Kiyomi bows deeply to the warrior woman. "Honored warrior, I thank you for your hospitality and understanding. This caravan carries hope. Hope for a future free of the tyranny of the Regent. Hope for a future for Minkai. It is not my place to speak of the nature of this hope currently, but I can tell you this: when the sages speak of the golden days of Minkai, they will speak of this moment and this meeting, and they will shake their heads in awe and sorrow that they were not here to witness it. Please, is there a place we may speak in private?"
Hatsue loses her composure for a third time as Kiyomi speaks, this time betraying a momentary look of awe. When she realizes her digression, she covers up with a stern frown of embarrassment. "You are Kiyomi Matsumata," she says, making a deep, formal bow. "This one apologizes for failing to immediately recognize your honored presence. This one will endeavor to restore her feeble honor."
As she stands up, her composure is again collected, though she keeps her stance and speech respectful. "This one is lieutenant to Master Hirabashi Jiro, warden of these lands and people. He will wish to hear your words, if you are happy to await his return from patrol."
"This one humbly invites you for some tea in the central hut while we wait," Hatsue concludes with a modest bow.
"So you're pretty famous, Kiyomi? A bit modest about that earlier, I'd say?" Parity smirks and then adds quieter as he follows Hatsue into the hut, "Hope it's better than Koya's"
With a few words to her people, Hatsue cancels the archery practice and arranges help for the refugees. She leads you to a hut at the center of the village, slightly larger than the rest. By the time you get there, a small crowd of children has already gathered to gawk at the odd-looking strangers.
Besides a clay fireplace and low table, the interior of the hut is almost bare. The only item worthy of notice is a folding game board, similar to a chess board, laid open for a game in progress.
Hatsue takes off her weapons as she enters, leaving them in a simple rack by the entrance and gesturing for you to do the same.
As you settle into spaces to sit, Hatsue carefully prepares a kettle of green tea, going through the process with ritualistic precision. A few minutes later, she serves everyone a cup and lays out a tray of millet cookies.
"Hirabashi-san may be a little while. In a less formal introduction, I am a sohei... of which I have no translation to your native tongue. 'Warrior-monk', perhaps? I worship the god you name Irori, who we call Iro-shu. My temple is in the Sankyodai Mountains, but I came here to help defend the villagers of the Borderlands." While taking a sip, she looks around your group, eyes lingering momentarily longer on Heng.
Kiyomi blushes at the deference paid to her in the presence of the Empress. She smiles at Hatsue, and bows. "Please, you have honored me beyond words. There is no honor lost. I thank you for your hospitality and aid for those we have brought here. Please, may we ask of the story of Hirabashi-san?"
"In truth, I believed you were dead," Hatsue replies to Kiyomi. "Even at my temple we heard of your outspoken performance and subsequent disappearance. Many thought you went into hiding, but when no word was heard of your reemergence, after several months the common story was that you had been captured and killed by the Jade Regent's henchmen. I am happy to learn that such thoughts were false."
"As for Hirabashi Jiro, his story is his own, and I leave it for him to share it. I will say that I have never met a more balanced person, even among the monks of Iro-shu. He is a warrior, fierce and cunning, but also caring and loyal to his people, whether they are soldiers or the meek farmers under his protection. He respects the law, but is quick to admonish those who would abuse it to their own ends. It is an honor to serve him, even if his own honor is considered forfeit."
Kiyomi laughs when Hatsue speaks of her presumed death. "Truly I may have been killed, had it not been for the intercession of my friends here. I had to flee the city, but I was caught not by the Regent's henchmen, but by the servants of an evil kami. My rescuers were kind enough to bring me with them. I did not exaggerate when I said they bring hope in their caravan; hope for me, and hope for a future without the Jade Regent." After she speaks of Jiro, Kiyomi smiles. "There are those who would count honor forfeit for good men who speak their mind. I am not among those. Honor is best shown by deed, and if your leader is so well respected by an honorable woman as yourself, then I believe him to be honorable indeed."
"So when is this Kobayashi coming back?"
