Hisao looks pained for a moment, inhaling sharply and grimacing. He bends at the waist, not in a bow this time, but with hands on knees as if catching his breath after sprinting.
He curses under his breath in Japanese, then straightens up, his face pale and glistening with sweat.
No matter how I struggle or plot to throw off this yoke... The magic geas compels me to obey. This secret mission to bring these gifts to the honorable Mighty Ones causes me growing discomfort... I must return now. Use gifts wisely, and may your gods protect you... always... Hisao bows deeply, and then, with a kanji formation of interlocking fingers, he vanishes once more into shadow...
Alphonse Veritas, Oathkeeper wrote: "Is there anything we can do to help you now, Hisao? Surely you do not wish to be bound to such a creature?" Hisao looks hopefully at his old friend, and replies, When you have completed your current quest to destroy Antichrist for good... Perhaps you could come to Constantinople and slay the Sultan? That would free me from the spell he placed on me when he caught me trying to rob his treasury...
Having distributed the magical gifts, Hisao bows to each of the heroes again, before saying: Your adventures might eventually lead you into conflict with Sultan of Ottoman Turks... If so, be very careful, Mighty Ones... Murad II is not what he appears to be... He is not human, but a powerful shapeshifting monster... I have seen his true shape... It is like a man, but its head has three faces: one like panther, one like hawk, and one like serpent... Hands are backwards... Powerful sorcerer... Many monsters serve Sultan Murad II, both in his court and in catacombs under Constantinople... For what is worth, there is secret trapdoor in floor of Royal Palace, that leads down into catacombs below...
Alphonse Veritas, Oathkeeper wrote: Alphonse smiles and steps in, clasping hands with Hisao.
"Hisao, old friend! I'd wondered what had become of you after our original escapades! Glad to see you're doing well! But what are you doing here?"
Hisao beams at his old friend Alphonse and answers: I come bearing gifts to aid you and your new friends in your quest against the Antichrist Nero! I wish I could join your quest, my old friend... I truly do... But I am bound in service to your enemy, Ottoman Emperor Mehmed II... I am sorry, friend Alphonse... But I am bound by powerful curse... Hisao looks pained as he admits his service to the Ottoman Sultan, a maharaja rakshasa masquerading as a human... Bringing these gifts to you, says Hisao as he removes six items from his handy haversack, is least I can do...
He hands one gift to each of the Mighty Ones: Temujin's bracers of armor +6 to Ogon Fox; Temujin's belt of physical might +4 (Strength and Dexterity) to Johann; Temujin's headband of alluring charisma +4 to Sir Alphonse; Sun Tzu's Art of War, tome of clear thought +4 to Lord Perpireen; Flying Bat Master's Cape, cloak of the bat and resistance +3 to Lady Ihrin; and Crown of the Yellow Emporer, headband of mental superiority +4 (associated skills Diplomacy and Sense Motive) to Mwikali.
Johann Kaltgeboren wrote: Johann turns back to his humanoid self.
"STOP RIGHT THERE! Not a step closer. We've already been attacked by every sort of devil and demon in the books and I am sure there is a shapeshifting version in there somewhere too."
[dice=sense motive on this dude]d20+7
Johann can't get a read on him.
The mysterious Asian freezes, and raises his hands, palms forward, smiling. He replies to Johann in broken English: A thousand pardons, honorable Johann Sensei of Black Woods... I have hear of your bravery, and your strength... I also hear you are shapeshifter yourself... Unfortunately, this not one of my powers... I can become invisible, even insubstantial as smoke... But this is my true form, Johann Sensei... I am old friend of Englishman, Sir Alphonse... The ninja bows again.
Dropping down through the limestone between the layers of the ancient Catacombs and scouting each level swiftly and invisibly, the ethereal ninja master shakes his head at the terrible atrocities he sees displayed in the Antichrist's maze of the malevolent, and wonders at the fearsome guardians Nero restocked the Catacombs with...
Finally, he came upon the familiar Englishman, an armored knight with his brightly glowing scythe Foereaper, and his new company, finishing off a couple of greater demons. A dead boar headed demon the size of an elephant lay half buried under the rubble of the thunderous collapse he'd faintly sensed while scouting, and a froglike demon as big as an ogre was just now succumbing to the prowess of Sir Alphonse and his mighty companions!
Once they were at ease, he revealed his presence, becoming corporeal on the Material Plane once more, and speaking in English with a heavy Japanese accent...
Salutations, honorable Sir Alphonse! It is I, your old friend from the far island of Honshu, Hisao! How have you been!? It has been too long, my friend...
