Rain falls in the forest of the Kokoro Nezuban Mori, lighter than it has for the past month to be sure, but still hard enough that all are drenched and in need of warmth. Each of you has your reasons for traveling to the shrine within the outskirts of the forest, some may be on their way to Oiku and on to Toshi Ranbo to try and find a way to feed their bellies; others, having been turned away from the city for one reason or another, may be headed down into the lands of the crane, or the scorpion. Whether you come to this shrine as a stop along the way, or as a place to pray for the favor of the fortunes of the harvest, you find the temple to be strangely dark and quiet as the sun begins to set and the rain increases its pace.
The young man walks slowly, and with determined purpose as the rain falls upon his freshly shaven head. He can feel the water bead and roll down his face, and he smiles as he hears the rolling thunder in the distance. His footsteps take him along the barely trodden path towards the shrine in the distance, and a slight smile forms on the face of the young scarred warrior. The Son of Thunder has lead me to a respite from this weather, it seems, the young man thinks to himself. He's lean, wearing tattered rags, his body covered with scars; some of battle, many self-inflicted, in particular on his wrists it seems as if he has branded himself with the sign of the fortune Osano-Wo.
A gurgling continues in his lean hard stomach, but it is a sound that the warrior-priest is used to. He's lived the last few months on a combination of charity and pittance for any work he's been able to scour, so something as simple as basic hunger is only a step along a path he's walked almost to it's mortal end before, especially in these tough times.
He stops outside of the temple and uses his bo to strike the mud from his sandals as best he can, and says a small prayer before taking a step up towards the building in quiet contemplation.
The pair walks through the rain, their armor and clothing weighing them both down. Their training focused on travelling without being noticed, so neither breaks the silence casually.
A flash of Osano-Wo's fury reveals the shrine ahead of them. He starts to point it out, but sees his cousin already pointing at it. Having her spot something just before him, again, brings a fleeting grin, washed away by the rain.
As they close the final distance to the shrine, they spot the man, possibly a monk, preparing to enter the shrine ahead of them.
Hikonaga simply nods towards the man before he kneels outside the shrine's entrance, stopping for a very quick, ritual cleansing before he enters the shelter.
A tall man, soaked to the skin despite the robes and the straw hat he wears, puts on his pace when he finally sees the shrine. He can see three others already inside and safe from the rain.
He offers a quick prayer to the local kami and cleans his sandals before entering the shrine.
Inside, he bows to the other travelers and sits in the corner, checking if his satchel got wet - it shouldn't, but one can never be too careful.
A simple stone alter sits within the temple, and though the wooden walls that surround it keep out the rain, they do little to remove the feeling of damp or the howling sound of the wind as it blows through. The keening of the wind seems to intensify as one by one you file in to the dark room, almost as if it is angry at losing the chance to make your lives more miserable than they currently are. A few simple offerings sit upon the alter, most likely from heimin in the area praying for better weather or harvests... little good that it has seemed to do them this year.
The young monk's ears perk up at the sound of other sandals entering the room, and his eyes immediately lock on the wakazishi of one, and daisho of the other two in the temple with him. Either samurai, or bandits who have stolen from samurai. Be careful with either, Taki. He gives a pleasant smile, and bows to the others.
"Greetings, my lords." It's all the words he offers, for Taki does not wish to insult his social superiors. More than a few of the scars on his back were a result of learning that lesson when he was a teenager, just under a decade ago. Being ill informed of social etiquette, he learned quickly it was easier to say little than to say what was correct.
He looks around the simple building's bare walls and smiles. He'd slept in shacks more ramshackle than this many a time. The fortunes have blessed us, it seems.
He digs in his simple satchel and opens it, and shakes his head. I don't know why I was expecting anything else. There were two zeni then, too. The monk takes one of his two small coins and says a small prayer to the fortune, preparing to offer it at the shrine.
