"Who exactly are you working with to take such interest? And what was this other man doing here posing as a Palace Captain."
Congratulations to everyone - I think this game is well-conceived, well-written and well-played!
@Tokine and @San Pen: Deinor raises an eyebrow. "How well do the two of you know your history?" He turns his arm over to expose the moon-and-stars on his sleeve, and looks askance at you both. "People like yourselves should at least have an idea of what this symbol means."
"The symbol is not entirely foreign to me. Although all references to it that I am aware have been vague..and old. It is not something I would expect to see someone wearing in these times." Her mind goes back to what Rhon told her about mausoleums, old temples and tombs.
@Imuri: Daisuke follows you in, standing at an appropriate distance with his sword ready and gazing calmly at the three bushi, who, for their part, look quite confused. You find no sign of any other person in the dojo, and as you settle in the corner to wait, utterly focused and centered, Big Hat steps forward and looks questioningly between you and Daisuke.
"Hey! What is this? Who is this old fart to be ordering us around? He's not Swift! He's a nobody-man! I thought I'd get to fight with Swift! We can't get anybody with this old windbag along." Jade Tusk and Gallows nod in assent, but seem less quick to add their two coins. Jade Tusk is looking at your shoulders and thighs, your stance and movement. Gallows' eyes narrow when you grip your katana.
Daisuke stands between them and you, prepared to die for his new master. "You are here because I paid you. You do not get to ask about anyone else I choose to hire or bring with. You do not get to change conditions, not without sacrificing your coin. This man is here because I wish it, and that shall be good enough for you." He glowers at Big Hat, who narrows her eyes.
"Fine," she says, "I'll wait. But I still don't know what he's talking about."
There is a wind outside. A flock of swifts flies by, from north to south.
The weathered wave man nods quietly after Daisuke speaks. He gives the sensei four platinum koku before the others and says quietly [i]A small bonus will ensure their loyalty more than a quick tongue, Daisuke-san. After the first part of our business is complete.
Imuri makes eye contact with each ronin - a simple gesture implying patience and imploring cooperation. As the wind blows overhead, Imuri steps into the shadows behind a colum and waits.
@Yohei: You arrive at the situation room in short order and are admitted. Captain Takagami is in there staring at a map of the city. There are little red stones scattered about on the map, some in clusters, some by themselves. The captain is alone. He turns when you enter. ""Yohei!" he smiles, but is obviously exhausted. "How are you? Did you bring Erodal? Where's Azami?"
@Imuri: It is, perhaps, as you expected. One moment there is silence outside, only the windy wake of the flock of birds lingers over. The sidewalk is empty. Then it is not. A grey-clad person of indeterminate age and gender, clad in simple work clothes and with a wide hat and face mask, appears outside, walking calmly and in utter silence, visible through the window. His/her daisho is ancient and battered, their height and weight are utterly unremarkable.
This person, could be anyone.
He/she walks up to the door and looks through its big window. You cannot see their hands, hidden as they are in the folds of their clothes. Their steps are light, their form still, their spirit calm. There is no doubt in your mind this is Swift. Even before Gallows' eyes get big and Jade Tusk utters "It's Him." You know.
Swift does not enter the dojo. His eyes roam over as much of the interior as he can see through the picture window. He then steps back onto the sidewalk. Looking at Daisuke, he shakes his head. He/she then turns and continues walking, from north to south.
"The symbol is not entirely foreign to me. Although all references to it that I am aware have been vague..and old. It is not something I would expect to see someone wearing in these times." Her mind goes back to what Rhon told her about mausoleums, old temples and tombs.
"This is the symbol of the Chan dynasty. It's not a story they talk about in Lanzhu much anymore, but the Chan's were uniters. Great rulers of the Land. Their influence spread far, and they called colonies lands which we have never seen. Never even heard of. Lands that had their time, and expired, to become simply ruins-strewn woods, or deserts. The Chans are gone, this is true, but their blood is too strong, and too tightly bound to the Land to ever be washed away by mere water or earth. Though the Dynasty is long gone, we who remember, remain, though the memory sings to us only in our blood and muscles. And we would continue to keep the Empire free, and all the lands who held it sovereign."
Imuri frowns and steps to the window, muttering to the others, A full year of rice and work for anyone who helps me capture that man right now.
The weathered wave man jumps through the window, balling up just long enough to pass through the open space and land on his feet. He immediately pursues the rogue, remembering his traiing to close any distance between them immediately and attack.
