Jing has never seen the tiny blue-gray creatures before, but the swollen legs of the dead guards he does recognize: venomous snakebites. The sight of the carnage fills Jing with despair, and when the guard mirrors his negative emotions, it becomes tempting to give and run. To where? Anywhere but here. Anywhere but accursed Willowshore.
There's a slight tremble in his voice when he finally finds his voice. "After we woke up, something felt off so we decided to find our way back to town. Not much later, we were attacked by monstrous centipedes that spoke wicked words to us. Sakura took care of them."
"The centipedes... spoke?!?" Hai-er says incredulously. She moves her hand in the shape of the spiral of Pharasma over her chest, a warding gesture. "What else happened?"
Jing repeats the gesture and nods. "Yes! They were quite concise, I must give them that. Meat! Flesh! Bones! That's what they said, and honestly, it was terrifying, but Sakura cut them to ribbons before they could say more. Perhaps we should stick together, because whatever is out there, it preys on our fears, but together we're strong."
"Ah, yes. The missing spider statue—Ugly Cute," Sakura chimes in, her voice tinged with disbelief but also a strange kind of sincerity. "It's not where it's supposed to be, Hai-er Ha. The statue that normally holds the ceremonial lantern at the eastern entrance? It seems to have, well, taken a stroll into the Duyue River, if we're to believe the tracks we saw."
The words hang in the air for a moment, and Sakura can't help but feel they sound a bit less preposterous now, in light of all the other unnatural events they've encountered.
Turning her attention back to Hai-er Ha, she becomes more focused, "As for Willowshore, what's the current situation? Are people in the town aware of what's happening? Have there been any alarms or calls for help? We need to know what we're walking into and how we can be of most assistance."
Hai-er shudders. ”Something terrible is happening, to be sure. Screams, roars, and other frightening sounds have been echoing through the air from town, but things have been silent since dawn. I think I should stay here in the tower until this weird fog lifts. I can ring the tower bell if I spot any more danger.
"My advice? Go home, check on friends and family, make sure everyone is all right. That’s what I would do if not for this fog. Pharasma bless us, I hope my daughter is okay. Even though I asked Granny Hu to babysit, I worry. And my husband... hopefully he’s safe at the Matsuki estate right now. That place is nearly a fortress!”
You know that “Granny Hu” refers to Hu Ban-niang, and the Matsuki estate is Shou’s home—though he’s more commonly called “Old Matsuki.” These two individuals are the spiritual leaders of Willowshore’s Northridge and Southbank factions, respectively.
Hai-er provides you with two minor magical supplies from the watchtower that might be of use to you—a ladder feather token and a single shining crossbow bolt.
Seeming oblivious to the bloated horror of the guards’ demise or the curious bodies of the small interlopers, Cloud muses on how illustrious he might seem to….certain people if he were to tame Ugly Cute and ride the skittering thing into batt…er…”friends and family”?!?
Did Hai-er say “friends and family”? Cloud has no…family to speak of. And his “friends”…well, his current companions seem to be the closest thing to achieving those. Which makes him a little nervous - clearly friends are something that are vulnerable, and need to be “checked on”. Cloud revises how he sees his companions slightly - they seem quite capable of looking after themselves.
Cloud nods after Jing De. ”Also Kamo. Kamo ended one of the talking centipedes” he assures Hai-er helpfully. He looks at the guard again.
”You have been very brave, and forthright. If you prefer, you could accompany us….to check on your own…friends and family.”
Kamo bends over the tiny corpses in the roadway, but hearing Cloud say his name, he hurries to join the group.
"Did you see those jinkin gremlins in the road? They are very bad luck. I bet they've made a deal with the spirits."
After hearing the guard's tale, Kame responds, "Maybe you should stay here, Hai-er. It's probably safer than wandering around with us. Who's house is closest? We should check in and see what is happening."