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Hatsue betrays a brief blush and stutters momentarily after Heng addresses her. "... Yes. It would be my pleas... my hon..." She pauses, covering her awkwardness behind a sip of tea. "This one would be happy to do so," she finishes with a formal nod.
She flashes a quick smile to Kiyomi. "There are many and more who believe as we do, but they are too few in a position to make a real difference."
And to Parity, Hatsue can only frown. "The name is Hirabashi Jiro, sir."
To cover the awkward reproach, she makes a gesture towards the game board. "Do any of you know the game of shogi? Or perhaps you have something similar in your own homelands?
Harlan frowns at the game board and ignores Parity's unintended insult.
"This is checkers, right? You just jump the pieces over each other until you win?"
Malnival smiles at the halfing and looks at the game peices. "Chess maybe?"
Parity grunts, "Right, what you said. When does he return?"
"Soon, I hope," Hatsue replies to Parity politely, if somewhat curt.
She favors Harlan with a smile, but shakes her head. "Not quite, but the knight piece," she points to one of the marked tiles on the board, "does capture other pieces with a jump move. Each piece: King, Rook, Knights, Pawns, Bishops... all have their own method of movement. There are many rules and strategies, but the goal is to clear your foe's pieces and capture their king, while defending your own."
To Malnival, she adds, "I have not heard of 'chess'. Is it similar to what I described?"
"Ah, I should not pester you with such trivialities. Shogi is a passion of mine, the only thing preventing me from fully embracing the peace of Iro-shu in my current life."
A moment later, Hirabashi Jiro enters the hut, patting dust and dirt off his robe and setting his weapons down by the door. You note that the wakizashi he uses is a true blade, but the katana is actually a wooden practice replica.
The Minkaian man is of average height, and his head is shaved except for a long topknot. His stance is as rigid as his o-yoroi heavy armor. He looks around the chamber, greeting each of you with a stony expression. Seeing Hastue going on about shogi, he grunts and rolls his eyes in dismay. "I think she was an angle-mover in a previous life," he murmurs.
Jiro moves to take a cup of tea and sits down, betraying a small sigh as he sips. "Welcome, honored guests," he finally speaks directly. "I am Hirabashi Jiro, Ronin. Who are you and what brings you to our humble camp?"
Kiyomi bows to Jiro. "Honorable Ronin, and do not protest; the actions of your lieutenant and people show honor much more than words do. I must first ask you a question: If someone of the royal blood came to you, seeking to overthrow the Regent and restore the rule of law to our land, what would you do?"
Jiro gives a grunt of laughter, shaking his head. "If such a person came to me, I would tell them to have their head checked."
"And if this person had proof of their lineage? And the desire to do so, would you support them?"
Parity grits his teeth and tries hard not to reach for Suishen as Kiyomi goes through her barrage of questions.
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Jiro narrows his eyes as Kiyomi continues her questions. He looks around the room, taking a closer look at each of you. His gaze lingers an extra moment on Ameiko and Miyaro. "Perhaps, if they proved themselves worthy of my support... But such a thing is not possible, and this becomes hypothetical whimsy. All of the Five Houses are gone, and only Emperor Higashiyama Shigure remains, now in seclusion."
"My concerns lie here," He gestures to the world outside the hut. "Digging irigation canals, feeding the people under my protection, and playing shogi."
Parity grits his teeth and tries hard not to reach for Suishen as Kiyomi goes through her barrage of questions.
Ameiko rests a calming hand on Parity's arm.
Kiyomi smiles benignly at Jiro. She then turns to Ameiko and raises an eyebrow, asking her what to do.
"... and bandits. I think they would rank on your priority list. You have enough help keeping your folks secure?"
Jiro's face darkens at Parity's query, but before he can properly answer, Ameiko stands and bows low. "Honorable warriors, I assure you it is not a strict impossibility." She rights and adopts a humble stance. "My grandfather was none other than Amatatsu Tsutoku, who fled across the Crown of the World with his family more than fifty years ago. My family had been living in Avistan under a different name, and it was not until about six months ago that I learned of my true lineage."
