Keshijo: Yes, on the way to the crab. Keshijo is a little nostalgic.
Hantei Dave: ok...traveling as a ronin
Keshijo: And thinks there may be valuable info there..
Hantei Dave: named? what was it again?
Keshijo: Yes,
Keshijo: Shinjoten.
Hantei Dave: ok, with mask?
Keshijo: Totally made up.
Hantei Dave: it may look suspicious
Keshijo: Yes. But the "mask" will be a beard and an eye patch.
Keshijo: More like an eye bandage...
Hantei Dave: ok. And your ninjato?
Hantei Dave: it could be concealed
Keshijo: Need a Katana. Ninjato's are too unique...
Keshijo: Yeah, he would conceal it.
Keshijo: But I think a different weapon would help conceal his
identity.
Hantei Dave: ok, do you have an contacts?
Hantei Dave: nope
Hantei Dave: you will have a hard time obtaining a katana
Hantei Dave: you could steal one from a body
Keshijo: Not unless anybody I've been talking to counts.
Keshijo: Yeah. It's not like I have honor to lose at the moment.
Hantei Dave: ok...when you decend Togashi Mountain, you feel a grayness
pass over the land. Many people are more somber then before
Hantei Dave: As you travel southward, it seems as if the world is beginning
to go crazy
Hantei Dave: with the assembled armies of the Clans away, louters and
bandits and
Hantei Dave: mobs have taken a stronger hold
Hantei Dave: bodies are easy enough to come by but you need to be quick
to steal a sword before others do
Keshijo: That shouldn't be too much of a problem...
Hantei Dave: the edge of the Unicorn Clan have been ravished by the mobs
Hantei Dave: just make a stealth roll in their province to obtain one
Keshijo: 21
Keshijo: Average...
Hantei Dave: ok. You obtain an average katana ^_^
Keshijo: Hehe.
Keshijo: Do Katana's typically have matching wkizashi's?
Hantei Dave: from some unlucky mob man killed in the dusty street
Keshijo: Or is that just for nobles?
Hantei Dave: these are not samurai. Yes, only for nobles. Most people
don't care about the daisho (set of swords)
Hantei Dave: you travel further south. Oku has decided to go his own way
at the start
Keshijo: Okay.
Hantei Dave: He traveled slightly east of you
Keshijo: I'll let him go.
Hantei Dave: after weeks of quick moving, you watch village after suffering
village
Keshijo: Maybe don my new disguise after he left.
Hantei Dave: armies marching back to homelands
Hantei Dave: and more ronin then before
Hantei Dave: finally you arrive to the World of the Spine Mountain at
Beiden's Pass...the largest pass through the mountain range and the only
place an army can cross.
Hantei Dave: The Crane control the gates here and you must be inspected
to pass
Hantei Dave: there is a long long this morning
Hantei Dave: on the other side....is the Scorpion Clan Province...or
whatever may be left
Keshijo: Is Hoturi here?
Hantei Dave: There are several units of Lion troops waiting to cross
Hantei Dave: no Akodo's
Keshijo: I stay clear of the Lions.
Hantei Dave: only Matsu and Ikoma
Hantei Dave: ok
Keshijo: (The Dragon told us the Akodo were disbanded, right?)
Hantei Dave: The Crane Lord of this area is approaching the mats so that
he can await inspections
Hantei Dave: the Akodo are disbanded
Hantei Dave: He sits with some retainers and bushi surrounding him. A
fairly large Doji army is positioned here
Hantei Dave: for defensive purposes
Hantei Dave: Each group states their case to the Crane Lord and he has his
people inspect the carriges and equipments
Hantei Dave: the Lion armies are quickly allowed through
Hantei Dave: hours pass as you await your turn
Hantei Dave: finally, you arrive
Hantei Dave: A bushi tells you that you are to show respect and state your
name and purpose
Hantei Dave: only a bow is neccessary
Keshijo: I bow. Introduce myself as Shinjoten and tell him I am going
to visit the Crab lands.
Hantei Dave: "for what reason?"