Sakura offers an affirming nod toward her brother's thoughtful suggestion. "You're absolutely right, brother. We must be both swift and cautious."
She then addresses Hai-er, the lone sentinel of the watchtower, her eyes meeting the guard's. "If you agree to stand vigil here, keeping watch for any further threats, then we'll take on the responsibility of checking on your family. You're displaying immense bravery in holding your post, especially under these unsettling circumstances." She pauses for emphasis before adding, "You have my solemn promise."
The conviction in her voice aims to reignite some of the courage that seems to have waned in Hai-er's demeanor, filling the air with a momentary sense of empowerment.
"Stay close, everyone. We don't know what awaits us." she tells her companions, leading the way toward the shadowy outlines of Willowshore, Sakura can't shake off the ominous feeling that clings to her thoughts. While she would prefer to encounter no more than a couple more centipedes, a deeper dread settles within her, suggesting that far darker perils may lurk ahead.
Pagma looks up at Hai-er "You should come with us." she agrees with Cloud, and she wants to convince her that her kid is more important than any Post, but her words choke up. From fear of today or memory of her past.
No more words to be said, she gulps and starts to follow her friends. Dagger in one hand clenched tight and a vial of acid in the other, clenched not as tight.
"Your house" she says to Kamo, or at least she thinks, since she has not idea where Cloud lives.
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Sakura moves with deliberate care, her eyes keenly sweeping over the foggy landscape before her. Each step is a calculated one as she considers the group's path through the troubled town. As she ponders, her mind begins to crystallize a plan, and she turns back to her companions to articulate her thoughts.
"Our first stop should be the Nine Ear Shrine. It's the closest point of interest, and a potential supply cache," she suggests. "Jing-De, if you find yourself in need of fulus, scrolls, or protective talismans, this is the place to replenish your arsenal." Her eyes briefly meet Jing-De's, hoping the thought of this arsenal might offer a modicum of reassurance.
Shifting her focus, Sakura continues to outline her plan. "From there, our path takes us through the Industrial District. It's not just a hive of workshops and factories; it's also a potential goldmine for supplies. We might find alcohol for wounds, essential oils for crafting, and leather and hides for armor or other needs. Pagma-chan, I suspect you might also find paper goods like spellbooks or formula books invaluable." She gives Pagma a nod, acknowledging their shared understanding of the artificer's craft.
Sakura takes a deep breath before addressing the last leg of their tentative route. "Once we reach the bridge, we'll make a pivotal decision. We'll either cross to check on our own family home, or veer toward Pagma and Jing-De's residence. Circumstances will dictate our course, and we'll need to be flexible."
Her eyes scan the faces of her companions one last time, searching for agreement or dissent. With the gravity of their situation weighing heavily on her shoulders, Sakura feels the urgency of every moment. "Time is of the essence. Is everyone in agreement?"
"Lead away, sister." Kamo is glad that someone is in charge. He spends most of his energy staring into the mist.
Pagma nods solemnly at the plan, keeping her eyes on Sakura, who is doing a good job being the rock in the swirling mist. "Checking on Ba-Ming and anyone who made it to the district along the way is important." another nod, this time to herself.
A small light in her heart was felt. Helping others always made her feel better. "Your house is closer. At the bridge, we should go across." she voices her opinion.
Sakura leads the way further into the fog-shrouded town. Your first stop is the Nine Ear Shrine. This mud-wall hut looks like a grain storage hut on the outside. Its interior descends 10 feet underground into an enclosed space lined with stone, in the middle of which sits a 15-foot-tall marble statue of a nine-tailed fox. A large spiritual rope made of hay hangs off its neck. The walls of the basement are decorated with painted carvings that depict stories of Daikitsu, Lady of Foxes.
It appears that the shrine is currently abandoned. The priestess who normally tends this shrine, Ba-Ming Ouh, is nowhere to be seen.
