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Lord Toad's tongue spurts out blood as the first attack cuts into the pink, sticky flesh. It pulls him towards Lord Toad, who cries out in pain as his blood spurts from his tongue. Enraged, Lord Toad curls his tongue around Krab, pinning his arms against the sticky flesh. Yoshi is now 10 feet away and pinned.
First grapple attempt from last round.
Pin Attempt this round. Yoshi is pinned.
Fort save for Lord Toad
Tadamasa tosses his hunting crossbow aside and charges, his sheath falling onto the rocks below. Gripping the sword in both hands, he lifts it over his head and brings the sword down upon Lord Toad's tongue. Tadamasa's sword whined a high pitch and the metal severed Lord Toad's tongue, the long, wiggling thing flopping about and releasing Yoshi from its grasp. Lord Toad's eyes bulged, more enraged than ever, it's voice echoing out in a gutteral tongue, "You dare athalt me?! Morthals?!
Tadamasa squares up, gripping his very broad sword, to Lord Toad. He stared it down, "Forgive me, this is just business." Lord Toad releases a furious roar, stumpy tongue flailing about.
Sever Attempt
Fort save for Lord Toad.
Yoshi is no longer pinned.
The tongue falls to the ground, releasing the Krab. With a grimace, Yoshi shakes off the remnants of its wiggling form before looking at the creature with a fierce and terrible stare. The kukris spin with ease in his grip, his head nodding towards the ronin beside him.
"I will strike at him and disturb his ki. It will open him for greater strikes." He could sense Lord Toad's power, his ki. That singular strike put him into step with the creature's heartbeat and Yoshi could feel the end slowly encroaching inwards.
He stepped in, closing that remaining ten feet and striking at Lord Toad with a wicked slash. There was a dissonance within it though, a power that would travel through Lord Toad's form and send his ki into chaos.
It seemed that the toad was ready this time, no wary of the blades that had cut so wickedly into his flesh. Yoshi frowned for just a moment, his stance changing from one of reckless aggression and back towards that calm, careful demeanor once more.
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Lord Toad soaked Yoshi's attack with his thick, rubbery skin. His ki was much stronger than expected, as he croaked, the air beneath him billowing the sand outward. Staring down the smaller being, he opened his mouth and took a large bite out of Yoshi, lifting his head upwards and holding him there for a moment. His stomach was dark and burbled anxiously.
Tadamasa rushed Lord Toad from the side, looking to cut into Lord Toad's flesh. But his strike also bounces off; Lord Toad answering their strikes with a throaty laugh, "I amth Lord amongth menth!"
Attack roll
Damage roll
Grapple roll
Attack Roll
Damage Roll
Wrapped up once more in the creature's tongue and mouth, Yoshi let out a sound of disgust. This thing was quite the difficult devil and he came to understand the ronin's hesitation in dealing with the thing. Grappled once more, he drew his blades and threatened to try and land an attack. Using that momentary flinch, Yoshi would instead pull away and worm his way from the creature's grip.
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Lord Toad released a hnn?! and closed his eyes, fearing the sting of Yoshi's blade there. Or at least, not in the nose! While Tadamasa moved around the beast in his momentary distraction, looking to stab the beast in the back (as cutting the beast's side didn't prove to be very effective). As Yoshi landed back on his feat, Tadamasa struck with a heavy stab forward.
The blade pierces and splits into Lord Toad's back, which he stutters and throws his back to the left and to the right, trying to shake off Tadamasa's grip, "You dare! You dare?!" Tadamasa hung on for dear life, dragging his armored body along the sand and rocks beneath. He was very scraped up when Lord Toad stopped, standing up just in time for Lord Toad to attack him with his teeth.
Lord Toad bit into Tadamasa's armor, sinking his teeth into the flesh underneath. Tadamasa cried out, but bashed Lord Toad's nose with his gauntlet, preventing Lord Toad from lifting him upward, "Foul beast! Your reign is at an end!"
Both fighters are currently flanking Lord Toad.