Keshijo: "To see the great wall and offer my services in the defense
of the empire."
Hantei Dave: A bushi besides the lord takes notes
Hantei Dave: "Ronin?"
Hantei Dave: "Or miner clan?"
Keshijo: "Yes, ronin."
Hantei Dave: "You may pass."
Keshijo: I thank you.
Hantei Dave: You follow a Lion unit into the wide mountain range
Hantei Dave: it is a path without many choices
Hantei Dave: many high cliffs overlooking
Hantei Dave: smooth sides for much of the way
Hantei Dave: and few paths leading off
Hantei Dave: it is a long walk....over a day to the other side
Hantei Dave: it is traveled heavily right now
Hantei Dave: winter will be coming soon and movement almost stops then
Hantei Dave: Before you reach the other side you already see the smoke
clouds
Keshijo: I bow my head.
Hantei Dave: it is coming from far to the west...Bayushi Palace
Hantei Dave: you pass by the Wasp Clan Castle who eye you suspiciously.
Hantei Dave: You are also offered some jobs as a mercenary within the
Wasp
Hantei Dave: (they are always looking for ronin)
Keshijo: I thank them but keep moving onward.
Hantei Dave: you can begin moving west across forest and fields now if you
want...or a bit more south down to the main road
Hantei Dave: you might run into bandits the paths less traveled
Keshijo: Is there smoke coming from the direction of Shosuro
palace?
Hantei Dave: too far to tell
Hantei Dave: the villiges on the edge of the Spine are bleaker then they
were last time your crossed this way
Hantei Dave: but too close to roads to be filled with troublemakers
Keshijo: Hmm. The empire is falling into chaos...
Hantei Dave: troop movement also scares away people from leaving their
houses
Keshijo: I will take the most direct route to Bayushi palace.
Hantei Dave: ok...through fields and forest on small paths
Hantei Dave: not mapped
Keshijo: Maybe I'll get lucky and run into Aromoro... :-)
Hantei Dave: as you travel the next few days you begin to notice the large
numbers of homeless peasants traveling along...more than you have ever seen
before
Hantei Dave: you also pass more than a few ronin
Hantei Dave: you continue. Along one particularly covered path, you see a
group 4 of bandits (ronin) lounging around. An old peasant passes by them
Hantei Dave: one says, "Don't bother with the old man. Bring some food
next time scum!!!"
Hantei Dave: they haven't seen you yet
Keshijo: I stay hidden.
Hantei Dave: roll
Keshijo: 20
Hantei Dave: one guy is watching the eastern path but doesn't see you
Hantei Dave: he is young
Hantei Dave: all have swords but judjing by how they lean on them, hold
them, scrath their backs with them...they are probably not very skilled
Hantei Dave: the old man passes by you on the path not noticing you
Keshijo: Hmm...
Hantei Dave: "Fucking farmers with no land...what good are they?
hmmmmm." one complains
Hantei Dave: He scrathes his stubble
Keshijo: I will "Walk as the Air."
Hantei Dave: roll
Keshijo: (The practically invisible prayer).
Hantei Dave: how long to pray?
Hantei Dave: normal is 10 minutes
Keshijo: Hold on. Looking up the chart...
Hantei Dave: it will last 3 rounds per level of prayer if successful
Keshijo: What's the time chart like again?
Keshijo: I can't seem to find it...
Keshijo: I don't want a Target highr than 22ish..
Hantei Dave: dif 18 at 10 minutes
Hantei Dave: 20 at 6 minutes i think...lemme check
Keshijo: I only need to roll 12 to get a 22...
Hantei Dave: oops...we'll say normal is 5 minutes
Hantei Dave: 5 rounds at 20 roll
Hantei Dave: 1 round at 22
Hantei Dave: how long to pray?
Keshijo: I'll try for 1 round then.
Hantei Dave: ok...roll
Keshijo: 25.
Keshijo: And I was worried...
Keshijo: Prayer level is 3.
Hantei Dave: ok...you fade into the forest moving in harmony with each leaf
on the ground and trees at your side
Hantei Dave: you will be like this for 9 rounds
Hantei Dave: more than enough time
Keshijo: What are they up to?