Finding nothing of value here, you continue on into Willowshore's industrial district. Willowshore’s Lung Wa lumber bosses had a host of other businesses related to materials taken from the woods. Many industrial workers came to Willowshore explicitly for this work, leaving family and friends behind. With the collapse of Lung Wa, many of the businesses that once thrived here closed up shop. The handful of businesses that remain are currently empty, just like the Nine Ear Shrine.
You make your way to Dawnstep Bridge, intending to cross the river to Northridge. You can hear loud noises ahead through the mist. As you get within 100 feet of the bridge, details become visible.
Blood smears the gray stone of Dawnstep Bridge, evidence of a recent fight. The flame of Willowshore’s iconic stone lantern is—for the first time in memory—extinguished. A one-eyed humanoid figure sits on a throne made of stolen furniture heaped on the bridge. As he drinks from a brewing pot, several much smaller humanoids around him—jinkin gremlins—caper about, apparently mimicking and mocking death throes and reactions of recent victims.
The creatures are caught up in their cavorting, so they do not immediately notice you at this distance. You are able to observe them for a few minutes. You note that the jinkins speak Common but the larger figure doesn’t seem to be paying attention. The few times the larger figure speaks, it’s to drunkenly sing out (in Sylvan) a few rhymes of bad poetry about alcohol or boast of his violent triumphs against the locals.
Investigating (Society): Success!: Cloud recognizes the one-eyed creature as a buso, a tree-dwelling humanoid with a simmering desire to consume the flesh of other humanoids.
Cloud’s head cocks to one side as he watches the scene. His tone lower to a conspiratorial hush:
”The ocularly challenged larger creature is a…buso, nominally a tree-dwelling denizen, but here, happenstance creates a lair of broken furniture. They eat…other sentient humanoids, if I recall.”
The young man smiles crookedly, whether in satisfaction of his recognition of the buso or some other, less savoury internal joke is unclear. He speaks just a little louder, as if to press home the point.
”I hazard that if it notices us, we will be contenders for it’s repast.” Cloud indicates the scene before them, jinxkin and buso alike. ” So. Do not let them catch us…alive.” he finishes, carefully bringing his longspear to bear.
Pagma gulps at Cloud's proclamation about being eaten. More blood... her eyes try to follow the paths. Her eyes try to recognize some of the furniture on the throne. Who did it kill?
As her eyes dart along the scene, she whispers absently "its singing in Sylvan" she had spent a summer learning the language, thought she never really had a reason.
Pagma isn't a fighter. She learned how to use her knife for self defense, and mostly since hanging out with her friends meant an obscene amount of sparing. So she asked quietly "can we take them?" there is anger in her voice, so the question is not about running and hiding.
Sakura locks eyes with each of her companions in quick succession. With tension hanging thick in the air, she crouches low, blending into the fog and mist that clouds their surroundings.
"If we decide to engage this buso creature, we'll be outnumbered," she begins, her voice barely above a whisper. "Kamo, those were gremlins you mentioned earlier, correct?"
When Kamo nods, Sakura takes a moment to silently tally their opponents. "Six gremlins, and a buso that relishes in human flesh, singing in Sylvan. That makes it seven against five." Her eyes narrow, and she briefly laments leaving her bow behind. "I'm ill-equipped for ranged attacks. I'll need to get close to make an impact."
Her eyes shift toward Pagma. "Is there a way to even the odds? Do you have anything explosive, perhaps? Something that could eliminate multiple targets at once?"
Sakura scans the grotesque tableau displayed on the bridge once more. "Alternatively, we could attempt to lure a few away, divide their numbers. Any ideas for a diversion?" We could throw something into the river to draw some away perhaps?
Pagma would chuckle at Sakura's question about having something explosive. "I have an entire bag of things explosive" she pats her satchel, disturbing click and clacks inside speak that maybe they should be more safely carried around.
She looks at the distance. Hundred feet to throw something accurately seemed beyond her "I think I'll need to sneak closer."
