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"Mmmh... maybe we should let it go and follow it, see whewe it takes us?" Yunjiang thinks aloud. Because the other idea he has is keeping the search here - though with a better searching plan.
Yunjiang gets distracted making sure the guards go and don't turn back, and all his friends get in the room first. When he enters, he finds they're a bit lost, looking randomly but without a method.
He can't find much too, with all the chaos and having moved everything from its original place.
Yunjiang looks nervous, but he hopes the guards blame it on him not finding the keys.
Yunjiang decides to go upstairs with the halfling. He doesn't think their target is there, but clearly there could be some trouble, and four hands fight better than two. When he gets there, some city guards are questioning his companion, and he makes some time to listen to what Garrett answers, acting as if he was checking all his pockets for a key. "Whewe did I put it?"
Yunjiang pays actually more attention to the seer's hands than to what she says, expecting a signal or secret move. "...still we seawch..."
Noticing the strategy, Yunjiang scratches his pocket for some coins. He puts several silver pieces on the table. "Of course, we're interested in what you have to say."
I was talking to someone about it, but suddenly she disappeared." Yunjiang shrugs. "Maybe I broke one or several of these stupid rules. At least, the dance got me that." He shows everyone the decorated fan. "I don't think it goes with my outfit. Do any of you want it?"
"Oh." Yunjiang doesn't know what she implies by mentioning those secrets, and he doesn't even know which secrets are those. "I bet he's not looking fow those secwets in pawticulaw. Neithew am I. We'we only looking fow a fwiend. Pewhaps you might have seen hew, a giwl called Wadaga."
"I'm afwaid I'm not the pewfect dance mate, but hewe we go... I'm Odile, a pleasure." Yunjiang prays to remember the precise moves correctly...
Barely keeping his face, Yunjiang struggles but luckily manages. "I bet you come fwom quite afaw, Lady Puwwwfunctowy, just as I do" he says, trying to break the ice without screwing it too much with the goddamn name.
Yunjiang smiles to everyone, not wanting to ask questions, not wanting to start walking with the wrong foot, not wanting to drink improperly - actually, not wanting to drink at all. Back at home, it was his brother Souchien who had the knack for conversation. Yunjiang was more of a crafter, a scientist you could even say, but never a politician or a merchant. Together, the two brothers would have made a fenomenal head of the family business. But everything back at home was just a bad dream, literally. So better get focused on today and here...
Glad to have been of any use, Yunjiang keeps wandering around, smiling to everyone while looking for any other detail that could help his comrades.
Once more, trying to appear casual, Yujiang walks by the halfling and literally puts the fan into his hands. "Use it with caution."
Yunjiang notices something on one of the tables and casually gets near. Acting naturally, he picks it up and walks away, then examines the item.
Yunjiang keeps a drink in his hand, pretending he's sipping from time to time. He checks whether other people eat or not, and tries to identify their faces when they approach the table. Every now and then, he walks around a bit, checking if any of the undead guards' faces rings a bell.
Ok, I actually thought I had described it, but it seems I forgot. Matching his costume, Yunjiang's mask resembles a forging eye protector - a rectangular piece of steel with a crystal stripe to allow some vision.
While the rest go and engage some social banter, Yunjiang knows his accent and his lack of skill would do no good. Instead, he stays wandering around, trying to get any detail that would be important - who knows, one of the undead servants might have a certain resemblance to the woman they're looking for...
Yunkiang notices the minor illusions, and is not surprised when he hears the warning about the food. It so reminds him of home... "Damn, I'm glad we didn't bwing the dwinking game..." he whispers.
Yunjiang acts as a high ranking merchant or a noble would do - not even noticing the servants. He turns his head to whoever was talking. "Sowwy, deaw? You wewe saying...?"
"Alright, so we don't need to buy antitoxins... I hope."
So that's your Dark Gift, uh?
"But we could also have advantage on this... Is thewe any way we can gain special wesistance to alcohol"?
Yunjiang thinks for a moment, the Three Pigs idea has inspired him. "What if we twy something with booze? If we can manage to make them dwink while we don't, we could have an advantage." He tries to come up with something. "Evewy time you say 'yes' ow 'no' you must dwink?" he suggests as an example.
During the shopping rush, Yunjiang spends several hours looking for the perfect fit. He knows he'll be in disadvantage if he doesn't think carefully. By pure chance, he finds a model that raises an idea. A nice long dress, with a pattern that imitates the rings of a chain mail... And he thinks, "so why not wear an actual chain mail?" He purchases the dress and a short mail armour, intending to wear them together. The harness with his hammer will be worn on his side, as always, and a strategic cut in the fabric of the dress will allow his right leg to be seen, also showing the hammer to complement the 'forgey' look - and giving him quick access to the tool if needed. Purchases:
Fine clothes - 15gp Chain Shirt - 50gp Riding Horse - 75gp Saddle - 10gp Jewels and other complements - 50gp "Ideally, we should look fow something that gives us an advantage. Since we don't know if ouw wule will be apwoved ow not, we cannot wely on this stwategy." She shrugs. "Any silly idea we can come up with should be alwight."