Hantei Dave: they are lounging around bored. One is scratching how
sword into a stump he is sitting on
Hantei Dave: they seem like they have been here awhile from the mess
Hantei Dave: few days at least
Hantei Dave: another is kicking an ant hill
Keshijo: Does it appear they have been robbing people?
Hantei Dave: yes....you are pretty sure
Hantei Dave: probably declaring a toll
Keshijo: And I'm on Scorpion lands...
Hantei Dave: yep
Hantei Dave: kinda nearby the Fox Province
Keshijo: And the Scorpion wouldn't approve of this...
Hantei Dave: definitly not
Keshijo: at least, not without a cut...
Hantei Dave: exactly
Hantei Dave: depends who controlled this area
Keshijo: So with my Sense of Duty....
Hantei Dave: you have no more duty to perform
Keshijo: ?
Hantei Dave: this land is not Scorpion land anymore
Keshijo: Ah. That is true.
Hantei Dave: it is free land. No Clan can afford to control it for now
Hantei Dave: except for the pass
Keshijo: Still... Do I think I could take them?
Hantei Dave: one guy shakes his little change purse
Hantei Dave: you probably could...but might end up with a wound or two
Hantei Dave: they probably have very little money
Keshijo: Hold on... the battery on my mouse just died...
Hantei Dave: a handful of zeni and such
Hantei Dave: ok...waiting
Hantei Dave: the money might be able to buy you a few meals
Keshijo: Ok... Let's see. I can't change windows just yet (still
looking for batteries...) But I think Keshijo will slip by these guys.
Maybe come back when they are sleeping...
Keshijo: No. He won't come back.. there are more important things
to do...
Hantei Dave: ok
Hantei Dave: you pass by them. They don't seem to notice anything more
than a cool breeze
Hantei Dave: one yawns
Hantei Dave: you continue on for another day and a half
Keshijo: BTW: I will take time to scribe wards.
Hantei Dave: You can see the Palace beyond the fields
Hantei Dave: ok...you can write up to 3 each on this whole journey i
think...and just cause you are out of paper now
Hantei Dave: Bayushi Palace still smolders a bit
Keshijo: (Ah, batteries...)
Hantei Dave: a Lion unit is stationed in the nearby field
Hantei Dave: about 100 soldiers
Keshijo: Feh. Lion.
Keshijo: Figures.
Hantei Dave: what was once considered the most beautiful palace in the
empire (don't tell the Emporer that) is now a charred husk
Hantei Dave: if you walk the path to Shosuro palace, you will be noticed
Keshijo: Are there any lone Lions?
Hantei Dave: if you goto Yogo Palace...you can stay near the mountains
Hantei Dave: no lone lions
Keshijo: I want to see both...
Hantei Dave: they are pretty strict with formations in times of war
Hantei Dave: it will be easier to goto Yogo first
Hantei Dave: at least less obvious
Keshijo: The remaining Yogo may give me info about the Black
Scrolls.
Keshijo: Shosuro is my family. More nostalgia than anything else...
Hantei Dave: as you walk, you pass on the edge of mountains...the villages
are becoming nothing more than poverty cages
Hantei Dave: fields are beginning to dry up
Keshijo: Has it rained or is it just lack of care?
Hantei Dave: lack of care
Hantei Dave: dust is creeping in and the irrigation is not being maintained
Hantei Dave: you begin to notice the people becoming sicker the deeper
you walk into your homelands
Hantei Dave: many houses are boarded shut with warning signs
Keshijo: This is not good...
Hantei Dave: this must be the plague which Togashi Yokuni spoke of
Hantei Dave: from the 1st black scroll of Fu Leng
Hantei Dave: no armies are coming near these towns
Hantei Dave: you can walk down the center of the streets without a soul to
bother you
Hantei Dave: sometimes you see a villiger...sometimes they are even doing
more then sitting in a corner
Hantei Dave: any actions?
Keshijo: Anywhere to get some food?