You try your best to sneak closer to the enemies on the bridge, but unfortunately, you only make it a few feet before the buso's lone eye turns in your direction. He lets out a snarl as he quickly gets to his feet, swaying unsteadily. He calls out in Sylvan, slurring his words as he brandishes a kukri in one hand and the brewing pot in the other.
"Hoy! Naghahanap ka ba ng away? Halika dito at hayaan mo akong kumagat sa iyo!"
The jinkins cackle with glee!
Pagma let's out a very irritatingly yelpy kind of sound. "He says he wants to bite us" then yells out something vulgar and exceedingly crude back in Sylvan. She looks at her friends and sees Sakura's eyes. Then knows might as well.
She runs forward, her arm above her to chuck the vial, but there is a loose cobble and the world hates her.
The divine surges within Jing-De as he channels his desire to win this fight. His hands and fingers move to form complex patterns to channel the energy that is within him, and after a second or two of doing so, tendrils of magic reach out for Sakura's blade. As the magic takes hold, the blade begins to softly hum a requiem.
"Let him try!" Sakura declares defiantly. Just as she sheaths her wakizashi with practiced grace, she feels a new energy flow into her katana. She turns her head briefly to see Jing-De, his hands moving in intricate patterns as he chants softly. Arcane tendrils stretch from his fingertips to her blade, enveloping it in a soft, ethereal glow. A low hum emanates from the steel—a requiem for the foes it is about to meet. Her katana has become more than just sharpened metal; it's a magical weapon now, infused with Jing-De's divine spellwork.
Taking a deep breath to steady her focus, Sakura launches herself into a full sprint, the powerful muscles in her legs propelling her forward. Her armor, though designed for protection, does little to hinder her agility and speed. The ground beneath her seems to blur as she narrows the gap, each footfall echoing her determination.
As she approaches the final stretch, she draws upon the fervor in her heart and unleashes a battlecry that pierces the foggy air: Her voice resounds like a clarion call, rallying her companions and momentarily unsettling the malevolent creatures ahead.
Sakura's eyes lock onto the buso, gauging his stance and the slight sway in his movements, a telltale sign of his drunken state. With a split-second calculation, she anticipates where he'll be just a heartbeat later. As she reaches striking distance, her katana sings through the air, an extension of her will and a manifestation of her skill.
Her timing is impeccable. The magical blade arcs toward its target with a deadly grace, fueled by the desperate hope that her strike can turn the tide of the grim tableau that has befallen her town.
"Wait up, Sakura--oh! Nice work."
Kamo's concern for his sister is washed away in admiration of her attack. HE followers her as quickly as he's able.
Pagma lobs her acid flask with heroic effort. It shatters against the buso, causing him to hiss in pain as it begins to eat at his skin. Sakura charges forward and delivers a perfect strike, her empowered blade tearing through the buso's belly! Blood and gore gush from the devastating wound, and the buso shrieks in pain and rage! He stumbles back a few steps but somehow remains on his feet.
"Fight back! Kill them, Gurglegut!" one of the jinkins shouts.
"Tear their faces off!" another cries.
"Eat their eyes!" says a third.
The buso, Gurglegut, takes a moment to cough and retch, trying to reduce his drunkenness. It doesn't work, though. He gurgles something incoherent as he slashes at Sakura with his kukri, the blade slicing into her side!
The acid burns more of Gurglegut's flesh before it fizzles out. The buso is grievously injured!
Kamo joins his sister in battle, looking for the busos' weak point. A good attack angle eludes him, so he moves his staff into a defensive position.
Sakura doesn't give the buso the satisfaction of a scream, but an involuntary, pained gasp escapes her lips as his kukri slices through her armor, cutting deep into her side. This wound is far more severe than the minor injury she'd suffered at the mandibles of a centipede; it's a gash that penetrates muscle and flesh, immediately sapping her strength.