@Azami and @Kyras: Azami has had enough. Already Wong Tsai had disappeared and that was not part of the plan. Feeling her blood boil, she neatly dodges under another clumsy swing from the magma elemental, then whips her katana around as if it weighs nothing and neatly severs the guard's left leg.
Eerily, the guard remains completely silent, simply looking at the leg as if disappointed in its performance. The moment of exposed neck is all Azami needs to behead the man, his lifeless corpse falling to the floor, blood flowing everywhere.
The other guard ignores Dragonborn's shouted question, answering not with words but with a sword stroke that badly slashes the gaijin.
Yohei looks confused, "Azami-san? She hasn't shown up yet? We met up with a guy who works for General Hotoru named Wong Tsai. I parted ways with them in the Palace courtyard... but they should have arrived by now... Do you know this Wong Tsai fellow Captain? He seemed to know you and said he had some business with you and the big Erodal guy."
@Imuri:
Big Hat frowns and stays where she is, in the dojo, but Gallows and Daisuke and Jade Tusk coming running after you, a few beats behind and a few steps slower.
Swift hears your approach and in three quick steps bounds up to an alley and lightly wall-jumps 20' up up to the roof. His/her hands are still hidden in their robes. From his new vantage he speaks, erasing any uncertainty about his gender. His voice is raspy and ancient and sounds much, much older than his appearance would indicate he is. But then, appearances can be deceiving.
"I do not know what your quarrel is with me, venerable sir, but I have no desire to fight you. I will if it is the only way you feel your grievance may be settled, but I would prefer it if there were another way." His swords remain sheathed; his hands, hidden.
Tokine sips at her tea, a very utilitarian blend, fit for mass production, while she listened.
"So then your interest in the Plum Blossoms led you here, as you followed this fake Captain? Did this originate at the palace, or did you follow him from somewhere else? And what possible interest does this precinct house still hold for them? Was the murder of the Dear Inspector not enough?"
She knows she still cannot trust this man, especially while thinking of the possible connection to the art thefts. She still held a trick up her sleeve, and wanted to hear more of the story before playing her hand.
@Yohei: The captain stands straight and his face goes rigid. You cannot tell if he is terrified or furious or both. "Wong Tsai. Ah. I see. I believe...I may know where they are. Come with me. This is either very good or very bad."
@Tokine and @San Pen: Deinor arches an eyebrow. "The palace? No. Not the palace. I was on my way to the market district when I heard sound of struggle. I saw this man, who appeared to be Captain of the Imperial Guard, ruthlessly subduing someone in an alley. He sprinted, and I followed. He came here, where my own natural resistances to magic allowed me to see through his disguise when I greeted him. Your arrival was not something I'd counted on, but gave me an excellent excuse to get close to him a second time. I'd hoped to alert you to his presence, but, things began happening before I could do so." He gives San Pen a significant look.
"Why the precinct house? I have no idea. Whatever imperial goals they may have, the Plum Blossom are still just a syndicate. Criminals. Thugs. Maybe there is evidence here they wish destroyed, or confiscated contraband, or...or who knows what. Maybe it was something only the Inspector knew about."
Narrowing his eyes, Yohei follows the Captain. "There's something else you need to know Cap; The reason I split with Azami-san and Kyras-san was that Hayato-kun and my men had scouted out the forest where I ran into the caravan last night. I followed him into the woods and it turns out that the caravan has moved on, but they did some building before they left - the ground was covered in sawdust. I also found some glass vials with some sort of fizzy potion inside... and I saw some wagons that looked like the ones last night in the middle of the city today. Everything looked different and I didn't see any siege equipment or anything, but one of the men with the caravan seemed to recognize us and hid himself away. After seeing everything in the clearing, I think maybe the caravan might have disguised itself and snuck into the city!"
Imuri loses no speed as he lands on the other side of the window, knowing the element of surprise is gone, he focuses on attacking Swift before he canproperly set himself for combat.
He charges the man, the sound of tapping sandals barely audible to the ronin inside. Without raising his voice, Imuri pronounces judgment as the ronin deftly evades his first swing. Your crimes against the Emperor are many, Swift. You will be my gift to Him.
When he replies, Imuri responds curtly Lanzhu has its agents in the shadows. You have this chance to work for the Empire or I will tell the Great Families how I found you.
"Oh!" Tokine sits up in surprise. "That does remind me of something. Perhaps the officers can assist me."
She gets up, excuses herself and leaves the room. She is gone for a bit.
While gone, she is merely promising to send some nice tea to the officers for all their help at the temple and here today. She then pulls the end of the scroll tube off the tube in her sleeve, the one with the stars and moon.