"I know this is difficult to believe. I could scarcely believe it myself, but I carry the proof that assured me of the truth, as it did for people with me; my friends, advisers, and guardians." Ameiko takes the warding box out of her pack. "Within is the Amatatsu Seal." After a moment's hesitation, she unseals the container, revealing the jade figurine within.
Hatsue's eyes widen and she looks to Jiro with a mix of surprise and excitement.
Jiro raises an eyebrow but his demeanor remains unmoved. "There have been a few in recent years that have come forward claiming to be a lost scion of one of the royal families. Those pretenders did not long survive the Jade Regent's scrutiny."
"None of them traveled quite so far to stake their claim, nor carried a royal seal... though this could be a clever forgery."
Jiro ponders silently for a few moments.
"There is Suishen, as well, of course." Parity notes.
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"A legitimate government would feed its people and defend them from threats. I have travelled across the world with the Amatatsu-scion to see the proper authority restored. I have not met those that have claimed her rightful place, but I do know that an army of oni sought to crush her line and oppose her return."
"Honorable ronin, this is no mistake. Ameiko is the Empress. She will be the Empress. And our land will live again, will become a place worth living in again. But she needs you, she needs your honor and your arm and your pledge. Jiro-san, will you pledge your honor to the rightful Empress?" Kiyomi is suddenly intense and focused on Jiro.
"You waste little time on subtlety, Kiyomi-san," Jiro growls, letting out a sigh.
To Ameiko, he says, "If you are indeed a legitimate heir of the Amatatsu, as you claim, please forgive my skepticism as a healthy habit born from years in Kasai, and not of disrespect for your station."
To the group, he continues, "Understand my position: a group of gaigin arrive at my doorstep, claiming to have crossed the Crown of the World in the throes of winter. With them is the scion of a lost royal house, who speaks with a strange accent, and whose own parents were not even born in Minkai. And yet she claims to have braved this incredible journey to claim her birthright, the throne of an empire, just to restore the honorable balance of things."
"Striking story... but how does that story end? If the Jade Regent comes and kills Ameiko, along with the rest of us, it goes nowhere. You need more than an army; no matter how many soldiers you muster, he will have more. You need influence, you need the people, and that will take more than a simple claim to royal lineage."
"You ask for my loyalty, my fealty... but other than Kiyomi, I do not know any of you, and even her only by reputation." Jiro sighs again, thinking. "A riddle, perhaps?" he asks, looking to Hatsue, who nods in reply.
"Very well," he grunts, then looks at each of you in turn while speaking. "A samurai and a peasant are brought before a ruthless daimyo. The daimyo wants to show whether a matched katana and wakizashi set are capable of killing a man with a single cut, so he commands the samurai to kill the peasant in order to test the swords. The samurai is faced with two dilemmas -- first, he has two swords, but only one would-be victim, and second, he loathes his duty. He does not want to kill an unarmed, innocent man, but his lord has commanded him to do so. What does the samurai do?"
"Discuss among yourselves and tell me when you have an answer."
"Hmmm ... two blades, three people. Give the peasant a blade, he'll kill the daimyo and then you have 2 options. Kill the peasant for murdering your lord and then live a life of guilt and dishonor, or kill yourself for allowing your lord to die. In neither case does anyone 'innocent' die and you are able to test the swords," Parity muses.
He continues, "Although I'm not certain why anyone would be working for a man that they loathe, but it's just a riddle, right?"
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Heng rubs his scalp and it is obvious is he is straining in thought. "That is a clever solution, Parity. It is a difficult question of honor, but I believe you nearly have the right of it. However, the peasant must remain innocent and should not be involved in killing. The samurai must betray his oath to the corrupt daimyo to serve the higher good. The long sword will be tested by taking the lord's life and the short blade tested in taking the samurai's own life for betraying his daimyo."
The half-orc monk's eyes are filled with empathy as he glances at the samurai in their company.
Harlan frowns at the riddle.