Determined not to reveal her vulnerability, Sakura locks eyes with Gurglegut, fixing her gaze upon his solitary eye as glares at him and snarls, "You will regret the day you came to this town!"
Grimacing against the pain, she lifts her katana for another assault. Her first swing is a textbook arc, its form immaculate despite her deteriorating condition. However, as she draws the blade back for a second strike, her wounded muscles protest vehemently, sending a lance of pain through her body. With a sharp yelp, she pulls the attack short, failing to reach her intended target. Her face flushes with frustration and pain, but her eyes never leave the enemy.
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Jing rushes forward and calls upon the voices of the beyond to speak through his mouth. Perhaps it's because of what's going on that the voices don't come, but when Jing points a finger at the buso and lets it know death is coming for it, it's still rather menacing.
Sakura's glare shakes the buso's confidence. With a second swipe of her blade, she cuts the one-eyed monster's head from his shoulders! Gurglegut's headless body crumples to the stone of the bridge. The jinkins scream in terror as they flee into the fog!
Gurglegut has gathered a few treasures near his impromptu throne—a silver scepter set with semi-precious stones worth 15 gp and a full-pack cantrip deck. In addition, the buso carries three ancient copper coins in a pocket.
The Eternal Lantern stands at the southern end of Dawnstep Bridge, its flame extinguished. This stone lantern is a 5-foot-tall stone lamp carved from silver-laced granite from the Gossamer Mountains. Its interior contains a cold iron cage with a lotus-shaped pedestal on which three glowing copper coins once sat. It’s said that the light from this lamp protects Willowshore from all manners of evil.
Perhaps one of the town's elders will know how to light the lantern once more...
As the severed head tumbles to the ground, landing with a grisly thud near her boots, Sakura pivots sharply to face the remaining jinkin gremlins. Her eyes are ablaze, fueled by a cocktail of adrenaline and righteous fury. Her katana is held high, its blade shimmering with the ethereal glow lent to it by Jing-De's magic, serving as a grim warning to the malevolent creatures. She attempts to shout a defiant challenge, to break what's left of their spirit and send them fleeing into the night.
But just as she opens her mouth to unleash her battle cry, a searing pain radiates from her wounded side. The sharp agony courses through her body like wildfire, causing her to wince involuntarily. She clasps her free hand over the bleeding wound, her fingers stained by her own lifeblood, and lets out a guttural groan instead of the intended shout.
Grimacing through the pain, her eyes dart toward the Eternal Lantern. "Can any of you relight the lantern?" she asks, her voice tinged with a sense of pressing immediacy. "We need its light now more than ever. Willowshore's safety may depend on it."
"I think this one is beyond me. It runs on magic, not oil." Kamo shakes his head. "Can you hold still a moment? I'll try to bandage up that wound."
"There. You were a good patient...for once!" Kamo ribs his sister a bit, though he's equally worried about the lantern being out.
Pagma has started into the lantern many a days, thinking about fire, for various reasons. " these are the coins that kept it flaming. They had been blessed, but not anymore "
"No, but the elders might know how to re-ignite it. Still, give me a moment, and I'll do what I can ... know though, that it isn't the real thing, and it won't protect Willowshore."
Jing knows he lacks the means to truly re-ignite the lantern's light, but he does what he can nonetheless. Carefully, he places the three coins back onto the pedestal and then, he weaves a spell to imbue the cold iron cage with moonlight.
Perhaps the sight of the light, feeble as it might be compared to the 'real' lantern's light, at least instills a sense of courage and hope in those who see it. Not all is lost. Not yet.
Sakura sits somewhat rigidly as Kamo attends to her wound, her eyes fixated on the enigmatic lantern that stands at the bridge's end. Although she's grateful for her brother's medical expertise, her thoughts are consumed by the lantern's extinguished light and what it means for their town. She doesn't blame her friends for not being able to rekindle its magical flame; she knows all too well the limits of their current abilities.