The youngster nods in return to the greeting. "A good night to be pious, it seems." He glances around the room at the other occupants, not including the young woman near him in the sweep.
but you seem to remember the shrine was supposed to be open to the erlements.
The female crab gives a respectful bow to the other two men and allows her companion to do all the talking. Slowly she strips out of her wet clothes down to her koshi-maki and begins ringing the water out of her hair.
As the monk says his prayer and places his offering it seems as if the dampness that pervades the room becomes ever so slightly less oppressive, though this could just be a trick of the mind as the water slowly drips from your hair and clothes.
"It would seem so." Smiles Inoue, adding couple more coins and also saying a short prayer.
"I think we'll be here for some time." Inoue listens to the rain tapping and takes his samisen out. "Would you mind if I play to pass the time?"
"Good idea." Hikonaga doesn't obviously direct the comment, but then follows his cousin's example and strips off the outer layers of his garments, spreading them out as much as reasonable in an attempt to get them to dry out, even a little.
A young man wearing sturdy yet faded clothes arrives at the shrine. The lack of clan heraldry and the daisho he wears proclaim that he is ronin. But there is something odd about him. He removes his jingasa and you know what it is. His right eye is blue while the other is not.
He takes his katana into his right hand -- a signal that he does not intend violence -- and makes a respectful nod in the direction of the people gathered there.
He looks for the nearest monk and he bows before him.
"Ohayo. I am Ryuk. My parents were samurai and I wish to offer prayers in their name."
Inoue greets the ronin with a smile and begins to play a melody.
The monk bows to the others, and looks to Inoue, raising an eyebrow in the direction of the shrine, as if to silently ask if he should comment on it. He smiles slightly. "My lord, it will be a blessing to hear your musical gift." He turns and returns to the comment of the newcomer. "As I am sure you know, Ryuk-sama, for your blood and teaching I'm sure are far greater than my own I am sure, this shrine is quite ancient, and dedicated to the elements themselves. Sadly, I, in my limited knowledge, do not know which in particular. I am sure they will carry your honorable prayers to your noble father and mother, Ryuk-sama, for such is great duty of a son."
Taki follows example of the others and begins to remove his outer garments, wringing them as best he can near the entrance before laying them out after all the others have done so. "I am honored by the company of four samurai. My name is Takishiro, should any of you wish to call upon my services while we await the water spirit's blessing to finish." He smiles, and lowers his eyes. You never know with ronin, Taki. Sometimes they take their lack of status among clan samurai out on those below themselves. If it were one I could easily defend myself, perhaps even two, but should I raise hand against one in front of others, I'd surely be cut down. Best to play it safe.
Hikonaga settles back against a wall, listening to the music. When Inoue eventually pauses, "I am Hikonaga. My cousin, Senno, is there. I thank the kami for the company tonight. The samisen accompanying the rain has been far more pleasing than the rain alone would have been."
Taki bows from his kneeling position to Hikonaga. "Greetings Hionaga-sama, and Senno-sama. As I told the other lords, call me should you need my services my lords." Little more is said, and he closes his eyes, listening to the sound of the wind, rain, and occasional thunder. He begins to contemplate the spirits around him, and the wisdom of Shinsei.
The twang of Inoue playing fills the enclosure, though it is slightly subdued by the dampness of the strings and the rise and fall of the howling storm outside.
"Inoue Souma," nods Inoue and looks outside. "The spirits do seem to be especially lively tonight."
He puts away his samisen for awhile. "I am honored that you liked my performance. How was your travel here?"
"It has been eventful, Inoue-sama. The work of a monk is never done, and with the poor recent harvests...well, I have preceded over more funerals than births and weddings of late, I'm afraid. I follow the sound of the thunder, where it takes me, and do what I can." His smile seems genuine, though there's a pain in his eyes from the memories he speaks of. "But what do you tell a grieving mother when her child passes because the crop was flooded out by the rain, and there's only so much food to go around? The truth that he goes to join his ancestors is only so much of a comfort, when the mother knows it will be years before she sees him again. Will he be an adult in the land of our blessed ancestors by the time she joins him? Will she even recognize him?" He sighs, and shakes his head. "Words only go so far, so I help tend the weeds of the garden, or till the soil, give whatever offering this body can provide, so the little food they have left is not choked away. Sometimes they give me with a bowl of soup before I move on, or a coin to buy my next meal, and for these things, I am blessed among men."