She takes a deep breath to steel her nerves. then reenters the office, placing the cap, face down on the table in front of Deinor and nods to him that he may examine it. "The Inspector was looking into something the night he died. The men found it for me. That object was recovered at the scene of a vicious attack yesterday."
She settles herself and takes her tea again, watching his reaction over the lip of her cup for when he flips the cap.
She is starting to surprise herself at how easy she can play this game of half answers. She holds her guard up with her smile, more disarming than any Katana.
@Imuri: Swift moves only as much as necessary to cause you to miss. Something about his footwork is very familiar to you, and apparently yours to him, as well. He looks quizzically at you and says, in a voice of dawning comprehension; "Yohuro Sensei."
There is a pause, the kind of time-stopped moment that occurs sometimes between two worthy and skilled combatants where the fight on the physical plane is almost secondary to the astral chessboard upon which they play out the moves in their minds. You experience one of these pauses, and in that moment, Swift looks into your eyes and for a moment seems to see through you. His own eyes narrow and he speaks quietly enough that only you can hear. "Ah. I understand now. Shoto. The web is spun. The Houses move. " He quickly steps back and in one smooth motion throws two shuriken past you at the approaching Jade Tusk and Gallows. Jade Tusk gets drilled in the neck, gurgles, and crashes to the ground in a heap. Gallows draws her katana and attempts to knock the throwing star out of the air, but her skills are not up to the task. With a resounding thunk the weapon buries itself in her shoulder. Her eyes roll back in her head, she stumbles, and then falls. Daisuke continues his approach, katana drawn and face devoid of expression.
Swift resumes his neutral stance, prepared for your next attack. He still has not draw his katana, and is making no move to do so.
"IMPUDENT MORTAL! You dare draw the blood of a Dragon?" Turning to the guard who slashed him with the blade, the Dragon turns with an unspeakable rage in his eyes. He thrusts his blade forward without subtlety or finesse, driving it through the guard's meager defenses and armor. He buries it nearly to the hilt in the guard's chest, coming out bloody on the other end. He roars at the guard, the primal battle cry of a dragon, enjoying the look of fear from his eyes as the life slowly slips from them.
His sword deep in a man's chest, the Dragon slips a bit freer from the bonds that Kyras holds him in. Such power cannot be contained in a man, not without the strength and knowledge of such an ancient creature bleeding out. As soon as the foolish boy regains control, he will have greater power, and its use will bring the Dragon closer to full control.
@Yohei: Captain Takagami takes the vial from you and his eyes immediately go wide. "Oh no! Yohei, these are-" There is a massive *BOOOOOOOOOOOOMMMM!* in the distance that cuts him off, coming from the woods where you just were and where Hayato was.
"This is a bomb, Yohei! How many of these were there?!" He then looks back the way you came. "Oh no. Hayato! You men! He gestures at a group of guardsmen. "Get to the scene of that explosion! Now! Run! Our own soldiers may be in danger!"
The Captain looks at you. "You have my leave to go with them if you want, Yohei, rather than continuing on with me. I'll understand."
Yohei turns his head sharply at the sound of the explosion and gives a curt nod as he rushes off after the guardsmen. Dodging his way through the croweded hallways of the Palace and out into the courtyard, he soon overtakes the guardsmen. Drawing his bow as he runs, Yohei prepares himself for what he might see when he enters the forest.
'Must- Hurry. My men- In danger.'
'Hayato-kun...'
The magma elemental has become little more than an annoyance for Azami at this point. She barely moves to dodge its punch and then removes its left arm and punches a massive hole through its chest. Magma leaks out onto the floor behind it as it roars in pain and its eyes dim. It remains upright, but it is clear that after her mighty attack, it doesn't have much left.
The other guard, half-choking on his own blood, is clearly terrified of Kyras, the mask of indifference on the guard's face finally slipping as the Dragon in the gaijin nearly breaks free...
Imuri carefully steps to the side, holding out his palm to forestall an attack by Daisuke. His left hand still wields the blade, which lowers only slightly as the Shoto samurai moves to flank his quarry with the sensei.
Decide now, Imuri whispers. You will join me in learning who wants the gaijin dragon and why, or I will deliver your body to the Emperor tonight.
The Dragon rips the sword free of the guard's body, nearly cutting him in half with a brutal tear. The guard cries out a terrible cry at his painful death, while the Dragon lets out a victorious roar. The room is showered with hot blood, splashing on the Dragon's face, now fully in place with black eyes and red scales. The Dragon roars out in a mighty voice to the fallen guard, "YOU ARE AS AN INSECT TO ME!"