Her eyes shift between the lantern and her comrades, pondering the gravity of the situation. Her initial plan of rushing to check on her family is now in contention with the urgent need to relight the lantern—a beacon that safeguards not just her family, but the entire town.
"I think...I...Well," she stammers for a moment, struggling to articulate her thoughts under the weight of their responsibility. "We have to prioritize getting this lantern lit. Perhaps Granny Hu should be our first destination; she might know how to rekindle its magical flame. Alternatively, we could head in the direction of Old Matsuki. He's along the route to where Jing's and Pagma's families are."
Before her friends can weigh in, Sakura appears to come to a decision, her eyes meeting each of theirs with a sense of urgency. "I say we make for Granny Hu's first. Let's get this lantern lit, seek her guidance, and then we decide our next steps." Her voice resonates with a newfound determination, as if trying to will the lantern back to life through sheer resolve.
As Sakura rises to her feet, she braces herself for the sharp pain she expects to shoot through her wounded side. To her surprise, the expected discomfort never comes. She looks down at the bandaged area and then back at her brother Kamo, her eyes widening with a mix of astonishment and gratitude.
"Wow, you managed to patch me up without making it worse. You're getting good at this," she says, her words tinged with playful sarcasm but underscored by genuine appreciation.
Cloud strut-saunters over to the pile, passing and noting the siblings ministrations. He sees much that is distressing, but feels his group are at least holding together. He stares at the assembled pile, the decapitated head of the buso.
”I wonder if the southsiders and northsiders might smooth over their differences after this shared event. If they manage to survive, that is.” he says, half to himself.
Towns are strange creatures…
He turns swiftly, as Sakura speaks of plans.
”Pagma, Jing - what say you? I care not which way we go, just that we go together.”
While Sakura is being patched up, Pagma moves around the pile, weaving around Cloud where he stands. It was almost like she was cataloging where she had seen X or what was familiar in Y.
Cloud asks her opinion so she looks at the warrior, green eyes strained "Making sure the others are safe needs to be our priority. Not lighting a nice but meaningless lantern." no matter how often it held her gaze growing up. But she doesn't add that part. Instead focuses on the remnants of lives shattered into that pile. Then she looks at Sakura, "But making sure Granny is safe, no matter any other reason, is fine with me."
Sakura takes a moment to absorb Pagma's words, her brow furrowing slightly as she contemplates the conflicting messages. On one hand, Pagma dismisses the importance of the lantern, yet on the other, she emphasizes the urgency of ensuring Granny Hu's safety.
Turning her gaze toward Pagma, she chooses her words carefully, "If we put the lantern aside then, Pagma-chan, where would you have us go first in all of the town?" Her eyes, tinged with both curiosity and respect, search Pagma's face for clues. She wants to understand her friend's priorities more clearly, recognizing that each member of their group brings a unique perspective that could prove crucial in navigating the chaos engulfing their town and that Sakura was not their leader. Each of them was in this together.
Pagma looks up from the wreckage, surprise lining her worried face at her friend's question. A hard one. She looks around the fog-lined bubble they were in, and the points at the bridge. At the bloodstains against them. "I'd follow that, hoping whoever it came from is still alive and we can help them." her hand shifts toward a house that is barely a blob in the mist "Then there, I think, Nat has two kids, terrors but still. I'd want to make sure they could continue to be terrors." she lowered her hand "But everything is So quiet, it shouldn't be this quiet..." she wrapped herself as if cold "Granny Hu might know what is going on, so let's go there."
Sakura absorbs Pagma's words, her eyes meeting her friend's with a mixture of concern and resolve. The weight of their circumstances settles between them, and for a fleeting moment, the choices and consequences hang in air.
"I understand," Sakura finally says, her voice carrying a blend of gravitas and empathy. "Every second we spend here is a second lost for someone else who might need our help. Your point about the quietness... it's unnerving. Things have spiraled into something none of us could have anticipated."