Hantei Dave: most of these villiges are farmers. You could knock on a
door. You are a samurai
Hantei Dave: or bother someone in a street
Keshijo: I'll ask someone in the street. Who does look too bad off...
Keshijo: or sick
Hantei Dave: you walk up to a man with a hoe. He doesn't know how to
react except to stare slack-jawed
Keshijo: I greet him.
Hantei Dave: "eeeehhh?"
Keshijo: "Why are the fields not being tended?
Hantei Dave: He looks around a bit confused.
Hantei Dave: as if you pointed out something he missed
Hantei Dave: "We...we are sick....like many of the other villages around
here....ss.ss..sir
Hantei Dave: "Not many to tend the fields"
Keshijo: "How are you feeding yourselves then?"
Hantei Dave: He scratches his balding head.
Keshijo: "Surely the Emporer would send help if you needed it"
Hantei Dave: "We ain't got too much food. Whats we got, the bandits done
take."
Hantei Dave: "Emporer?"
Hantei Dave: He is confused
Keshijo: Hantei the 39th.
Hantei Dave: "I don't know whats the Emporer would care much? Our
O-metsuke is sick and even sos...why would anyone listen?"
Keshijo: Who is Lord of these lands now?
Hantei Dave: "It would be weeks before help arrived."
Hantei Dave: "We ain't got no Lords no more. Our O-Metsuke reports to
Crane troops now."
Keshijo: (What's an O-metsuke?)
Hantei Dave: (Samurai or other in charge of village...like a local police
man.)
Hantei Dave: (he also collect taxes)
Keshijo: "How many bandits are there?"
Hantei Dave: "I don't think I ever counted. I think maybe 3 groups passed
by here. They all done cleared out the warehouses. Its to be a bad winter I
think."
Keshijo: And the Crane did nothing?
Hantei Dave: Scratches his head
Hantei Dave: "They done killed the lords of these provinces...and some
Lions did too."
Hantei Dave: "I guess that makes the Emporer care."
Keshijo: Feh. Typical.
Keshijo: Fight for "honor and make the common man suffer.
Keshijo: These are bad times indeed.
Keshijo: It is their responsibility to protect those they conquer.
Hantei Dave: "Well, I ain't got much food. I can't offer ya none...cept
maybe some millet."
Keshijo: And they leave you to fall to plague.
Keshijo: (millet?)
Hantei Dave: (low quality grain)
Hantei Dave: (when no rice...potatoes...then millet)
Keshijo: "Keep your food. I would rather the village had a chance to
survive.
Keshijo: There will be dark days ahead of us.
Hantei Dave: "eeeehhhh?" He scratches his head
Keshijo: I will search elsewhere.
Hantei Dave: and walks off
Keshijo: Try to tend the fields.
Hantei Dave: well, onward?
Keshijo: Yes. Onward.
Hantei Dave: you pass many more villages like this...some have food to
spare...some not
Keshijo: I'll eat sparingly...
Hantei Dave: eventually, you come upon Yogo Palace...it appears empty
Keshijo: Any guards?
Hantei Dave: a small group of Crane guarding...about 30 Daidoji
Hantei Dave: roll perception
Keshijo: Does it look attacked?
Keshijo: 18
Hantei Dave: ok
Hantei Dave: a voice talks behind you "There is nothing for you there."
Keshijo: A voice I recognize?
Hantei Dave: yes
Hantei Dave: Aromoro
Hantei Dave: Yojimbo of his brother Shoju
Hantei Dave: ex-yojimbo
Keshijo: I whisper. "It is good to hear a brother's voice. Is there
anywhere we can speak?"
Hantei Dave: Lean down in the reeds...we should be safe
Keshijo: I lean down.
Hantei Dave: "Look across the field...beyond the guards Keshijo."
Hantei Dave: You see a man in brown tatters stumbling
Keshijo: I do what he says.
Hantei Dave: in open sight
Hantei Dave: He trips onto his knees and begins digging in the dirt with his
fingers
Hantei Dave: He looks quite mad
Hantei Dave: A few Crane Daidoji (3) approach him and surround him
Keshijo: "Who is it?"
