Parity finds a place to curl up and rest near Ameiko and once she's down and asleep he will cradle Suishen and wrap the chaincloth cloak tightly around himself, fading quickly into an exhaustion-driven unconsciousness, visions of shadowy demons dancing in his head.
You return to the water's edge and the Temple of Shizuru. You spot Kadei Ejigoro snoozing idly in his boat, still tied to the dock. You find the temple welcoming and comfortable, despite the many months of neglect. You use a few braziers for light and heat, and settle down to rest.
A majestic golden carp swims towards a massive fortress, tall and impenetrable, stylized like the Imperial Palace. The carp nibbles at the edge, eventually pulling away a string. The fortress begins to unravel quickly, as if made of cheap fabric. Pieces fall away with the fabric -- a porcelain mask with three eye holes, a blue blindfold, a jade gauntlet, a gnarled staff scarred by lightning. You look again and the carp is now a huge raven. It caws and takes flight, pulling the final thread and revealing the Jade Throne, sitting empty.
You awaken...
Harlan slumps after the work in the Well.
"We're so close, and our opponents are so strong. I don't think we can win if we attack head on, we need to come at them where they don't expect it."
He sits, looking at the water and thinking about the fight ahead.
|
That morning, Heng seems distracted. His hand repeatedly returns to his scalp to touch the strange tattoos. His brow is creased deep in thought. Finally, he sighs and turns to his comrades. "My visions last night are hard for me to decipher. I see once again that my dedication to achieving perfection as Iro-shu requires was futile and misguided. Why must I rely on myself? I have some small talents, but surely Ameiko-sama or Kiyomi can make more of this..."
"I think that Shizuru was trying to show me the path, but this sword is not sharp enough in these matters. I saw a great tapestry of the Imperial Palace. A golden carp, Shizuru's favored animal, swam up to the tapestry and taking a thread in its mouth, pulled so that the scene began to unravel. Several items fell out as the the tapestry dissolved: a three-eyed mask, a blue blindfold, a jade gauntlet, and a gnarled staff. Then the carp became a raven and flew away and only the empty Jade Throne remained."
Harlan frowns as he listens to Heng's dream.
"Things we need to win perhaps?"
Awaking before the others, Parity notices the disappearance and quickly darts out doors to look around.
Do you sense her nearby?
Parity finds Ameiko outside, standing on by the docs and looking out over the water. She looks back as you emerge, her face darkening. "What was that all about yesterday, running off after Ito?"
"What's this about you dancing off by yourself, eluding your guards?", Parity quips back, relieved to see her.
"Suishen wanted him to die. Well, not really, I wanted him to die ... Suishen just hurt him a lot. He is a tremendous threat to you, Ame, and the others were supposed to be getting you out of the Well. I didn't want him chasing you out. I didn't think they'd linger around for me ... idiots."
"Carp symbolizes Shizzy Roo ... or does that symbolize just you? Is she our divine patron, so maybe it's us? Anyhow, before I start sounding like Harlan, lemme see if I understand this. In order to take away the Jade Regent's stranglehold on the city, we need to find these items or do they represent people that we need to remove? And why did it turn into a raven? Only raven I know of is that ridiculous talking bird-shaman that we chased down and captured among the brigands."
"... In order to take away the Jade Regent's stranglehold on the city, we need to find these items or do they represent people that we need to remove? And why did it turn into a raven? ..."
Ameiko shrugs, "Probably not items... Heng's visions haven't been that literal before."
**
"You're the idiot, if that's not some lame attempt at a joke." She shakes her head, frown remaining. "You scared the hell outta me! I know what we're up against here isn't a risk-free venture, and that any of us might be killed, but I don't want to lose you in some kind of heroic but fruitless sacrifice." She sighs, turning to look out over the water again. "Parity... you're my only friend here! I mean, the others are all like family, but you and Maeve were my closest confidants, and she..." She stops, biting on something bitter.
|
|
Heng smiles, " You are right, Ameiko-sama. Remember the monkeys that were ninjas, Parity?" What if the objects represent people?
The monk rubs his tattooed scalp. "The jade gauntlet must be the Jade Regent and his adviser, the blind oracle Renshii Meida, could be represented by the blindfold. The three-eyed mask could be a disguised Oni... in fact I'm fairly certain of that. But who might the staff be? It seemed scarred by lightning. I am also not sure what the raven represents, but I think that the meaning is clear; by removing these four intruders the plot against the throne will be unraveled and the Jade Throne will be open to the rightful Empress."
Minds along that line of thought, you recall the tiefling magic-user you encountered at Seinaru Heikiko.
Kiyomi also remembers...
