retainers, Lord Ikazuchi seeks to rekindle his fallen bloodline, to become a being of living flesh and not a mere dead man that walks. Thus, he wishes to swap his soul into a living body, but just any lump of flesh will do. He wishes to possess the body of his closest living relative, who just so happens to be one of the PCs. From there he seeks to conquer the world, and only the PCs can stop him!

Threat: Ninjas Attack!
The PCs are going about their daily lives when they are attacked by a horde of ninjas. These ninjas are dressed in dark tan outfits that bear an emblem on the back: two bent lightning bolts overlaid on a white circle. One PC is “special”: The ninjas will attempt to knock him or her unconscious, while they attempt to kill the other PCs. After the ninjas are defeated, one manages to sputter, "Lord Ikazuchi, forgive our failure!" before they all turn to ash, being consumed from the inside out.

Ikazuchi Ninja
Prowess 4 Coordination 4 Strength 3 Intelligence 3 Awareness 3 Willpower 3 Stamina 6

Specialties 3 Martial Arts, Stealth, Weapons (Ninja Weapons) Weapons Sword (slashing 4), Ninja Stars (shooting 2)

Investigation:
The PCs will discover the following facts as they investigate the mysterious ninjas.


 * Other people have been reported missing. One eyewitness reports seeing similarly-dressed ninjas kidnapping the victims.
 * Local historical societies and halls of records have been ransacked in the dead of night lately. The “special” PC is among those whose records have been stolen.
 * Local hero, Bolt Knight, has also gone missing, or at least hasn't been out patrolling. He is a huge alcoholic though, so he could just be boozing it up somewhere. It wouldn't be the first time.
 * Ikazuchi was a ruthless samurai warlord who allegedly committed ritual suicide ca. 1620, along with his most valued retainers, under very mysterious circumstances. The remaining members of Ikazuchi's clan then left Japan and scattered all over the world.
 * There may have been many warlords who took the name of Ikazuchi, as there are historical records of such a person dying in battle or being executed at least 5 times throughout Japan’s history.
 * Ikazuchi's unusual western-style sarcophagus is on display at Paradise City Museum, along with his famed katana, Sasayaki, under much protest from certain Japanese historical societies.
 * An old legend says that Ikazuchi’s blade granted him immortality as long as he possessed it.

Challenge: Finding the Heir
The PCs hear about a disturbance at Paradise City Museum, and may believe that Ikazuchi’s ninjas are breaking in with the intent to reunite Ikazuchi and his sword and thus bring him back to life. In fact, it is a trap: The sword in the museum is a fake, and the sarcophagus bearing Ikazuchi’s clan insignia is empty. Ikazuchi has been alive again for days now, and his real goal with this attack is to capture the “special” PC again.

At the museum, more ninjas attack the PCs, along with Haunter, a hired illusion-using villain. He uses his illusion powers to make it look as though Ikazuchi’s sarcophagus and the glass case containing the katana have been smashed open, and he is Ikazuchi reborn. With this ruse and his powers, he will attempt to confuse and separate the PCs, while two ninjas he has made invisible attempt to knock out and capture the target. As a distraction, he will conjure an image of Bolt Knight being pursued and captured in another wing of the museum by the animated bones of a T-Rex. He will also attempt to trick the PCs smashing as much museum property as possible.

(Haunter, disguised as Ikazuchi, appears to be a samurai lord in ancient, ornate armor. He has lifeless gray skin bearing the scars of many fatal wounds. Sasayaki is a richly decorated katana with a blade of a strange, red-gleaming metal. When Haunter is knocked unconscious or otherwise cannot maintain his illusions, the PCs will see his regular costume, which is black and gray with a black hooded mask that reveals a pair of glowing red eyes.)

Haunter Transformed Origin

Prowess 6 Coordination 5 Strength 5 Intelligence 5 Awareness 5 Willpower 6

Stamina 11

Powers Illusion 6 Invisibility Ray 3

Specialties 3 Acrobatics, Performance (Acting) Expert

Qualities I Control Your Reality Your Humiliation Is Complete

Challenges Vengeful Inveterate Gambler

Comeback: Rebirth of Thunder
When the kidnapping is foiled, the unmasked Haunter reveals that the real Ikazuchi is preparing to transfer his soul to the real Bolt Knight, who has been captured, as Ikazuchi has discovered he is a distant descendant of the Ikazuchi bloodline, and while Bolt Knight is not as closely related as the “special” PC, Ikazuchi has grown tired of waiting. If the soul transfer ritual is completed, Ikazuchi will gain Bolt Knight’s powers and become more powerful than ever, ready to reestablish his clan with his new, living body.

Haunter reveals the location of Ikazuchi's hidden castle, where he and the Gentleman-Sorcerer have just completed the soul transfer ritual when the PCs arrive. Poor Bolt Knight is trapped helpless in his own body as Ikazuchi controls it. Bolt Knight’s only hope is for the PCs to defeat Ikazuchi, his loyal ninja and the Gentleman-Sorcerer. They must then reverse the ritual by either coercing the Gentleman-Sorcerer (who is cowardly and easily convinced) or by making a successful Occult roll vs. Difficulty 6.

Lord Ikazuchi
Gimmick Origin

Prowess 6 Coordination 5 Strength 4 Intelligence 5 Awareness 6 Willpower 7

Stamina 11

Powers Strike 6 (from sword Sasayaki) Immortality 6 (from sword Sasayaki) Blast 5 (Burst) Invulnerability 3 (from samurai armor)

Specialties 5 Leadership Expert, Weapon (Katana) Master

Qualities Deadliest Swordsman In History Loyal Retainers Sasayaki, My Loyal Blade

Challenges Imperious Historical Throwback Obsessed With Descendants

Gentleman-Sorcerer
Birthright Origin

Prowess 3 Coordination 5 Strength 2 Intelligence 4 Awareness 5 Willpower 6

Stamina 8

Powers Wizardry (Magic) 5 (Blast, Force Field, Telekinesis) ESP 3

Specialties 3 Mental Resistance, Occult Expert

Qualities Fifth Generation Sorcerer Debonaire

Challenges Snob Coward

Aftermath
If Ikazuchi is separated from his katana, he will collapse after the fight, succumbing to death yet again. His last muttered words are to his retainers, “Do not make me wait so long next time.” The PCs will have to devise a way to keep the katana out of his hands.

Afterwards, Bolt Knight will thank the PCs profusely for the return of his body, and the Gentleman-Sorcerer will go quietly into custody. Reporters will later try to get in contact with the PCs for an interview. However the PCs perform on the adventure, they may be roundly criticized by FIX News commentators Dash Lumberg and the “hero” known as the Americanator on “Voice of Heroes.” However, local law enforcement will award the heroes a certificate of commendation.