Bowing respectfully to Alphonse and each of the others, he greets the Mighty Ones with gladness and excitement.
Slipping invisibly through a crowd of crimson-robed cardinals and armored Vatican paladins, Hisao the renegade ninja master finds the dark stairwell that leads down into the Roman Catacombs from the Church of Saint Peter, its grate opened...
He notes that two rich-looking noblemen are pacing anxiously nearby and arguing in whispered tongues unknown to the Japanese ninja (these are King of Aragon, Catalina, etc, and Cosimo D'Medici)... Resisting the urge to cut their purses, he activates his ghost-face killer gi outfit, becoming ethereal, and sinks down undetected into the Catacombs...
Oh great Monkey King Sun Wukong! Lead me to Englishman Alphonse and his new friends, I pray! I will offer up the tastiest peanuts and sweetest sake next time I find your shrine!
The ethereal ninja drifts past the fountain of sacramental wine flowing from the rose quartz Christ's wounds, into the looted chapel of Osiris...
Leaving Shadow Chaser untied at a marble fountain outside the Vatican where she can drink, the renegade ninja master checks his handy haversack to make certain the "borrowed" magic items for the Englishman and his new adventuring companions were all still secure...
Hisao had acquired three of the magical gifts from the Tomb of Temujin, the Great Khan:
For Alphonse, he brought Temujin's headband, which granted its wearing great leadership and charisma. Headband of alluring charisma +4
For the Ogon Fox, he brought Temujin's bracers, which magically moved the arms of the wearer to block incoming attacks. Bracers of armor +6
The third item "acquired" from the Tomb of Ghengis Khan was for Johann: Temujin's belt, which granted the wearer magical physical prowess. Belt of physical might +4
Graverobbing had proven lucrative over the past year, but Hisao frequently burnt expensive incense and offered boiled peanuts up to Sun Wukong, The Monkey King, to protect the ninja from vengeful spirits of the dead whose tombs he robbed...
From the Imperial Palace in the Forbidden City, he had stolen the original manuscript of Art of War, in Sun Tzu's own hand, for Lord Perpireen (no other gift seemed suitable for a lord the size of a child's doll). Tome of Clear Thought +3
The mysterious Sister of Dracula, Lady Ihrin, he brought the Cape of Flying Bat Master, who had been a famous martial arts master in early 13th century China, and one of the Seven Freaks of the South (called the Seven Heroes of the South to their faces). Flying Bat Master had been blind as a bat, but his keen hearing and kung fu skills more than made up for his lack of sight. He had been the unspoken leader of the Seven Freaks, and his aerial kung fu which targeted vulnerable pressure points to destroy his enemies was widely feared throughout China. These Song Dynasty patriots had fought against corrupt Song officials and Jurchin invaders from the North. Flying Bat Master's cape seemed an appropriate gift for the Daughter of the Dragon. Cloak of the bat and resistance +3
For the African Witch Mwikali, Hisao had stolen the fabled Crown of the Yellow Emperor, China's mythical first ruler, from the vaults of the Forbidden City. Headband of Mental Superiority +4
Sneaking unseen like a ghost into the Church of Saint Peter, Hisao thought to himself, Now, if only I can deliver these gifts safely to Englishman and friends... Sun Wukong, guide me!... This Roman Priest-King must surely ward castle with many dangerous traps and guardians...
At the same moment when the Mighty Ones are discovering that the Pope is the Antichrist disguised as Eugenius, a rider from the far east arrives quietly in Rome.
Hisao of the Yellow Reed had ridden many li on his coal black Mongolian steed Shadow Chaser to visit his old adventuring companion Sir Alphonse Veritas. They were both Lusty Fools, and had sworn an oath to fight the Antichrist wherever he might reappear.
The tricky old gnome Rumplestiltskin had told the renegade ninja master that their old foe had resurfaced in Rome as the Pope, and Hisao knew his friend the Englishman would certainly be at the front of the line. He heard Sir Alphonse was adventuring with a new band called the Mighty Ones. Among these Mighty Ones was said to be the famous Bear and Fox, shapeshifting warriors that fought as brothers in arms. Hisao had also heard there was a Lord of the Fey named Perpireen McGibel traveling with the Englishman, as well as an African witch named Mwikali and the Daughter of the Dragon, Ihrin Ardlean Dracul.
Though Hisao was bound to a contract of service to the Sultan of the Turks, and would be unable to join the Mighty Ones in their fight against Nero Antichrist, still he could render assistance to his old friend Alphonse by bringing powerful magical gifts the ninja had stolen to the paladin's new companions.
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