Kiyomi shares. "Perhaps it refers to the Raven Prince, the Jade Regent's tengu royal assassin? He leaves a brass coin marked with a crowned raven on his victims. He's supposedly quite a ninja."
|
|
Heng nods with remembrance, "That's right. We did encounter that oni-blooded witch at Seinaru Heikiko. We should be prepared to foil her spells of invisibility. Speaking of coins, Kiyomi. Did we not give a special one to the Black Lotus ninjas? Do you think that they might have a way to deal with the Raven?"
Parity flinches, "As you say, Empress, it will not happen again."
He turns to leave, but then sighs and looks back at her, "You gotta let Maeve go. She betrayed you, her actions, not yours. When you take this throne, you're going to make decisions that make many happy, and many others not. You can't continue to angst over them once the decision is made. You have to find a way to live with the choice."
"Do you think we need to remove them in that order, or could we handle some of the side actors before taking on the Regent himself?"
Ameiko nods, looking down. "I know. I've come to terms with it, but it still hurts. Even more, it made me realize how alone we are out here. We came all this way to claim my supposed birthright, to save a country of strangers." She looks up, adding, "That's why I need you to survive this. I can't imagine trying to do this 'Empress' thing without you."
***
"Master Isao would probably know more about the palace, ways to get in and out, that kind of thing."
"Yeah, Heng. For returning the coin, the ninja clans owe us a favor. THink we can get them to take out the Raven King? I hate fighting ninjas ...", Parity asks hopefully.
"Also, one of those has got to be the leader of the Five Storms oni, right? Anamotopeai or whatever his ridiculous name is?"
"Not sure what we can do to hide me, a halfling with red hair riding a winter wolf can't be too common around here. Not that it would be safe to take Skygni or Prughk."
You leave the temple late in the afternoon just as the sun is setting. Ejigoro, the old boatman is still waiting patiently at the dockside. He nods as you climb aboard, then slowly and steadily pushes back and rows across the bay. Mirroring the path you took to reach the Imperial Shrine -- which seems nearly a year ago rather than a few days -- you return to Kasai docks. From there, disguised by Kiyomi's talented hand, you make your way unhindered to Isachi Isao's manor. As before, he greets you kindly and ushers you down into his warded basement.
"I'm sure there are 'underworld' contacts in the city we could pass a message through, but who is trustworthy enough for this kind of information?" Ameiko suggests with a half-shrug. "Or we could send a magical message to Sandru up north. I'm sure he'd be happy to arrange something."
She turns to Isao. "Master Asachi, while at the Imperial Shrine, we learned a few actors in the Jade Regent's court. What can you tell us about his oracle mistress, Renshii Meida? Or his grandfather, Anamurumon? We also heard he keeps The Raven Prince as a royal assassin, and we encountered a three-eyed tiefling magic user at Seinaru Heikiko."
Isao frowns grimly, nodding. "Renshii Meida came to the court several years ago, offering her services as a seer to the Higashiyama family. Although blind, she is a powerful oracle, and her divinations proved their worth to the emperor on several occasions. She came a geisha, trained in art, music, calligraphy, and also exceptionally versed in planar lore, arcane studies, the spirits and the oni. It did not hurt her prospects that she is also a singular beauty, although under that perfect facade I sensed the heart of a snake. When the Emperor disappeared, she stayed at court to advise Soto Takahiro, and although never acknowledged, it was clear they had a romantic relationship. My daughter would be able to tell you more, if she were not a prisoner in the palace," he concludes with a worried sigh.
"Anamurumon came to the court after Takahiro took control as the Jade Regent. He was introduced as Takahiro's grandfather, the only other surviving member of the Soto clan. I cannot remember ever hearing the man speak, but he remains close by Takahiro's side. The Jade Regent's rule turned to draconian and cruel measures shortly after Anamurumon's arrival... I suspect strongly that man's dark influence was the catalyst."
"I cannot say much about the Raven Prince that isn't hearsay. I have seen him a few times at the palace -- a raven-headed tengu, silent in the shadows. He grew to fame as a finder of lost things or assassin-for-hire for any that can meet his price. With the treasury of Minkai at his hands, clearly Takahiro had no trouble meeting it."
He thinks for a few moments before adding, "The tiefling you mention I have witnessed even less than the master ninja. Only in glimpses have I seen her, behind diving panels or passing through adjacent corridors. I would have sworn she was wearing an oni mask, but the features were too delicate, too alive. I know nothing about her past, or her talents. Only a name: U'izado."
Harlan shakes his head.
"I know of such spells but none I possess the ability to cast. Kiyomi? If she can't then we could find a scroll to do it. A wizard or priest should be able to help."
"All of my message spells are short of range, I am afraid. But yes, we might find a proper spell scroll to cast."
"Bizarrely, I believe we can trust the ninja clans to meet this request, both spirit and intent. If we can get a message to them, we may be able to eliminate one part of this group without much effort on our part. Plus, I hate fighting ninjas."
Isao speaks up, "I can see that a message is delivered to your friend, though it will take some time to reach them."