Attack Roll
Damage Roll
Attack
Damage
Grapple
The mighty toad was dangerous and unpredictable, every movement making the ground shake underneath his feet. Yoshi's grim smile was plastered upon his face, even as his body ached from the force that the great toad could muster against them. Escaping from that grip, he rose back up and readied himself, waiting for that vulnerable flank to be exposed again. Tadamasa took the brunt of the anger from Lord Toad, giving Yoshi the chance to strike where that broad sword had drawn blood before. Again his stance changed, throwing caution to the wind in the hope to end the beast as quickly as he could.
Trust me, I have a plan.
I know you do, but I just don't like it!
We are lifebound, you can't die while I live.
What a lovely reason to throw me to the wolves!
Taking a deep breath to keep his voice from trembling, Keisuke advances an idea. "We may have a way to find their base as well. My dear friend Hojin can follow their ship without being seen, then we may follow her. That is, however, unless you plan to ambush them."
The ink-black raven, however, seems less than excited at the idea, jumping down from his shoulder and pecking scraps of rice left in the bowl.
Akodo nods, then bows to the peasants.
"Your assistance in this matter is greatly appreciated. Your dedication to your duty is commendable, and that shall not be forgotten. I am ready to leave at any time."
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Lord Toad's red and squishy insides leaked blood that oozed a reddish black color onto the sand beneath. Closing its eyes and bellowing out a painful croak, the mighty Lord Toad groaned and coughed up a large organ, pierced by the blades of the fighters around it. Lord Toad eyed the two, "Huu thent you? Huu tolth you oth my wereaboups?
Lord Toad turned to Krab, glaring at him accusingly, but Tadamasa pulled the blade from the Toad's back and readied to stab it into the middle of the back, "Lord Hiro sends his regards. This is just business." The frog roared out, eyes bulging wide, "HIIIIROTTHH! YOUTH TRAITORTH!" Then Lord Frog gurgled out the last syllables as Tadamasa sunk the blade into the beast's back, turning and twisting it, before pulling it back out.
Lord Toad has died.
It was almost sad, to see the mighty beast be brought down so low. It was so proud, so confident mere moments ago, but the blades were sharp and fierce and the pool of blood soaked into the sand so readily. Even those Yoshi despised the creatures that wandered in from the Shadowlands, he admired their tenacity and ferocity in combat. The weary toad looked at him, their eyes meeting, and there was a chilly coldness within Krab's gaze. The blade was swift and brutal, digging deep into the toad's back and twisting with brutal efficiency. Lord Toad fell still, eyes glazing as his ki dispersed and its life ebbed into the world once more.
Yet the death cry of the beast had raised a concern that bother Himura Yoshi. A traitor? Did this Lord Hiro have some sort of accord with the beast? These thoughts quickly went through his mind as his eyes flickered over towards Tadamasa, nodding towards the man.
"Traitor? What a strange thing to say..." His training went into effect once more, as he studied Tadamasa's ki and the reaction it had with that comment.
Looking back towards the beast, he would spin his blades once more before speaking in a softer tone. "If I may, Tadamasa, I wish to reclaim your brother's weapons. It may be best to look away, I do not wish you to see the state your sibling may be in." Yoshi's words are spoken simply and to the point. He had seen the bodies of those retrieved from within mighty stomachs of terrible beasts. It was not pleasant. It would also give him the chance to perhaps palm something of use, his goal was still a distance away and any advantage would be of import.
"It is a fine plan Keisuke-san, and if a ship does not find us tonight perhaps you can send him scouting. A direct attack on their base could be foolish at this time though. We do not no much about their numbers or capability. Now if we are attacked on the water it should be by less numbers, a raiding or pirating party maybe no more than ten depending on the size of their ship. The three of us could succeed with those numbers and subdue some of them to find out more information. We can then use their ship to go back to their base and launch a surprise attack after dividing their numbers."
She finishes the cup of water.
"We are ready." She states to the farmer.
Ayoshi faced Akihiro and gave him a smile, as he followed as well.