Hantei Dave: they are saying something to the crazy man
Hantei Dave: and then kick him around a bit. The man stays on his knees
crawling around and bows his head several times to their feet
Hantei Dave: "The Crane don't either." says Aromoro
Hantei Dave: I've been following him for weeks now
Hantei Dave: He continues
Hantei Dave: The Crane kick him over one more time and leave back to the
empty palace
Hantei Dave: "It is Totori. He has gone quite mad."
Keshijo: "So this is what has become of the man who killed our
leader."
Keshijo: "It is fitting"
Keshijo: "Unfortunately, I need him."
Hantei Dave: "I thought so too. But now I think it is sad. To admit Shoju
has lost to this wretch."
Keshijo: "It is sad."
Hantei Dave: "Kachiko has ordered me to follow him and keep watch.
Know that although ordered so, the Scorpion still live."
Keshijo: "We can swim."
Keshijo: "How well do the rest of the clan fare?"
Hantei Dave: "Take sancuary Keshijo. We are hiding in the Shinomen
Forest. Our numbers are smaller but we do not rely on number alone. That
is for brash Lions."
Hantei Dave: Toturi continues stumbling on randomly."
Hantei Dave: "Yogo palace is looted and locked. No one is there now.
Shosuro Palace as well. Take comfort. It has not been burned down. We
abondoned it."
Keshijo: "That is good to hear."
Keshijo: "What of the scrolls? I heard the first had been opened."
Hantei Dave: "As for Bayushi Palace, they are scared to enter. Most of it is
intact."
Keshijo: "That is also good to hear."
Hantei Dave: "Yogo Junzo has taken the four scrolls in his care. He has
traveled into Fu Lengs realm. He has betrayed us all. Shoju was right."
Hantei Dave: "He has opened the first unleashing a plague upon Rokugan.
Even now he most likely tries to open the next."
Keshijo: "Then we must stop him."
Hantei Dave: "Our lands are hit hard. Kachiko has ordered us to retreat for
now. Her plans cannot be revealed yet. She leads the clan now from
shadows and the strings of her new husband...Hantei the 39th."
Hantei Dave: "She controls Rokugan."
Keshijo: "So it is like before."
Hantei Dave: Aromoro begins creeping following Toturi
Hantei Dave: "I can't tell where he is going."
Keshijo: I follow him.
Hantei Dave: "Northwest I think to Unicorn lands."
Hantei Dave: "He wanders a winding path."
Hantei Dave: "He is about to enter a hard climb through the Spine of the
World Mountains."
Hantei Dave: "I don't think he can make it."
Hantei Dave: "...not even a sword."
Keshijo: "The dragon Togashi Yokuni seems to think he is has a
great destiny before him."
Keshijo: "I think we need to keep him safe."
Keshijo: "Despite what he has done to us."
Hantei Dave: "Perhaps...I will watch him. His safety is not my concern."
Hantei Dave: "Kachiko thinks he is still hiding something."
Hantei Dave: "You should leave. It will compromise my stealth. You are
welcome in the Shinomen. It is a dangerous place. We are in the southern
forest."
Keshijo: "The dragon equated Kachiko with re-incarnation and Totui
with redemption."
Keshijo: "I thank you my brother."
Hantei Dave: He thinks on that.
Hantei Dave: (just so you know....that list was not in order with the names
^_-_
Hantei Dave: )
Hantei Dave: i mentioned that in an email...hehehehe
Keshijo: (It made a lot of sense that way though...)
Hantei Dave: (you think I'm gonna make it that easy? You need to decide
which for which...lol)
Keshijo: (Well, maybe)
Hantei Dave: "Good luck brother...represent us well."
Keshijo: "Hai. I hope to see you again soon, and under better
circumstances."
Keshijo: "I will be seeking Toturi again."
Hantei Dave: "I will let you know of his locations."
Keshijo: "I thank you again."
Hantei Dave: Aromoro flicks a finger and a flash of light comes from a tree
Keshijo: "We will swim again."