The young man starts, and then pulls a bucket and small cooking pot out, placing them to catch rainwater.
"This is a trial." He looks at the altar and at the sky. "We have to overcome it, and it will not be easy. But I am sure Rokugan will prosper after this."
As the group of travelers discuss the weather and the nature of the current harvest crisis, a peal of thunder drowns out all conversation, a tongue of Osano-Wo's fury strikes directly outside of your shelter. As each of you tries to shake off the concussive force and blinding light, Senno pulls her blade to hand. "There is a woman fighting out there." Senno then jumps to her feet and goes charging out of the shelter.
Takishiro's eyes open immediately from his meditation at the sound of thunder. He springs to his feet with catlike reflexes, and is out the door before a word passes his lips. His eyes narrow as he watches the woman facing the beast before him, but his footsteps do not slow, they do not falter. He leaps over the woman with a flying kick aimed directly at the face of the great beast, and as you watch, his entire body seems to glow a bright orange, like iron being held upon the blacksmith's forge. Despite the rain pouring down upon him, each drop erupts into steam upon contact with the stripped down monk, and the man who burns but is not consumed by the heat is indeed a sight to see.
"Hai. Left." 'Naga responds to Senno's call for action the way they have been, simply moving and letting her know which side he plans to move against, should there be multiple opponents. The katana slides free as he goes, ready to strike before he sees the creature. He closes as best he is able, striking from attack stance as soon as he can reach the creature.
A growl of fury escapes the maddened beast as Taki and Naga both assault the bear. It's brown pelt, soaked through as it is with the storms full delivery, seems to blunt some of the mighty blows. The look in its eyes, and the froth in its mouth, seem to signal that it will not yield till either you or he are dead.
Ryuk appears outside and surveys the scene.
He then draws his sword, its point directed into the sky.
"Oh Fortune of Fire and Thunder, strike down the evil one!"
Inoue grabs his scroll sack and runs outside, but there is not much he can do now, and as a sensible man he does not interfere.
Ryuk finishes his prayer to Osano Wo instantly calling down the power of the fortunes upon the bear. While the flaming man and katana blow do not seem to bother it so much, the shock of lightning coursing through its body startles the beast, somehow it just looks angrier. In the flash you can make out the broken haft of a yari lodged in the beasts right shoulder, tattered blue silk clings tangled in the bears hair.
An arrow arcs through and hits the bear square in the side, piercing deep enough that it disappears to your sight. The bear roars in pain and swipes the honored monk, striking him hard as the animal begins to list a bit.
Taki manages to roll a bit with the bear's attack, but it's pretty clear it ripped a good chunk out of his flesh with it's attack. Still, he manages to hold himself upright, trying to interpose himself between the bear and it's previous victim, the unknown woman.
He spits out a mouthful of blood and ducks low, before hopping up with a spinning uppercut aimed at the bear's sensitive nose, taking a huge risk as he comes that close to the beast's mouth.
And with a mighty crack to the skull, the furious bear topples over. The storm over head continues on, indifferent to the life and death struggle that had gone one below.
Hearing the crack and seeing the bear fall, 'Naga flicks the blood off his blade and sheathes it as he moves to check on the person the bear was mauling, trying to determine if he can provide any assistance or not.
Naga goes to check on the crane lying slumped against a tree. His expert medical observations leads him to believe the liklyhood of her being alive are pretty slim with her skull caved in as it is currently.
"The crane could not withstand the power of the bear. Do you need assistance, monk?"