Isai holds up his hands, "Only the usual method of through the main entrance. I have never heard of any secret passages in or out -- I'm no help in that regard -- but I can detail the layout of the palace for you, at least the places I know."
The elder statesman procures some sheets of paper and a brush pen and sketches a rough map of the palace. "The Imperial Market here is active only during the day. At night, the guards escort everyone off of the island and close the bridge."
He points at his marks as he draws. "The main path up to the palace leads through these outer gates and three parks -- Satomi, Monument, and Tairaka. The road then climbs via a causeway to reach Enperashii Bridge, which crosses the canal onto the main palace island."
"Once across, the road circimnavigates the palace wall north and east, then climbs to the inner gates, here," he points at a spot on the north side of the palace. "Inside, the palace ground floor has a very open plan, with great open rooms for the Inner Sanctum and Training Rooms, which are surrounded by smaller galleries. Stairs in the eastern, Iwaku gallery lead up to the upper halls."
"I know the upper halls include a theater, barracks, bathhouses and dining hall, but I have not seen them myself. The third level above holds the throne room in a massive chamber to the north. The emperor's personal chambers, as well as servants' quarters, are in the third and fourth floors of the southern section of the palace."
"Hopefully that helps your planning. Any questions?"
"No, the throne room is on the third floor, directly above the sanctum." He points at the stairs marked on the east side of the sketch. "These stairs lead up to a kabuki theater, and as I said, the second floor also holds barracks and a dining hall, but I have not seen those myself. There is another set of stairs that continue up to the third floor, where you can find the throne room."
Harlan rubs the back of his neck while gazing at the plans.
"It almost sounds like we need to get as far as we can during the day and find somewhere to hide, then finish sneaking into the palace at night. We could ask the ninja to provide a diversion, maybe incapacitate the guards and any humans who might get in the way? I think we have to assume they know we're coming and they'll have a plan for our attack, once we drop the first target we have to assume the others will be ready for us."
|
|
Heng rubs his hand over his tattooed scalp. "Talking to the ninja is a good idea, Harlan. The ninja would certainly know how best to break into a palace.I just do not know if the three clans have contacts here in the capitol. I had thought that they only appear in the market in Enganoka where we found them."
"A diversion is a good idea, but we should also keep a low profile. The Typhoon Guard spotted us easily when we attempted to fly into the city invisibly. I do not have much faith in my ability to maintain a disguise well enough to enter in plain sight. Perhaps we can go through the east wall closest to the Sanctum. What is east of the palace Isao?Harlan, do you think your spell to shapee a hole through the wall would work?"
Harlan nods at Heng.
"If they're stone and not warded against it then that shouldn't be a problem."
|
|
Heng studies the map frowning. "Where are the moats, Isao? I do not doubt that the water holds peril. Are there any monsters in the waters? What is on those islands south of the Palace? It looks like the biggest gap between guard towers is on the west wall. We could quickly fly over at night and enter through the Iwaku Gallery. Isao, can you estimate the number of Typhoon Guard there? What are their powers exactly? They seem to have magical abilities. Are they even human?"
Heng studies the map frowning. "Where are the moats, Isao? I do not doubt that the water holds peril. Are there any monsters in the waters?"
"The moat completely encircles the palace." Isao adds the moat to the sketch. "I don't know of any monsters in the water."
" What is on those islands south of the Palace?"
"Barracks here on the west island, and government buildings on the east."
"Isao, can you estimate the number of Typhoon Guard there? What are their powers exactly? They seem to have magical abilities. Are they even human?"
"Within the palace?" Isao asks, thinking for a minute. "Maybe fifty or sixty, plus officers. I have suspected for some time that the Typhoon Guard is infiltrated with oni taking human form. I can't speak for their powers, though. I suspect you are far more knowledgable of the oni and their abilities."
|
|
"I suspect you are far more knowledgable of the oni and their abilities."
"We had a companion named Maeve who seemed very knowledgeable, but I found her very hard to understand. I recall that Oni are a kind of evil spirit related to the Kami. Corrupted Kami, I think she said. They regenerate their wounds unless fire or acid burns them and... that is really all I understood," he sighs.
"Suishen should be able to tell us more about on as we encounter them, I hope."
Parity frowns, "I believe we will have to rely on Isao's contact and Sandru to get a note to the ninja clans. Kill the raven guy is probably a task that will communicate well. If we ask them to do something more complicated, odds are it won't be executed right. No way we will get another sit down, nor do I really want one."
Parity stares at the map. "I agree that invisibility is out but other illusions should be on the table. Distractions would be helpful too. I like the idea of entering through the water. Be nice tonget a quick scout and see if there is a cistern, well or even sewage exit some where."
Isao nods, "Draft your message, and I will ensure it reaches your friend."
"I was thinking less of us scouting and maybe a magical spell or water creature.", Parity looks at Harlan and Kiyomi.
"Water breathing magic, perhaps? We could swim up unseen along the bottom."