"Kondo-san, you may not take contracts, but may one share information?"
Kondo Yuri quickly glances at the others, but then nods. "I see no reason not to, but depending upon what you seek, it may cost you."
Malnival frowns. "We should strike first. We may need to know where this one is. Maybe find away to magically located him. What if one of us hired your group to stop him, I am not sure how this all works."
"Ok, cost us what? Do you work for money? Or maybe you want information? What has to happen for us to deal with these other ninja once and for all?"
|
"Our code prohibits taking contracts from those marked by another clan. So, until Kaibuninsho is defeated or... he fulfills his contract, sadly we cannot help you."
Heng explains sloooowly to Malnival, "They cannot work with us until this Kabuninsho is defeated. Though they have been generous in sharing this information with us. Kiyomi has asked for more information perhaps how to find him, but that may well have a cost which Harlan is attempting to discover."
"Excuse an ignorant foreigner Lords, but what is the shinobi fuhonsen?"
Malnival frowns at his half orc friend. "Exactly. So if one of us is not marked as his intended target, technically we should be able to hire them. Do try to keep up."
"I've paid enough dealing with ninjas." Parity states in Common.
In the local tongue, he says "How do we find this assassin, or how do we bait him out?"
Additionally, Parity brushes Suishen's hilt looking to the sword for advice.
We could use the Seal, but I'm afraid that would bring an army of them. You know anything more about these ninja clans that we could use to leverage them.
Kondo Yuri gives Malnival a half-smile. "Your big friend is mostly correct. You are too close to Ameiko for us to accept a contract. Secondly, we would not engage Kaibuninsho or the ninja of the Oni's Mask without their provocation."
"The shinobi fuhonsen is an artifact revered by the ninja of Minkai. It is said to be the first coin ever made in payment for a ninja's service, and has magical power that augment's its bearer's agility, skill and subterfuge."
To Harlan, she replies. "Money is always welcome. I would be surprised if you had any information to trade, something that we were not already privy to, but I am often surprised by Avistani ingenuity."
After Parity speaks, Kazu adds, "You won't need bait... Kaibunisho will find you. Likely that he already has, but is abiding for the right moment to strike. He is a renowned master of disguise -- you may have encountered him recently and not even known it."
"And he's recruited that pretty woman friend of yours..." he adds with a wink.
"Pretty woman?" Parity raises an eyebrow and then waves at his face, "You'll have to be a bit more specific ... I don't have the ability to determine things by their differences in appearance."
"The one who came over the Crown of the World with you. I do not know her name, but it was said you parted ways in Ordu Aganhei."
Ameiko turns a shade paler, "O-Kohaku mentioned that she had come through Sakakabe. But how could she have fallen in with the ninja who are trying to kill us?"
"If he's a master of disguise then Maeve may not know. She's probably in danger."
"Maeve abandoned us on our journey for no foreseeable reason. I wouldn't assume she'd welcome us with open arms. However, she may be easier to track down."
-Posted with Wayfinder
"Is she off limits to you also?"
"Off limits? Do you seek your ex-companion's death?"
"If not death then find her."
Harlan shakes his head emphatically.
"We don't want her dead, we need to find her and make sure she's ok."
Parity raises an eyebrow at Mals comment but instead addresses the ninja spokesperson.
"We don't want her dead but can you help us find her?" He pauses, "... for us to catch up with her, purely unrelated circumstances, of course."
-Posted with Wayfinder
The three ninja leaders eye each other, sharing subtle nods of approval. Kondo Yuri turns to you, "Yes, I think we could find her for you. Such a contract will cost three thousand gold."
I cannot help very much with these. My expertise is on the oni, and I have been out of Minkai for longer than you have been alive. The 'Oni's Mask' ninja they mentioned make me curious though. Does the Jade Regent have his own clan of oni worshippers?
Parity opens his mouth to snap off a reply, but thinks better of it and decides to wait for someone versed in the culture to say something first.
If they don't counteroffer, I will, but I'm not sure how these ninja freaks will take it
"Can you talk more about the "Oni's Mask" themselves? Are they associated with oni in some way, specifically?"
|
|
The three ninja leaders eye each other, sharing subtle nods of approval. Kondo Yuri turns to you, "Yes, I think we could find her for you. Such a contract will cost three thousand gold."
"we have resources of our own for finding her that we have not yet had the opportunity to try'" he reminds his companions thinking of the crystal ball and his own dream visions.
"As you wish," Kondo Yuri replies. "We will be here for another day, and again in a month's time, should you change your minds."
***
Kondo Yuri nods, frowning, "Their leader is Genhara, known to be a yamabushi tengu -- not a powerful strain of oni, but nonetheless he is a cunning and calculating ninja. Its members, though not oni themselves, often wear frightening oni masks to hide their identity and drive fear into their prey."
"Alright, let's get to tracking down Maeve and some ninja."
"Thanks." To the others he simply says. "We should research this Oni s mask. One of who can read ... a library, nearby, perhaps?"
-Posted with Wayfinder
"I will be happy to try and find Maeve with the crystal ball. With Desna's blessing, perhaps we can resolve this mystery." Koya says after you leave the Three Monkeys. "The divination takes some time to cast. I suggest we find somewhere private first."
|
|
"I will be happy to try and find Maeve with the crystal ball. With Desna's blessing, perhaps we can resolve this mystery." Koya says after you leave the Three Monkeys. "The divination takes some time to cast. I suggest we find somewhere private first."
Heng nods looking around the busy market. "Yes, Tata. Kiyomi, do you know this city well? We should find accommodations."
Kiyomi describes the inns she is comfortable with, advising one where the proprietor is discreet and professional.
Kiyomi guides you through away from the market a few blocks deeper into Enganoka. There, just off of one main boulevard and at the end of a quiet culdesac, is a merchants' inn. It his higher quality, and thus more expensive than average, but the rooms are large and private, and there is no large and noisy tavern or common room.
Once you are settled, Koya quickly gets to work, taking out the crystal ball and performing the scrying ritual. After the hour-long casting is finished, Koya's eyes widen in surprise. "There she is!"
Harlan waits in eager anticipation, then becomes even more animated.
"Where? Let's go!"
Koya concentrates for another minute. "It appears to be a temple garden, but its not anything I recognize."
After another pause, Koya nods. "There are some robed men... monks I think. She appears to be praying, or meditating with them." She continues after a moment, "They wear green robes, adorned with a jade crescent moon."
"Sounds right to me Heng, but why would she be there? Where's the closest temple to Tsukiyo?"
Kiyomi knows that there are several shrines to Tsukiyo in the city, but nothing so large that it has a temple garden. The nearest temple of that size is a well-known retreat on Lake Tsukishizuku, about 300 miles to the northeast.
-Posted with Wayfinder
-Posted with Wayfinder
"I've heard of a prayer that can help. It's usually called Wind Walk, though they may call it something different here. If we can find a scroll or two of that, we can be at the lake in 5 hours."