Hantei Dave: Aromoro is not alone it seems
Hantei Dave: Aromoro continues following Toturi
Keshijo: I don't follow him.
Hantei Dave: ok
Hantei Dave: Aromoro most likely has people helping him
Hantei Dave: you won't need to worry about them
Keshijo: Yeah. Now that I know Toturi's in "good" hands...
Hantei Dave: where to next ronin?
Keshijo: Shinomen forest it seems.
Hantei Dave: you don't have to go. He just offered it
Hantei Dave: Feel free to go hang with the Kuni Witch Hunters ^_-
Hantei Dave: that'll be fun
Keshijo: Does Kesh have time to do both?
Hantei Dave: no
Hantei Dave: searching through the woods will be hard
Hantei Dave: it is a HUGE area
Hantei Dave: (pokes you to the Kuni's...hehehehe)
Keshijo: hmm...
Keshijo: Kuni's then. I need to work on that power...
Hantei Dave: which power?
Keshijo: "Seeing the taint"
Hantei Dave: ah
Keshijo: Maybe I'll call it "Seek the Impure"
Hantei Dave: you turn south now...towards Hida Palace
Hantei Dave: you have time to pass by Shosuro Palace as you travel
Keshijo: Yes.
Hantei Dave: it is heavily guarded by Crane Daidoji
Hantei Dave: They have taken over inside
Hantei Dave: 200 bushi at least here
Keshijo: Better Crane than Lion.
Hantei Dave: there isn't much you sould do...unless you wanted to try
Hantei Dave: could
Keshijo: No. That the castle is intact is enough.
Keshijo: The Castle of Secrets will guard itself.
Keshijo: I think it's safe to assume the Shosuro ancestral sword is
not there.
Hantei Dave: prob not
Hantei Dave: You continue south along Cherry Blossom Snow Lake
Keshijo: How does the lake look?
Hantei Dave: its pleasent. There are two fishing villigers here. One
Scorpion Land...on the other side is Crab Land
Hantei Dave: the villigers here are in much better shape because the Crab
drive bandits far away
Keshijo: Can I re-supply here?
Hantei Dave: sure
Keshijo: I stock up on food and paper...
Hantei Dave: on the other side is another mountain range
Hantei Dave: paper is hard to come by. You will need a major town for
paper to write wards on
Hantei Dave: or a shintao temple
Hantei Dave: here there are just temples to the Kami's
Keshijo: Is there a temple?
Keshijo: ah.
Keshijo: I do need o pray eventually...
Hantei Dave: Kami of fortune, Kami of Luck, Kami of fishing
Hantei Dave: there were plently of road side shrines along your walks
Keshijo: I will pray to the Kami of Luck.
Hantei Dave: you can purify in the lake here
Hantei Dave: roll prayer skill
Keshijo: And purify.
Hantei Dave: shintao
Keshijo: 20
Hantei Dave: actually just make a roll for the prayer type you used before
Hantei Dave: thats fine
Hantei Dave: you are full on prayer abilities now
Hantei Dave: the gods look downupon you ^_^
Keshijo: Cool.
Hantei Dave: Cross the moutain range to Hida Castle?
Keshijo: Sure.
Hantei Dave: or Kuni Palace?
Keshijo: Hmm...
Hantei Dave: Kuni witch hunters walk around alot
Keshijo: The Kuni are who I want to see.
Hantei Dave: either will prob have some
Keshijo: Do I need to see the Hida?
Hantei Dave: not really. But it might be appropriate to ask the Hida to
accept a ronin. Then again....hmmmm...roll bushido
Hantei Dave: actually no
Hantei Dave: diplomacy
Hantei Dave: it is a diplomatic mater
Keshijo: I don't have diplomacy...
Hantei Dave: if you have none...then roll at -4 ^_-
Hantei Dave: INT based skill
Keshijo: Um... 6
Hantei Dave: hehheh
Hantei Dave: you aren't sure whih would be better
Hantei Dave: you pick
Keshijo: Would've been a 16 for Bushido... :-)
Hantei Dave: still woulda failed ^_-
Keshijo: Hehe
Keshijo: I may run into Oku at Hida castle....
