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Message: <blockquote data-quote="doghead" data-source="post: 1066702" data-attributes="member: 8243">Pushing hard from the word go, stopping only briefly to rest the horses, the sun is almost touching the hills as you reach the walls of Karatsu. A long, hard, dusty, sweaty 50 miles. Your horses not going to be able to do much for the next few days.A unspoken agreement takes you past the inns and straight through the streets of the town to to the gates at the foot of the hill upon which sits the castle. The guards' greeting is courtious, if not very welcoming. After thirteen hours in the saddle, it will do.A quick perusal of your letter of agreement is enough. One of the guards remains at the gate, the other leads you inside the enclosure at the base of the hill. Grooms are summoned to collect your horses, a messenger to take your letter up into the castle above, and a servant to bring you some tea. In a small open sided tea house nestled away to one side under the leafy boughs of a great tree you wait.Not for long, but long enough to allow you muscles to begin to stiffen up and give you a taste of the discomfort that you are going to feel tomorrow.A hundred steps up the giant stairway to the first landing, dogleg left, dogleg right then left again. Another fifty or so steps in all. A long hard fight up to the gates of the castle proper if you were so inclined. And all the way overlooked by the walls of the castle and anyone standing atop of them.A massive wooden gatehouse leads to a large assembly area. Guard houses line the enclosure to the left atop of the walls of the castle. Ahead is another massive gate house atop another set of stairs, the gate the castle proper, set another 30 feet above you. To the right is a wooded area with only a solitary post house a little way back just visible through the greenery. It is to this that the guard leads you.Stopping at the doors, he bows and announces, "The men from Lord Oe, my lord."He steps back and bows again to you.Inside there are two men seated on the far side of the room. One of them holds the letter. The other sits a little to his side. It is the first who speaks first."Please be seated. You have ridden hard to make it here so quickly. Your dedication is   apprieciated. Some food first, then we will talk."At this the other man raises to his feet and gathers a tray of food and a pot of tea from the corner of the room and offers it to each of you.</blockquote>

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