You're probably right in being cautious, my friend. - he paused, then continuing - We just can't let cautiousness blind us from what's the honored way.
The words of the courtier were heavy, but having no one else to hear, they didn't really sound offensive. He carried no weapons other than that branched spear on his back, however, and in case a fight happened, he didn't seem to be the most helpful person to have around.
Sighing softly to himself, Ahikiro followed. He didn't re-sheathe his spear, though, and his eyes were beady and alert.
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Tadamasa had pulled aside some of his chainmail to look over his wounds. They weren't so deep, but didn't look too great. Covering himself once more, he gave one last look over Lord Toad. He looked up at Yoshi and gave a nod back, before he shook his head, "I wouldn't know, friend." Turning to gather his sheath and crossbow, "I don't think there's anything left of him now." Shaking his head, Tadamasa sheathed his blade, hooking his crossbow in his belt.
Tadamasa seemed rather neutral towards Lord Toad's last words and was largely the same as it was now and before the fighting began. Lord Hiro wasn't any name that Krab could recall, and his knowledge of the lords of the Crab clan was pretty solid, more so in the land closest to home.
Tadamasa returned and gathered the tip section of Lord Toad's severed tongue and put it in a sack cloth bag. Opening Lord Toad's stomach revealed large and small body parts belonging to many different people. They each had a strange circle with a line through it symbol somewhere, no matter how large or how small the body part was. The stomach acid sizzled onto the ground, each body part void of metal bits.
Himura Yoshi nodded, looking through the bodies after he cut a hole through Lord Toad's stomach. The smell was awful but he examined the parts, studying the symbol that was upon the body parts within the Toad's stomach.
"Strange. Very strange." He thought to himself, looking down at the parts remaining inside. The kukris were cleaned off on the corpse before he stood up, looking back towards Tadamasa.
"I hope your brother rests easier now. Tadamasa. Where are you off to now?" He says, stepping up and out of the sandy pit and back towards the road. "I am heading towards a small village, looking for a bandit known as the Drunken Tiger."
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The critter led them up the mountain, slow enough for them to follow easily. The mountain leveled and there was a patch of trees that were quite thick. The critter gestured towards the trees, "They are within here." Clear sounds of someone singing and drums could be heard, though the language was a very strange dialect of High Rokugan.
As the others entered the glade, they easily spotted the fire that roared in the middle of the circle of mats. The other critters were stacking the stolen goods in the top right corner of the camp, and some people sat on the mats, facing the fire and humming along to the dancing figure near the middle. The dancer was bald, their face decorated in bright reds and orange swirls, their robe dirty and ripped in the middle. They tossed some sand into the fire and shouted, the fire booming before resettling.
When the Phoenixes approached, the Dancer stopped and turned to them suddenly, pointing to them, "Two birds carry one stone. Their flight is slow, why have they flown so low?" The Dancer's voice was feminine, as was her thin shape, but she had two orange swirls in a ferocious moustache upon her face.
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The younger peasant nodded and bowed deeply, "Yes, right away good samurai." He led the others outside, past the peasants hoisting up their laundry outside their houses and down the East road. That was, until they came to the bank of one of the rivers. The peasant stopped and pointed to a section, "They usually stop near here in the later hours." The point was past the village, about halfway into the fields. "Then they circle back into the bay and leave. If you miss the first ship, they usually have another one on the other river, in the same spot."
The young man stopped and bowed deeply, "If you need anything else, I am willing to answer." That was when Glass Lion's servant, Azama Hirashi, came peddling from the village. He stopped near the group but kept his eyes on Glass Lion, dipping his head deeply, "May I have a word with my lord?" If the others allowed, he would lead Glass Lion off to the side and lower his voice, "I have read some interesting letters in Lord Junburo's office while he was outside. I could not take them in fear he would notice their disappearance, but I believe he is meeting with someone this night. By your command, my lord, I can attempt to listen in on them."