Hantei Dave: do you want to be recognized?
Keshijo: Don't know if I'd want to be recognized though...
Hantei Dave: bingo
Keshijo: So probably the Kuni then...
Hantei Dave: ok
Hantei Dave: you travel at the foot of the moutains along the Lake. On the
other side is the bottom of the Shinomen Forest
Keshijo: Do I see the Scorpions? :-)
Hantei Dave: it is a small section of the entire forest. You doubt they would
reside near Crab lands. They'd be slaughtered
Hantei Dave: so no
Keshijo: Yeah. But who would expect them there! :-)
Keshijo: anyway...
Hantei Dave: after another days journey you see Kuni Castle. It is small
and to the point. The training grounds are in front
Hantei Dave: some villiges surround this area
Hantei Dave: farming and small merchant villiges
Hantei Dave: one of them specializes in paper making
Keshijo: Ooo.
Hantei Dave: you should have more than enough here for paper resources
Hantei Dave: be warned though. Your funds will run out soon enough and
then you will not be able to get more easily
Hantei Dave: your wealth of 2 will only allow you so much leeway...and
noone is supplying you with more now
Keshijo: Yeah, well. There will be Oni and I need bindings...
Hantei Dave: ok...you can by a bunch more paper...say enough for another
12 wards
Hantei Dave: just mark them as empty wards
Keshijo: Done and done.
Hantei Dave: you might want to save some for particular oni (with names)
Hantei Dave: if you meet any
Hantei Dave: (shifty eyes)
Keshijo: Yeah. And I can only write 1/day at the moment.
Hantei Dave: ANYWAY
Hantei Dave: you approach the training grounds surrounding the Kuni castle
Hantei Dave: actually, Kuni castle are a number of towers spread out a bit
Hantei Dave: you see some Shugenga walking around
Hantei Dave: and one Kuni Witch Hunter...unmistakable in their
kabuki-esque face paint
Hantei Dave: She is walking by with a long yari
Keshijo: (um... yari?)
Hantei Dave: (spear)
Keshijo: I try to greet her.
Hantei Dave: She turns and grimaces....
Hantei Dave: "What wave-man?"
Hantei Dave: "lost?
Keshijo: "In a way"
Keshijo: "We have a common goal"
Keshijo: "and I seek the aid of those who follow a similar path"
Hantei Dave: "A kuni Witch Hunter Path? Why?"
Hantei Dave: "Have you no family?
Hantei Dave: "No respect for your life?"
Keshijo: "My family was killed for their knowledge."
Keshijo: "And it cost me my voice"
Keshijo: "But they could not stop us"
Hantei Dave: "Hrrrrrrr"
Keshijo: "I am a Demon Hunter as well"
Hantei Dave: "You are a ronin. What family are you?"
Keshijo: "I am Shosuro"
Keshijo: err "a Shosuro"
Hantei Dave: "Heh! Shosuro no more." She taunts with a hip shift.
Hantei Dave: "Come with me."
Keshijo: "Hai."
Hantei Dave: She brings you to a a training area. You can see the Kaiu
Wall in the distance now. It is much bigger than you imagined it. It is like
one long castle....perhaps 5 stories high and unending in length.
Hantei Dave: you can see Hida bushi training below the wall, and many
many bushi walking along the top
Keshijo: I take a second to honor the wall.
Hantei Dave: it is the first defence against Fu Leng
Hantei Dave: She walks you through a rag tag group of bushi
Hantei Dave: they are all sitting...wearing armor of every clan
Hantei Dave: It is an odd sight
Hantei Dave: They are all very quiet
Keshijo: indeed.
Keshijo: Any Scorpion?
Hantei Dave: yes...many people wearing remnants of scarlet red armor.
They too talk quietly or stare at rocks
Keshijo: Anyone I recognize?