With a gasp, Kyras wrenches control back from the Dragon. The horror of the hot blood on his face was enough for him to wrest his body back, sickened by what the Dragon is capable of. He falls to a knee, barely able to hold himself up after the exertion.
@Kyras and @Azami:
With a determined look, Azami slashes off the magma elemental's other arm, then cleaves the thing in two, watching dispassionately as its two halves crumble instantly to molten rock. Her face hard, she looks down at the now-kneeling Kyras. "Get up."
@Yohei: Charging through the courtyards, you are overcome with a strange sense of dread. You catch a flash of movement over the walls and see a white tengu fly from one tree to another, then can spot him no more. The sounds of battle reach your ears from out in the field, spurring you to greater speed. Arrows begin to whistle past. You reach the edge of the small stand of trees outside the wall, and are forced to leap behind a tree for cover, your light body caroming off the trunk and hitting the ground. You see Hayato and your other two men about 30' away, pinned down behind a small berm. All three are badly burned, missing feathers, bleeding and pierced with arrows, but all three are alive and fighting. 80' away from them is a platoon of enemy archers, you count 24 total, all wearing silvery mail armor and firing away, ducking behind their own berm when not shooting. Further still away, some 300' behind the mail-clad archers, is a company of cavalrymen, all wearing plate mail and riding warhorses. They fly a banner identical to that of the group of gaijin set to speak tomorrow night, the ones you saw Sera Zhongyi protect last night in the courtyard.
Worst of all, 200 feet off to the left and in the trees -- -- you see the White Tengu again, he has a compound bow drawn and an arrow fletched with three rows of cardinal feathers, and it is aimed at your men.
@Tokine and @San Pen: Deinor picks up the scroll case cap and looks at it. When he sees the moon-and-stars he raises an eyebrow in surprise, but does not seem too perturbed. He looks at each of you. "So, you are saying you think I did this? This...'vicious attack'? I or others of the Chan?"
@Imuri: Swift freezes, eyeing the bared blades held by you and Daisuke. His hands are steady, but his mind is a blur, this you can tell. Your words have resonated with him somehow.
Yet he does not speak.
Daisuke is frozen, standing in a perfect ready position, taking his cues from you.
The mists of the city begin to move, silently, eerily, swirling about your feet into strange formations, looking almost human, then fading back to clouds. The city is silent. Completely, terribly silent.
Breathing hard, Kyras takes a few moments to compose himself. He tries not to look at the blood or the bodies, ashamed of the horrible things that the Dragon is capable of. "What is going on? I saw a pair of those daemons, and you obviously felt that something is wrong as well. I'm a bit out of my league here with the palace intrigue and back-stabbing, so you lead the way out of here. We need to find Tokine and your tengu friend to figure out what is going on." He shakes his katana, trying to get the last few drops of blood off.
His vision focused on the White Tengu's arrow, Yohei yells out an order to his men, "TAKE COVER!" before he ducks down behind the tree and prepares himself for the incoming blast.
Tokine continues to sip her tea then sets it down.
The smile leaves her face as she leans across the table. "I am unsure what to believe at this moment. Men carrying that item, desecrated my temple yesterday and poisoned my assistant."
So when I come upon you wearing that symbol, I admit, I was not prepared to take everything you say at face value. Thus, the unfortunate rough treatment in the street, which is not my manner.
In fact, none of this is my manner, but I am doing what I can to protect my associates and preserve my Goddess' temple. So...till meeting you, I believed the Plum Blossom were behind the attack. But I did not know the association of why they also carried this symbol, the symbol of the Chan, as you say. Does it not seem 'odd' that they would carry the symbol of their sworn enemies."
"And no, this was not left as a plant to foil an investigation, it was part of a pair." She pulls out the Plum Blossom scroll tube cap from her sleeve and places it on the table.
"These were pulled off a corpse, who infiltrated my home during the savage attack. His escape was foiled and I am sure his death came as a surprise to his masters as much as it was to him."
Sitting back in her chair, "So while no, I don't know you had anything to do with the attack. I cannot, for the safety of my temple and those under my care, assume that you did not either. It leaves me in an uncomfortable position, unfortunately."
Getting her fears and concerns out, eases some of her tension. She takes a steadying breath and glances at San Pen, knowing he is taking this all in. But his wisdom would have to wait till they made sense of what this man seemed to be suggesting.