Taki smiles, spitting out another mouthful of blood. "I saw your sword drawn, my lord. You threw your life out to help mine. You have assisted me well." He coughs, and sighs. "A little meditation will do me well, I believe...and if not I would pray ministrations of the priests among us."
He limps back to the shack and begins to close his eyes. "Of course, I find it a bit easier to let the spirits flow through my body when the blood flows out, so I would be grateful for bindings."
"No, I did not throw my life out to help you. I threw my life out to help her, and failed. But I should still be able to help you, some. Bandaging that wound should be simple enough."
for 17
Well, 2 is better than nothing.
Naga bandages up Taki's wounds as best he can, the damp rain making it hard to staunch the bleeding.
"That was a fearsome beast." Inoue compliments the others. "I'm sorry I couldn't help, I am afraid it's not exactly my area of expertise."
He examines the wounds of the monk and smiles to him. "But I can alleviate your pain."
Inoue reaches out inside his spell satchel and unfolds one of the scrolls. "Please be still."
"O Merciful Fortunes, please relieve this one of his pain..." He begins the chanting.
Taki smiles, and nods to the samurai. "You are right, Hikogama-sama. I was a fool to think you'd help me in favor of a samurai woman, lord. Forgive my presumptuousness." He nods ot the shujenja that healed him after the binding. "Both of you are great men to path up a humble monk like myself." He squeezes his eyes after this point and begins to focus on the spirits around him for a moment. Within a moment he feels the rain flowing into and through his body.
Almost as you watch the wounds left on his body begin to close, leaving feint scars across his body.
"I go to aid a woman being mauled by a bear, and you want it to be about helping you instead of her? What kind of monk are you, again?"
He just shakes his head, and then goes to his pack and pulls out a small quantity of rice.
Noting the spear, Ryuk comments, "The beast was obviously hunted by someone. I believe that is not allowed in the Lion lands."
Nibbling at the ration, 'Naga looks to the Shugenja. "I think you are right. Do you think this Crane was hunting, or simply ran afoul of the wounded beast?"
Seeing Hikanga eating reminded the shugenja that he hasn't eaten since morning. He takes a rice ball from his sack and starts nipping it. "I do not think she was hunting. People know better than to hunt around these parts. Or at least they should know better."
"Judging from the fact that the beast from the spear, I suspect that our 'hunter' is not trained."
Ryuk moves to inspect the spear to see if it is well-made or just a make-shift one. He then turns to Hikonaga and bows, "I apologize for not introducing myself. A samurai must observe the courtesies, yes? I am Ryuk. And you are?"
"I am Hikonaga. We will need to alert someone of the dead Crane and beast. Does anyone know where to find the closest Lion Samurai?"
"The Lion will be here when they get here. For the meantime, I suggest we wait here for the weather to clear. A meal is in order."
The shugenja takes another look at the body and sighs. "Poor woman. We should move the body away from the rain. It is not right to leave it there. Will anyone help me?"
"I go to aid a woman being mauled by a bear, and you want it to be about helping you instead of her? What kind of monk are you, again?"
Taki's eyes, just briefly, flicker for a moment with annoyance, and his fist clenches tightly, but he smiles through it. "Forgiveness, lord. I am the foolish kind, it appears." That was foolish, you know. Hold your damn temper. Wisdom in harsh words is worth a thousand lies from a pleasant tongue. His temper held back, Taki's hands relax.
He looks to Inoue. "I will help move the body, my lord." He moves to carefully help heft the woman into the temple, and after she is carefully placed, he sighs and quietly tries to clear his mind.
Unfortunately, he's just unable to focus, and he finds himself thinking about this situation. If they're ronin, and the Lions just want to end this quick, it won't take them but one lazy samurai to get us all in a lot of trouble here. A handful of ronin and one monk won't be worth the time of a man without honor.
"A Crane yoriki, apparently hunting a bear in Lion lands? We need to find her Magistrate before the Lion kill us all out of hand."