Hantei Dave: not off the bat
Hantei Dave: She brings you into a dojo
Hantei Dave: 3 more Witch Hunters are training in here
Hantei Dave: She bows and introduces you as a new candidate
Hantei Dave: They stop training
Hantei Dave: you doing anything?
Keshijo: I bow.
Hantei Dave: One Witch Hunter approaches you.
Hantei Dave: "Are you willing to die in the Shadowlands?" he asks
Keshijo: "If it serves the Empire."
Hantei Dave: "Are you willing to reserect as the Dark god's minion and be
killed by us?"
Hantei Dave: "That would be your fate."
Hantei Dave: "If you were to die there."
Keshijo: Then I shall have to live through it.
Hantei Dave: "Can you kill your best friend when he takes a blade against
you in His name?"
Keshijo: Anyone who takes a blade in the name of the dark lord is
no friend of mine.
Keshijo: He will have forfeited that right.
Hantei Dave: "It is an easy thing to say. Can you kill those whom succomb
to the taint?"
Keshijo: I have before.
Hantei Dave: "Do you know who those creatures are in the training field?"
Keshijo: (do i?)
Hantei Dave: (no)
Hantei Dave: (but maybe you can guess)
Hantei Dave: (if you want)
Keshijo: I suspect they bear the taint.
Keshijo: Though I am not certain.
Hantei Dave: "Good. They are the damned. They are those who have
contracted the taint and wish to die fighting the evil that corrupts them.
Though they cannot be called bushi, they are honorable. We lead them to
death."
Keshijo: Can they not be cured?
Hantei Dave: "There is no cure."
Hantei Dave: "Only temperary relief."
Hantei Dave: "We pray in death, they are cured."
Keshijo: (Does my Deed "cure" the dead? or just banish spirits?)
Hantei Dave: "If they fall, it is our job to burn their bodies."
Hantei Dave: it does not "cure" the dead
Keshijo: (but they don't rise again)
Hantei Dave: maybe it does then. I guess it is a matter of speculation and
interpretation on your part.
Hantei Dave: "We can train you as Kuni Witch Hunter."
Keshijo: (I kind of see it as banishing the tainted spirit... maybe it
does lay the real spirit to rest)
Hantei Dave: "And one day we will kill you when you fall."
Hantei Dave: "And your soul might not reach the heavens...but the pits of
Jigoku instead."
Hantei Dave: "If you wish to be trained as we are."
Keshijo: Our souls can reach the heavens if our intentions are true.
Hantei Dave: "HAhahahahahaahhaa! I hope you can keep that sense of
humer in the Shadowlands...but I don't know anyone that can."
Hantei Dave: "I'm sorry. We will accept you."
Keshijo: (If I train with them does that mean I have to wear the
make-up? )
Hantei Dave: sure does ^_-
Keshijo: (Small price).
Keshijo: (I don't have to forsake the Scorpion or the Shosuro though,
right?)
Hantei Dave: they weren't clear on that. They seem to treat the Witch
Hunters as if they aren't even Crab anymore
Hantei Dave: They are their own
Keshijo: Hmm.
Hantei Dave: supported by Crab
Hantei Dave: They are famous (infamous) in Rokugan and in thee courts
Keshijo: Hmm..
Keshijo: Do they know of my sect?
Hantei Dave: for better or worse. He isn't suggesting you are no longer to
be loyal
Hantei Dave: you said Shosuro ^_-
Hantei Dave: He treats you like a ronin
Hantei Dave: I'm sure noone would know if you took the makeup off later
^_-
Keshijo: I will train with them...
Keshijo: Besides the make up would be a good disguise...
Hantei Dave: ok...thats it for the solo really
Keshijo: Okay.
Hantei Dave: Now you get to use points and stuff
Keshijo: Woohoo! Points away!
Keshijo: :-)
Hantei Dave: I'll give you a number of points for certain skills. You can use
other points for special Kuni Witch HUnter okudens and stuff of your choice
Hantei Dave: AND you have points from b4 that you can use at your liesure
Keshijo: Okay.
Hantei Dave: I just need to work it all out...lol...and still give some from the
missing games