She pauses briefly, almost as if gathering her thoughts would also muster their collective strength for what lay ahead. "Let's make for Granny Hu's then. She's the wisest among us; if anyone knows what's happening or what to do next, it would be her."
Pagma nods, giving Sakura a weak smile, but at least it is a smile. Then shakes herself a little, rubbing her arms a bit, then in a steadier voice, she says "I have... one, two... four more bombs. And we know there are at least six of those other things running around. So let's be careful."
As you cross Dawnstep Bridge, you arrive on the edge of downtown Willowshore. The streets here are empty. Evidence of violence lies everywhere—splashes of blood on the streets and walls, broken weapons in gutters, and smashed doors and windows.
The opulent Governor’s Manor, just yesterday the crowning jewel of downtown, has vanished without a trace. The only indication that there was once a building in this empty lot are the two guardian stone lions that once guarded the entrance of the manor. Both have been defaced and damaged.
You give downtown a wide berth for now as you head east along Northridge towards the new trade office at the Ceiba-Duyue Exchange. Just completed weeks ago, the office and its warehouse are a fair distance to the east of central Willowshore, making them perfect makeshift shelters. Indeed, as you get close, it becomes clear that the exchange, the fisheries, and and even the Mushroom House have opened their doors to accommodate an influx of villagers.
The villagers are grateful to see you alive, and they direct you to the trade office to speak to Granny Hu. You find her scrutinizing a map of Willowshore, using game pieces from an Eight Paces set to mark where monsters have been sighted and where people might be trapped. Beside her stands Kim Gu-won, the priest of Kofusachi who runs the Exchange.
Your arrival comes as a shock to the two of them. Granny Hu stares at you warily. "Gods above! You must be either brave or foolish to have come all this way through the monster-infested streets. Perhaps both. Dawnstep Bridge is crawling with monsters. How did you manage to cross the river?"
Cloud removes his helm briefly in deference before just as quickly replacing it on his head. He points to Sakura,
”Sakura killed the buso…and it’s jinxkin associates fled into the fog.” he relates simply. Then after a pause, he points to a point on the map.
”Hai-er still mans the tower, here, on the edge of town, and will need to be relieved…or rescued. Have you heard of her family - are they here?
"Hai-er Ha. Yes, her daughter is safe with us," Granny Hu says. She gives Sakura an appraising look. "You killed the buso? Impressive. Most impressive."
She removes the game marker from Dawnstep Bridge on the map of Willowshore and then points to the markers still remaining. "There are still many other monsters running rampant through our town. The downtown area is particularly plagued by them. I have heard rumors that the 'brain' of the monsters that invaded Willowshore is someone, or something, named Mo Douqiu. I believe he might either be a human with occult powers or some sort of human-like yokai. Either way, if he is taken out, it would greatly weaken the enemies' position here in town, but I am sure it won't be easy. We must strengthen our own position here.
"I also heard from some of the survivors who sought refuge with us here that Ugly Cute has gone missing, though I find the idea of the stone statue 'waking up on its own' to be ridiculous superstition. If anything, I suspect the statue might have been animated by magic, or perhaps it has become haunted. Since the source of its mobility is unknown, do not assume that Ugly Cute is friendly if you encounter it. We have more pressing matters to deal with first, anyway."
Kim Gu-won steps forward. "The Eternal Lantern must be re-ignited. Master Zhi Hui herself first lit the lantern over a century ago using coins blessed by the gods Calistria, Kofusachi, and Shelyn. Perhaps we should follow in her footsteps and seek new blessings from the gods' shrines to restore the lantern's light?"
Granny Hu shrugs. "It's worth a shot, I suppose. Aside from those primary tasks, I could use your help with a few other things..."
The weight of worry diminishes by seeing all these people. She was beginning to worry, there was no one left but their group and the watch tower guard. The fear in everyone's faces was still horrible, but at least they still had faces.