Dementlieu, I think.
A redheaded woman looks around, trying to catch everything. She feels quite uncomfortable. She's dressing quite correctly and appropriate. Some pieces of armour show on top of her clothes, though, and the intricate decoration quickly jumps to the eye. Eastern patterns and symbols, engraved all across the metal parts, create a wonderful and artistic collage that contrast heavily with her rather unflashy vestment. A shield hands from her back, and what's clearly a smith's hammer is attached to a harness on her right leg. "My name is... Odile." She seems to hesitate when saying her name, and her accent is clearly outlandish.
Yun weighs the badge on his hand, then puts it into one of his pockets. For now, he's not going to show his allegiance if there's no need for it.
Group: Yun turns around when he hears the others. "The Lady wasn't here when I arrived. She left these, instead" he says, pointing at the badges. "They seem to be a price for being successful. Congratulations to all of you who managed to get one."
Mission: Yun leaves the place with mixed feelings. This last Sifu was hard to pierce, though it the impressions he got were that she would join whichever faction helps her best to pursue her own agenda. Back in the palace, he asks to meet Lady Taishi to inform her of his findings.
Mission: Happy with the result of investigation, Yun tries the same with his nect target. He pays a homage visit to Sifu Liu Jin, bringing a small present and praising his wisdom. After a light talk to measure the man's tastes, Yun dares an approach. "I'm very new here, and happy to find men of such sharpness as you, Sifu. This seems a socially perilous place. Do you have any advice for a beginner as me?"
Lobster, yummm...
Zhang is here waiting for a hint on how his diplomatic attempt went. Patience is the mother of all virtues, though, so no problem here.
Mission: Yunjiang lets the man speak about his inventions, though sadly he doesn't know much about the matter to present a solid argumentation. He is, though, polite enough to say the occasional "Yes, yes" and "Marvellous!".
Yun bows respectfully and murmurs an excuse to dissapear. He has not much time before the party starts, and wants to check on his mission. He still has in mind talking to the monk, though... Mission: Being partly ordained gives him a reason to pay a small visit to his targets. Wanting to present his respects, Yun visits Shifu Li Fuguo and humbly kneels before him.
"I've heard of your wisdom and really wanted to behold it myself. All my respect is yours." He tries to drive the conversation through apparently unimportant subjects, but from where he can extract an idea of what are the Sifu's patterns of thinking. Talking about the city, he tries to get a more accurate impression of the old master. "I'm rather new to Changdo. What would be your advise to a newcomer? There are certainly rumours at every doorstep, and I'm not certain as to which of those to discard and which not."
Yun finds himself in the room with some other people he doesn't know. When the Lady comes in and speaks, he stays silent. Many times before his tongue has done a bad job for him, now it's time to let his ears try to do it better. Yun is wearing humble, simple clothes. His armor is at his sleeping place, an inn in a not good, not bad part of the city, and his bow has been unstrung and put in a respectful position away from him. His hair, usually wore loose and wild, is today tied in a ponytail. During the small pause, Yun looks around out the corner of his eye to see who's with him, and recognises a face, though he doesn't realise yet who is he. The man looks like a monk, shaved head, though it really could be anyone. "I'd have to ask later, I really don't want bad blood, if there's any, to hurt our future relations."
Zhang, would it be possible for Xiang Lun to have had business dealings with Wei? Since the Hu family is a merchant family, and Wei is also a merchant, I could see them having had past dealings. That would result in Xiang Lun knowing of Zhang, even though they may not have met. Does that work for you? Yes, cool! You might have heard of the old me, so your expectations when you realise who I am are poor, right? Would be fun to play! Have you guys read Musashi, by Eiji Yoshikawa? That's what Zhang is all about (more or less). Also, nice to have an honorable Isawa-sama here with us. Zhang's "knack with the elemental kamis" is also based on Rokugani shugenjas.
I agree on having a moral debt on some of you. You tell me if it's fine, and what kind of deed would you like me to atone for. Stealing money? Something with personal ties to you, that can't be replaced? Maybe a treason?
Reporting for duty! Thanks for the picking. I will sign in to the Roll20 page, add some headers with handy dandy stats and D&D (Dot & Delete) in the Gameplay tab to get notifications. |
