[OA/FR] Rokugan - Updated 12/13/03

[Brown Jenkin]

Name: Mirandi (Mir)

Sex/Race: Female Asimar

Stats: Str 10, Dex 16 (+1 stat bonus 4th), Con 14, Int 14, Wis 16 (+2 Asimar), Char 20 (+2 Asimar, +4 Enhancement)

Class: Bard 2, Cleric 3(Silvanus), Mystic Wanderer 2

Hit Dice: [(2d6)+(3d8)+(2d8)]+14 = 48hp

Initiative: +3

Speed: Walk 30'

AC: 18 (+3 Dex, +5 Divine) Touch: 18, Flat: 15

Attack +4 {Melee: +5 Quarterstaff (MW) (1d6/20/x2) +4 Dagger (1d4/19-20/x2) +4 Shortspear (1d8/20/x3); Ranged: +8 Longbow (MW) (1d8/20/x3) +7 Dagger (1d4/19-20/x2) +7 Shortspear (1d8/20/x3)

Face\Reach: 5 ft. by 5 ft.\5

Special Qualities: Asimar (Acid, Cold, Electricity resistance=5; cast Light 1/day as per sorceror of thier character level; Native Outsider; Spirit subtype) Bard (Bardic Knowlege +4; Bardic Music 2/day) Cleric (Spontaneous casting {Cure spells}; Turn Undead 8/day) Mystic Wanderer (Caster level Cleric=2; cast Sleep 1/day as per sorceror of thier character level; Summon Familiar)

Saves: Fort +5 (+2 Stat) Reflex +10 (+3 Stat), Will +14 (+3 Stat, +2 Iron Will)

Skills: Alchemy 6; Diplomacy 17 (21 vs Rokugani); Heal 10; Innuendo 4; Intuit Direction 4; Knowledge (Nature) 7; Knowledge (Religion) 7; Perform 12 (Singing, Storytelling, Pan Pipes, Psaltery, Chant, Tea Ceremony, Poetry); Profession (Herbalist) 10, Sense Motive 18 (+10 Circumstance); Speak Language (Rokugani, High Rokugani); Spellcraft 3; Wilderness Lore 4, Swim -2

Languages: Celestial, Chondathan, Common, Elven, Rokugani, High Rokugani

Feats: Armor Proficiency (Light) (1x), Armor Proficiency (Medium) (1x), Armor Proficiency (Heavy) (1x), Shield Proficiency, Simple Weapon Proficiency, Martial Weapon Proficiency, Weapon Proficiency Longbow (Bard), Scribe Scroll, Iron Will, Multicultural (Rokugani)

Alignment: True Neutral

Region: High Forest

Spells per Day: Cleric 5/4+1/3+1/2+1; Base DC = 13+Spell Level
Bard 3/2; Base DC = 15+Spell Level

Spells Known: Cleric (All), Bard (0-Daze, Detect Crossroads, Minor Disguise, Percussion, Prestidigitation; 1st-Feather Fall, Mage Armor)

Domains: Plant (Command Plant Creatures 8/day, Knowlege (Nature) Class Skill); Renewal (Regain 1d8+5hp if bellow 0hp 1/day {Su})

Possesions: Quiver of Ehlonna (16 Arrows, 37 Masterwork Arrows, Shortspear, Longbow, Wand of Magic Missles (Caster Level 1, 18 charges), Wand of Regenerate Light Wounds (Caster Level 1, 31 charges), Masterwork Quarterstaff (Carved with Divine Focus), Dagger, Kimono of Charisma (+4), Pearl of Power (1st level), Kuni Witch Hunter Amulet, Comb of Perception (+10 Sense Motive), Coin of Contentment (Part of Augury set), Backpack (Bedroll, Healer's Kit, Clay Mug, Trail Rations x5, Sack x2, Waterskin, 8' Hemp Rope, Potion of Charisma, Scrolls {Remove Paralasis, Comprehend Languages, Mage Armor x3, Bless Water, Zone of Truth, Detect Undead, Remove Fear, Burial Blessing, Endure Elements Acid x2, Endure Elements Cold x2, Endure Elements Electricity x2, Endure Elements Fire x2, Raise Dead}), Belt Pouch x2, Spell Component Pouch, Light Horse, Simple Tree House (Outfits {Courtier's, Entertainer's, Kimono, Traveler's, Cleric's Vestments}, Scroll {Bloodspeaker History}) Small Shrine (Silvanus), Gems (Moonstone {50gp} x3), Gold: 174.96

Challenge Rating: 9

Common Tactics: Cast Mage Armor & Barkskin to raise AC to 25. Prefers to cast Enchantments such as Charm Person, Hold Person, Command rather than fighting directly. Provides backup healing to Mindra. New Tactic use Thrush with Invisibility Purge to find invisible casters, then cast Silence on the thrush.

