Okay, did experience. So sorry, only Hiruma Mulan and Soshi Ashiko advanced.
Til'k'chek is within 1000 xp of 9th; Miya Hatori, Tsuruchi Zenako, and Noku are within 3000 xp of 10th.
OOG: The Andersons are on their way to New Jersey and thence on to Virginia for Thanksgiving, even as I type this -- when I spoke to Eric last night he said they were leaving this morning -- so there may be a slight interruption in commentary from Hatori and Ashiko, though I expect Eric might have the capability to get connected at some point and chine in now and again...
Okay, some results from initial divinatory activity.
Initial Scrying. Note that the Scrying effect from the Crystal Ball is essentially the same as the 4th level spell of the same name, so it would extend into a Minor Globe but not a Globe. Anyways, from Hatori's early indications he was attempting to Scry the following:
"I'll arbitrarily guess that I can do at most half a day's Scrying that day (4 Scry attempts), given the strains of the day and the spells I have cast or will cast. Suppose I look in on: the Wang-Liang (Captain of the Guard), the Beloved Rokuro-kubi, a Hannya, and the Hebi-no-onni. (Perhaps a Dark Naga would be better than the Hannya or the Captain; opinions?)"
I'll assume the initial four as stated, never mind the Dark Naga -- plenty more scrying attempts if desired. The first four scrying attempts go as follows: (This info is Hatori's, he will probably share with others but keep in mind that not everyone will know every little detail, only what Hatori does indeed share. However, Hatori may indeed allow others to peer into the crystal ball -- their view will be not as sharp as his however.)
Wang-liang: No trouble focussing on him, and he evidently doesn't become aware of the scrying attempt. During the time you watch him, he appears to be isuing "training" commands, while standing next to a stone pillar. It seems that the commands involve sparring between two opposing 'sides', the female rokuro-kubi vs the male tsuno. There is no difficulty seeing -- there appears to be at least a level of ambient light in the area. The Wang-liang appears to be holding a normal-sized naginata rather than the allegedly traditional huge lajatang -- as a large creature, the Wang-liang could use the naginata in one hand if desired, although using it in two hands would net him more damage, obviously. With the normal naginata, a weapon that normally adds 5' of reach to a medium-sized creature, the Wang-liang would essentially have 15' reach but not be able to attack someone immediately adjacent to him with it. The Wang-liang also has a normal-sized no-dachi tucked through his belt. Although it extends beyond your scrying area a bit, he seems to be using the naginata as a pointer... Just behind him, appears to be a shimmering edge of a Minor Globe -- you can tell it is only minor because you can sort of see through it to the floor.
Named Rokuro-kubi: No trouble focussing on her either. It has been just over an hour since you scried the Wang-liang, and evidently the sparring session is over -- the lady warrior seems to be practising her own techniques now. She also doesn't appear to notice being scried. Immediately next to her seems to be the shimmer of a Minor Globe... You watch her, carefully -- she does indeed seem to be fairly skilled with her katana, probably has feats invested in combat bonuses with that weapon.
A Hannya: Well, if there are two, you have to pick one...so you arbitrarily pick 'the oldest hannya in the entourage of the hebi-no-onna living in the Ming-Yo temple complex'. No problem -- Hatori seems pretty competent at this scrying stuff... She appears to be asleep, in her monstrous humanoid snakey form, and intertwined with what you take to be a Dark Naga, it looks somewhat like a large black eel with a humanoid head that is also asleep. They are lying on what appears to be a ledge, from what you can tell it is probably one of the side alcoves. Also intertwined with them there are several vipers of small and medium size, hard to count just how many... In the wall, you see cracks in the stone that are large enough for up to medium-sized snakes to get through -- as even medium-sized snakes are not thatt large in diameter... Near the hannya's feet, where there is a side wall to the alcove, you can see the start of a shimmering MInor Globe.
The Hebi-no-onna herself: Hmmm...don't seem able to locate her with the crystal ball. Could be two possibilities -- obviously, IF she has a permanent regular Globe up and is within it, then the 4th level Scrying effect would not be able to penetrate that. Alternatively, there may be specific magic items and/or spells which prevent scrying on a particular target, which may also be the case.
Note that researching a permanent application of a 6th level spell (Globe) and also making such a spell permanent would be more costly than doing the same for a 4th level spell (Minor Globe) -- it is quite possible that the Hebi-no-onna only bothered to research and make permanent one type, the easier one that nonetheless prevents the most commonly abused damage spells... So it is certainly possible that her only permanent Globes are Minor ones. In which case, given Hatori's skill at Scrying, there would have to be some other explanation for why he cannot scry the leader. (And if anyone is paranoid enough to spend good hard cash on an anti-scrying device...especially if it comes in the form of jewelry of some kind...it would probably be a hebi-no-onna...)
Impressions gained from scrying is that perhaps the two side alcoves, if symmetrical, are both ledges and both protected by Minor Globes, and that probably the back alcove is also protected by a Minor Globe as well. If the hebi-no-onna does know the regular Globe as well, then it might be something she would cast on an as-needed basis... Other than those three locations -- and who knows just how far into the central chamber the Minor Globes extend but obviously at least a little bit -- it didn't look like there were any additional Minor Globes in place. But there might be some out in the hallway, Magoun hadn't mentioned any such effects in the hallway but then if he was using Darkvision to see at the time (because the hallway, unlike the chamber, was fairly dark, and he certainly wasn't going to advertise his presence by carrying a light he didn't need) he might not have noticed them, the Minor Globe may shimmer but it doesn't glow per se.
Noku reminds everyone that one easy spell to make permanent is Alarm, and if he was in a permanent wu jen lair of his own he might well have a scattering of those placed here and there around his territory...kind of like Mulan sometimes considers doing, only permanent ones would be much more useful.
Now, to get slightly ahead of Hatori, I will assume that the first Divination question will reflect one of Hatori's priorities:
"Getting the Jade Yari is very important to me, and the possibility that we could get it without confronting the witch is intriguing. Conceivably, having it would be a substantial aid in defeating her. I must think about whether Divination could offer some guidance on that issue."
The GM says, the spirits could hardly wait for you to ask! Mark off one Divination spell...
Assuming a reasonably phrased question, which I won't bother to actually phrase, the results of that are as follows:
"When seeking conflict and bloody victory, turning to the right to follow the well-worn path is obviously the way. When seeking guidance and destiny, the unseen path to the left, the path long untravelled, is the Way. Be Wary of the Pitfall of Pride. One who is of Serene Countenance and Indomitable Will, obedient to the Law of the Heavens, both Assured and Humble at One and the Same Moment, may enter the Sanctum and gain Passage."
And that is all for now...
-- Ernie III / DrakaraGM