"We'll do it..." she responds to each assignment. A worried clenching tightens in her stomach. What if the others decided here was the place to stay... she wouldn't blame them, and still would go out on her own, but...
Cloud senses Pagma’s discomfort, perhaps a mirror of his own. He nods to her reassuringly.
”We will be strong together.” he says quietly.
Jing-De makes a short formal bow to indicate he stands with Pagma and Cloud. No words need to be spoken, because the only thing that matters right now is for them to go out and somehow undo what horror has befallen Willowshore.
"Those blessings will be a big help, if we can get them. We should travel to the shrines and check on people along the way." Kamo's belief in the town's traditions reassures him.
"I knew that Ugly Cute was haunted! I should have seen that right away. Granny Hu, we tracked the statue into the river. Perhaps it was haunted by a water spirit."
Sakura offers a modest smile to Granny Hu, lowering her katana to her side. "The credit for our survival doesn't belong to me alone; each one of my companions has been essential in getting us through this. We've been fighting as a team, and that's the only reason we made it here."
As she listens to the tasks Granny Hu outlines, she feels a resolute fire kindle within her. "We will do our best to re-ignite the Eternal Lantern, Granny Hu. You can count on us."
She turns to face her companions, her gaze meeting each of their eyes in turn. "I'm ready to continue. But I also understand if anyone would prefer to stay here. I wouldn't think any less of you. The choice is yours."
She watches Jing-De move to be with Cloud and Kamo and then Pagma agrees as well. She smiles with pride that her friends are brave enough to see this through.
"Let us be on our way then. Do you have any supplies we can take with us, Granny Hu?"
"None that we can spare at the moment, unfortunately," Granny Hu says. "But you have already proven yourselves resourceful. I trust you will be able to take care of yourselves."
"Before you leave, I will call upon Kofusachi to bless one of the copper coins," Kim Gu-won says. He leads you to a shrine of the Laughing God within the trade office. Kim touches the string of seven coins he wears around his neck as he chants a lengthy prayer. At its culmination, one of the copper coins begins to glow. You will still need to receive two more blessings to relight the Eternal Lantern.
Kim tells you about a shrine to Shelyn in the downtown area of Willowshore, as well as a shrine of Calistria inside the Thrice-Blessed Inn. Though those gods initially blessed the coins, Kim opines that other gods' blessings might suffice as well.
***
After some discussion, you agree to seek out Granny Hu's missing grandchildren first. You head north from the office a short distance, heading to the Mushroom House. Not far from there, at a lumber drying yard, you find the three youths (as well as a friend of theirs) huddled together in the middle of several stacks of lumber. An unnerving amount of blocks of wood, heavy timbers, and sharpened stakes have been arranged all around them within a tangled web of trip lines and tension-bearing wood dowels.
They call out when they notice you. "Be careful! There’s all sorts of trip lines and triggers set! We need help getting out!"
With some prodding, the youths admit that they held their own private party on the night of the Reenactment Festival. They passed out, and when they woke up, they found themselves in the center of this dangerous trap!
"That's quite the trap!" Kamo comments with little evident regard to the youths trapped within.
"You can see, there's a central line--there!--that connects the front portion. Oh, very clever! The whole right side rests on that dowel. How interesting!"
Sakura narrows her eyes as she surveys the complex web of trip lines, dowels, and sharpened stakes. The time she spent studying engineering briefly kicks in, and she starts analyzing the load-bearing points, the possible tension in the lines, and the potential energy in the set-up. Her mind races through equations and calculations as she tries to find a safe way to dismantle the trap.
She steps closer, her fingers twitching as if she could almost feel the tension in the wires. But despite her knowledge and efforts, she finds herself stumped. The design is intricate, far more than anything she's studied or encountered.
"I've studied things, but this... this is something else. The trap is too intricate for me to confidently defuse it without causing harm," she admits to her companions, her expression tinged with disappointment.