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Tadamasa looked the body parts over again, before shaking his head, "I can hope so too. I thank you again, for avenging him in this manner." Fixing his weapons and armor to be ready for travel, he looks up, "I will return to Kuda Mura to collect my pay for this grizzly task. If you require my assistance, I will reside within my village until I hear word from you. But I am not an idle man; my tasks are never at an end."
Keep an eye out, wouldn't you?
Someone has to keep us alive, and you aren't, so I guess I'll have to.
Hojin flies upwards, and something in Keisuke's body language shifts. He stands more resolute, confident, martial.
"So, Atsuko-san" he says while sitting on a dry spot, waiting for Akodo to return "may I wonder what brings you to this place? If you're not acting on some secret family matter, of course."
"Myself, I lost everything when my village was raided by a band of nezumi. That's why I took to travelling. Anyone I owed fealty to is dead, so I was no longer bound by any pledge, I could make the world safer for any and all."
Oh, what a sad story. I like that you left out the part where you led me into the Shadowlands to seek revenge, almost died, and transformed me into a monster.
You sacrificed yourself! I was ready to die! And becoming a hell-raven gave you sarcasm.
Kazuma noted the man, considering his words.
"It would be...uncouth for me to order you to do such a thing. You understand, of course, that a man in my station must always act with honor. Of course, knowing the habits of a man like Lord Junburo could be very useful indeed. Should you find yourself on a walk this evening, and happen across any information, I would not turn it away. As long as discretion can be had, I think we might all be able to benefit from this."
Atsuko smiles.
"Keisuke-san. These men brought me here same as you. I have no secret agenda. I lost honor in the eyes of my family and simply seek to regain it through deeds of helping others. Ah Kazuma-sama is everything alright?"
"Yes. It seems the fortunes smile on us. Shall we be underway?"
Yoshi will nod, reaching out an armored arm towards the samurai and gripping his forearm tightly in a warrior's handshake. "I will keep mind of that, Tadamasa. If I have need of you, I will send a courier for you. Be well and be safe, I must take my own travels now." The man's honor remained clean and his brother's death was avenged, the Krab keeping Lord Toad's words in his mind and ensuring that the marks upon the body parts were kept in mind.
"Perhaps this Lord Hiro was allowing the beast's indulgences in return for targetting specific enemies? A crafty tactic...and an effective one." Himura Yoshi would think to himself as he left behind the lone brother, returning one last wave before making his way back upon the path and towards his destination. His wounds hurt and he rolled his shoulder softly. "Need to move quicker next time, careless mistakes were made. We must master the other blades as soon as we can."
"Yes. That will be a fine place to wait on a boat." She nods.
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Glass Lion's servant gave a deep bow and had departed from the group to walk through the fields and into the village. Hours pass by, and the two peasants leave the samurai to their duty, saying that they would not want to be a burden upon such helpful and good samurai. They bowed deeply and returned to the village as well.
Hours pass and along the river, when the sun was sinking into the eyes of the others, a boat was approaching. There were a half dozen or so figures on the one-mast ship, all dressed in breeches and leather vests. One of them, near the side of the ship pointed to the merry trio and called out to them, "You there! Bandits beware and begone, or face death!" The boat slowly stopped in the middle of the river, with a good 5 feet of water on either side of the ship. One crew member tossed an anchor off the side of the ship, while the others scrambled for their weapons.
Some of the farmers, in the further away fields, stopped their work to wonder what was happening on the river side. They shielded their eyes from the sun, but couldn't quite make out what was happening, other than shouting.
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Tadamasa gave a light bow to Krab, straightening "My tasks keep me fit, but rarely safe. However, I promise not to fall prey to a blade before you are in need of me." Then he turned about and marched up the valley, the clink of his weapons and armor soon becoming dim to Krab's ears.
It would be several days since Krab helped Tadamasa. Having traveled past the Watchtower of the West and cut through the Shinomen Mori, a very large and mystical forest and neared the edge of the Lake of Cherry Blossom Snow and followed it into Maemikake, which was much larger than any Crab village. Its lumber men were busy at work, hauling logs over the lake's water to the village, the men of the village either talking about lumber or working on lumber.