"But guys...the samurai doesn't loathe his lord, just his duty to kill the peasant. And the daimyo isn't corrupt, just ruthless. What if they've been at war and he's had to make some hard choices, then he'd still be a good lord. And who says the peasant is innocent, other than the riddle? Maybe the peasant is a criminal and would be put to death anyway."
Harlan squints at Jiro.
"Maybe...maybe the samurai becomes a ronin? And never uses the swords at all?"
"Perhaps you are correct. It is better to sacrifice one's honor than become a murderer in service to one who would cast aside a life so easily."
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"Perhaps you are correct. It is better to sacrifice one's honor than become a murderer in service to one who would cast aside a life so easily."
Heng smiles fondly at Harlan, "Always a gentle spirit."
"Kiyomi, you would know better than us that a life without honor for samurai would be the same as death..."
Heng remembers belatedly that he was asked this question by a ronin and looks again to Jiro to gauge his reaction to the discussion.
Parity, finding himself uncharacteristically engaged by this conversation pulls on the thread, "I find that the perception of honor, when used as a replacement for rational decision-making, can make some do horrible things and feel justified in it. Pharasma knows that I'm not the first to quibble when it's time to send someone to the Boneyard, but I know better than to hide behind the shield of some sense of misplaced justice. I chose to kill those men. I'll accept my fate when the time comes that I'm judged before her. I don't need some heavy moral code to help me deal with the guilt."
Ameiko adds to the discussion. "I don't know any more about Minkaian honor than what I've read, but as I see it, a ruler not only demands honor from their vassals, but owes them honor in return. Ordering a samurai to kill a man for the sole reason of testing a weapon is a despicable act, unjustifiable by any law or code."
"I agree with Heng, the lord would die, but the samurai would kill himself for the betrayal of his lord."
"So, do we all chime in with our own answers, or present a group consensus?"
"I don't know, I don't. I'd say since the group thinks the samurai would kill the lord and then himself that's the answer we should go with."
Harlan clearly doesn't think that's the right answer, but it is also obvious he has no confidence in his own answer.
Kiyomi smiles slightly. "The best answer is the one most likely to fit the questioner. I say go ahead, and let us see what Jiro-san has to say."
"I defer to Heng's wisdom on these matters." Parity nods and takes a slight step back.
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Jiro nods solemnly to Heng's response. "The riddle was a metaphor for the dire state of Minkai, where a ruthless ruler is manipulating the nobles and causing woe to the people. Several have tried to kill the Jade Regent and restore balance. They died with their honor intact, but still died. Many others... for myriad reasons, denied such an easy escape."
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Heng is unfazed, "We are sworn to restore the Kaijitsu-scion to her rightful place or die trying. We have defeated all who have opposed us thus far including oni, ghosts, and other powerful evil beings. I do not underestimate those that yet oppose us though. I am certain we will need strong allies. Will you support our cause?"
Jiro is silent for a long moment, but then gives an affirmative nod. "If you truly wish to overthrow the Jade Regent, I would join forces with you for that reason alone. But my first obligation is here, and too my people. I will not condemn them to death by aligning with a doomed cause."
"My ronin are ill-equipped, badly outnumbered and currently live in a muddy camp in the middle of nowhere," he continues, gesturing. "You say you have witnessed the predations of the local bandits. They have been plaguing the region for the past few months, with little serious opposition, and their cruelty is already notorious. The local daimyo have effectively ignored them, distracted by their own political maneuverings, and my warriors are too few to confront them directly."
"They have situated themselves in an abandoned fortress in the hills, called Seinaru Heikiko, and begun restoring it. I have reason to believe their leader is negotiating with the daimyo to become allies of the empire. Were this to happen, it will only attract more of their kind to the area, and become a powerful tool for the Jade Regent to use against dissidents like my ronin."
"This must not be allowed to happen," Jiro concludes with a bow of his head. "As a first step towards the Jade Regent's downfall, I ask for your help in eliminating these bandits."
Ameiko stares a few moments before realizing Heng is referring to her. "Oh! Well... yes, of course," she stutters. "We will be happy to help."