Our camera opens on a distinguished palace of black stone with purple curtains. As we enter the high window of the uttermost floor, we see a richly appointed room. Though cobwebs and dust cover much, it is clear this is a most posh suite for a discerning occupant.
We see this occupant as he rises from a stone desk covered in glass bottles, each labeled with some alchemical reagent. Neatly stacked parchment bears geometric designs and scrawled noted in the margins. The figure, clad in an open, red robe leaves the desk to approach a winding expanse of spiral stairs, the grey, emaciated flesh of his arms and legs revealing unatural strength in the atrophied muscles.
Our central figure descends down the stairs, past dungeons full of weeping prisoners and snarling beasts unseen. Its shriveled fingers are adorned with gold and platinum rings, one crackling with unknown arcane power. The walking corpse glides down these stairs into an opulant kitchen chamber, stepping between two demonic guardians who stand motionless as he moves past the threshold.
The figure's head comes into view, blackened and bald, with matted hair pulled tight over stretch skin, and away from blazing embers. While the figure is undeniably a lich, it then does something most peculiar. Opening a stone coffer, it reaches into a frozen expanse now surrounded by chill steam and extracts an ornate crystal bottle. The bottle contains a glowing, pure fluid, like water illuminated by white light. Sparkling effervescence is seen in the bottle's midst.
Our subject looks for a moment as if he will put the bottle away, grimacing through chapped lips, revealing rotted teeth. Then, with the glowing eyes of a man who knows he is helpless against temptation, he pulls the glowing bottle, marked on the bottom with the holy symbol of Sarenrae, to his lips and takes in a long draught.
Smoke pours out of his mouth, the skin around his eyes smolders a little as the liquid works its healing magic on the lich's unholy countenance. The lich drinks still, as flames burn through the skin of his face and catch his robes alight, until finally his head explodes in a mess of charred skin and burning silk.
The picture fades to the product slogan as we hear a tired, cryptic voice says "See you in 1d10 days." The white words on the now black screen tell us all we need to know to understand:
HOLY COLA. IT'S LIKE THAT.
thinking...
The light from the rising sun slowly removed the dew from the carefully strewn rocks of the Imperial garden. When the terrace was completely dry, San Pen rose as well from his resting place within the gravel of the shallow hillside.
...
Hrrum, hrrum, hrrum he hummed. So the day is begun. Striding in the sun. Hrrum, hrrum hrrum. Hop-hop-hop. Shuffling is a slow moving spin, he headed towards his ‘rooms’ to retrieve his robes and begin his duties.
...
Had that been only yesterday? It seems so long ago. A simpler time, at least in memory.
For a moment, she stares into the room they wanted Kyras to enter, committing it to memory. See everything, Azami, she thinks to herself. You should report this to Takagami-sama.
Turning, Azami notes Kyras' avoidance of the carnage with a touch of interest. "You can barely control that thing in you.", she says - half statement, half question - as she uses a sash to wipe the blood from her katana, its edge gleaming viciously. She pulls the sash from her side and offers it, a clean portion showing at least, to Kyras, pressing towards his face.
Then, she walks past him, back in the direction from whence they came, gesturing with her head for him to follow. Her eyes scan him for wounds, "We need to get to Captain Takagami and Yohei-san. The Curator cannot help you here; I'm all you have." As if to emphasize that fact, Azami raises her katana and, glancing once behind them, she moves carefully back down the hall towards where they entered.
Kyras snaps back defensively. "I control it just fine. Kind of gets a little messy sometimes, but I've got it under control. And I'm not looking for Tokine to protect me, I'm worried that we are all part of something bigger." He takes the sash, wiping his face and his blade. He looks down at his open cuts, still bleeding somewhat heavily. "Although I could certainly use some of her healing." He conjures a very small flame in his hand, grimacing as he presses it against the wounds. Through gritted teeth, he explains it to Azami. "I'm fairly resistant to injury from flames, so it's useful for cauterizing wounds. Doesn't do any permanent damage, and keeps me moving."
@Yohei:
@Imuri
The door to the dojo blasts open and Big Hat sprints out, yelling at Imuri. "You leave him alone, traitors! Aristo scum! You think you can just come down here and buy whatever you need, well that's bullshit! Swift is a hero for us regular folk and you can just burn!" She reaches into her hat while chanting in an arcane tongue and stops about 20' away from the three of you. She pulls her hand out of her hat and rifles a blistering ray of focused heat at the Shoto prodigy, hammering him straight-on.
Diasuke looks dismayed. "Master!"