Crab clan members and Falcon clan members patrolled the area, offering glances to Krab as he passed them. But they didn't stop him; just watched him. Following the lake's river north, Krab had to wait for a ferry man, who only asked for a meager fee of 6 coppers (or, as he joked, you could swim across for a nice exercise). Once across, either by paying or by swimming, Krab would be on his way to the small village of Kudo.
As Hojin perches herself on the mast of the ship, Keisuke grins mirthlessly. "Yare yare daze. Bandits we aren't, or we would have cut you down by now. On the other hand, you are armed, on the river, and stopped for us when we didn't stop you. So, what would your business be, here in the fields?"
Atsuko stays quiet and awaits to see how they respond to Keisuke.
Akodo says nothing, but those skilled in battle would notice his weight and stance shift ever so slightly as the warrior readied himself.
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The pirates, for pirates they were clearly dressed like, seem to hold their weapons at ready, "We know of the workers that stay until the sun descends. Your faces are not known to us, so you are not of this village. Those two are clearly armed, you are clearly bandits then."
The other pirates nod to themselves, reassuring themselves in their aim and standing strongly together. The pirate that spoke up speaks again, "You threaten us, you threaten this village. You must be bandits; turn tail and leave or suffer our arrows!"
A ruckus has begun in the manor of Lord Junburo, the clash of steel quietly carries over the land, over the waves of the river, and over the chatter of the pirates.
Kazuma's nostrils flare. How dare these peasants!
"You would dare threaten Samurai in service to Kitsu Moro? Kono yarou!"
It is clear to Kazuma that they will not be avoiding combat. His stance shifts almost imperceptibly.
"You will apologize for that insult, or by my ancestor Akodo One-Eye I will call for you to meet my challenge."
Akodo Kazuma strides towards the men confidently, left hand on his saya. Though he seems an easy target, he is centered, poised and ready to react at the slightest hint of an attack.
As the situation begins to escalate, Keisuke's brain is struck by a sudden flash of paranoia. Drawing the scythe, he approaches Kazuma and whispers. "They aren't trying to shake us down. Is it possible that they are not actually brigands?"
- Aura of Misfortune (enemies in close range get -2 to saves)
- Debilitating Fear
- Scything Strike
- Terrifying Blow
- Warden's Bearing
Atsuko drops the fishing pole as it is clear they are about to be attacked. She too takes a defensive posture as here hand moves to her sword.
"Keisuke-son take the oars. We will defend you. Kazuma-sama shield him with me."
Here tactical ability takes over as they begin moving toward the ship.
[ooc]Move Action: Move to provide soft cover taking knee.
Standard: Use War Leader ability to share Phalanx Fighter. If Pirates are evil men we all get a +2 sacred bonus to AC. 7rnd Duration[ooc]
AC: 21 vs Range: 23 if they are evil men
Keisuke: AC will be 22 while sitting and rowing with soft cover from us. 24 if evil.
Kazuma will be AC 26 while kneeling, 28 if men are evil.
Retcon: Ignore above post.
Atsuko steps between her two allies and bolsters there defense.
"If you draw weapons on us, you forfeit your lives. If you are the bandits we expect then I suspect you will, but if you are not those men perhaps you will talk and not die this night."
She says with a stern cold tone as her body shifts preparing for battle.
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One of the pirates speaks out,""They call us brigands and threaten our lives, yet they wish to speak! We don't care who you work for, no lord protects this village, we do. Now be turned away!" They pull upon their bows, notching arrows. Then they fire a volley!
The fighting near the lord's manor has broke into a full fledged show of arms, people dying and fighting in the distance. The peasants nearby are becoming panicked, shouting for their children to return home or to hurry inside.
At the tensing of their arms, any hesitation was gone. Akodo moved, flowing like water, making his way to the men arrayed against him. Akodo easily moved in between two of the archers, his blade still in the scabbard. He dropped low, tensing for a moment and summoning for his strength before his blade flashed not once but twice, striking against the enemies around him before returning to it's sheathe. Akodo remained still, ready to react and twist out of the way of his remaining enemies' arrows.
(should be vs.Flat Footed), targeting both opponents withing reach.
Hojin swoops down on Keisuke as he charges them before they can loosen the arrows. A black mist of malevolent energy coalesces along the scythe blade as he claims the souls of the three closest men as his bounty, before swooping in with a devastating, scything blow.
As the blade hits, darkness spreads from the raven, engulfing the hapless archers and hiding Keisuke from view.
The villagers mentioned nothing of pirate protectors. These men are lying or something else is going on here... Fools, they forfeit their lives
Atsuko too is quick to react as the one in charge gave the order to attack. Her stance shifts as she moves to the bank edge. He blade is drawn with such speed and force an arc like wave is released cutting into two of the men.
Swift: Change Stance to reaching blade
To both
She stands in position and lets out a soft exhale of breath as the blade was still fully extended from making the cut. She watches a moment to see if the men were still capable of moving or if they were just yet to fall.
Slight Retcon to Above:
With speed and agility Atsuko rushes forward as the men begin to draw back on their bows. She leaps and finds her footing on the edge of the ship where her blade is drawn from the sheath with a flash and the wave of energy flows fourth like a wave washing over and cutting two of the men.
His armor is heavy, but Akodo Kazuma is strong and agile, making the leap to the boat with no trouble.
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The three samurai charged and ran to jump lightly upon the boat's edge, but their combined weight brought the mast slowly towards them. As the boat turned, two of the pirates caught Ex-Dragon's scythe along their shirts, cutting in between ribs clean through, their blood making the boards of the ship slick. 4 of the pirates started to move with the turning ship, being lifted into the air.
Crane's blade energy slashed into two of the pirates, cutting cloth and flesh alike. Both clutched at their tunics in mid-flight, but they still seemed to be alive when they hit the water.
That was, until Glass Lion's blade collided into them as they hit the water, his own shoes sinking to touch bottom. His blade smashed into the two pirates' backs, making them floating bodies that are quickly swept away with the river.
The boat is overturned onto its side, the mast keeping the boat from fully turning over. Everyone is in the water, which is only chest high, but the currents are fast. The boat doesn't move due to the anchor that still resides in the riverbank.
The remaining pirates, the two of them, dive under water and let the current sweep them away from the chaos. Footing is loose here, as the samurai soon found out, and Glass Lion's ears pick out the sound of peasants screaming in the direction of the village, horses neighing and stampeeding around, and someone boastfully yelling out, "You see this tattoo?! I am the Drunken Tiger! No man rules me!" Just before that same man tossed a torch at the manor, followed by other torches by other horsemen.
The current is quite strong, which is probably how the ship was able to patrol the area so quickly. Are you swept away into the wilderness? Will you be able to fight the waves of destiny!!! Will you be fished out some like some kinda Deus ex Machina?!
Akodo kept his head above water, ready to help the others if needed.
"We must get back to the manor! Something has happened!"
Himura Yoshi had been travelling the land for quite some time now, in search of his prey. His kukris had found the neck of unsavory folks, money had been won and lost in gambling dens, and he had been hungry for many nights. He had survived on the kindness of peasants and the bounty of forests, but he was finally closing in on his destination.
The blue robes that signified him as a member of the Crab Clan were worn by now but had been maintained as much as possible. His face was kept cleanly shaved, his blades sharp and dangerous. The cool air flowing over the water left a sense of peace and relaxation upon his skin. Yet his nose picked up something in the air, something out of place. The smell of fire upon the air. With a hurried step, he went to investigate.
Fate being sometimes a cruel mistress, Atsuko took a deep breath as she felt the current pull her under Choosing not to fight against it she forced her blade back into the Saya. She then found it easier to swim with it and try to approach the shore further down stream.
More by chance than skill, Keisuke manages to get to the shore. "Hold on, Atsuko!"
Reaching for his pack, he wrestles a long walking pole out away from it and pushes it towards Atsuko, trying to get her a hold.