Thrush Familiar: Diminutive Magical Beast; HD 8; HP 24; Init +2; Spd 10ft, Fly 40ft (average); AC 17 (Touch 16, Flat 15); Atk -; Face/Reach 1ft/1ft/0ft; SQ Speaks Common, Grant Master Alertness, Improved Evasion, Emphatic Link, Shared Spells; AL TN; SV Fort +5, Ref +10, Will +14; Str 1, Dex 15, Con 10, Int 6, Wis 14, Cha 6
Skills: Listen 6, Spot 6, Diplomacy 10; Innuendo 3; Intuit Direction 3; Knowledge (Nature) 1; Knowledge (Religion) 3; Perform 5 (Singing, Storytelling, Chant, Poetry); Profession (Herbalist) 7, Sense Motive 7; Speak Language (Rokugani, High Rokugani); Spellcraft -1; Wilderness Lore 3

 

[Black Omega]

LOL, Draken you posted everything but Verick's classes!

I am guessing he is a 3rd level Rogue and 6th level Samurai?

Close enough. Rog - 3, Ftr - 3, Sam - 3. He didn't really start training in samurai until he'd been in Rokugan a bit. Not long after he went LN, a change he still struggles with at times.

 

[Black Omega]

Returning to Bugaisha, the group settled into their usual routine. Kaz and Toshiro were back on duty and assigned to winter patrols. Verick returned to his training with Akodo-sensei, rigorous work not only in kendo but etiquette and calligraphy. “Don’t think the ability to write properly is only for courtiers!” Akodo Setei stated “As an Akodo you will train to lead battles. Your handwriting must be neat! It would not do to lose a battle because someone could not understand your writing or you worded an order poorly!” The training was harsh but Verick buckled down very seriously and worked hard.

Volar checked in with his sole student, Chen, and found that the monk’s keeping an eye on the Red Wizards had gone well enough. Chen has a list of what was sold at the Red Wizard’s shop. He also reported that they were not very helpful or polite to those visiting the shop. As a result, they sold relatively little and were largely ignored, a position that apparently suited them very well.

Mindra visited the temple to meet Iuchi Nagatori, a respected scholar at the temple. Nagatori had prepared a few scrolls with information on the Naga. How they had awakened just before the Clan Wars and played a role in later battles with minions of the Shadowlands as well as the Lying Darkness, a force of Oblivion that had tried to erase everything. Nagatori also made mention that a Naga had married a Dragon clan samurai and they had a child, though far away at the Imperial Capital, Otosan Uchi.

Closer to home, a young woman named Akasha had been born from a large golden pearl, a gift to the Unicorn from the Naga. Nagatori also made a point of asking about Mir, revealing he had looked at her with Spirit Sight and she had an aura he had never seen on someone from the Western Kingdoms. Mindra didn’t really have the information Nagatori was looking for but he was willing to answer many questions on the Vanara and what they were like.

Mindra made notes, very interested in meeting these people that had crossed the boundaries between Human and Naga. Lost in thought as the amiable monkey walked home, he was startled as a workman in a plain kimono flagged him down “Hey, you’re Mindra, right? That monkey that hangs around Hiruma Toshiro-sama? You wouldn’t be interested in a little work, would you? I had a worker turn up injured and I need someone to work on the roof. And...well...you being a monkey and all, you have to be a great climber and all. It’s good, honest work!”

Mindra was so taken off guard by this offer he was speechless for a moment. Then he got curious…he’d been given the Coin of Ebisu, Fortune of Honest Hard Work. Perhaps there was something more to this offer. And besides, he didn’t have anything better to do…

Meanwhile Mir was at her grove, training with Brakkus in the arts of the Mystic Wanderer, and when that was done she managed to convince the old druid to cast a Hallow over the area as well, further protection in case those Bloodspeakers still hoped to use her grove for their ritual.

Kaz meanwhile continued on his quest to show Toshiro how a real Crab lives. Fight hard when the time comes. Party the rest of the time. But the holder of the Coin of Bishamon, Fortune of Strength, was starting to find himself challenged to duels, sometimes at rather inconvenient times.

Volar’s training with Chen was going as well as could be expected. It was obvious the massive monk would reach a point where the spells were simply to complex for him at some point, but for now he was finally learning to cast first level spells with skill.

Volar was one of many stopping in the street to watch Mindra at work, the carpenter monkey drawing quite a lot of attention and not all just curious. Before he had always been a strange creature no one could quite trust. But if he was willing to work and make a place for himself in Bugaisha, maybe he wasn’t so bad.

It was just after pausing to watch Mindra at work that Volar was approached by a ronin bearing the mon of the White Fan ronin brotherhood. The young man was interested in Western ways of enhancing items with magic. More specifically, he was interested in if Volar could make such items for him. This was an area Volar had never really studied in detail but an idea occurred to him.

“I’m accepting students, why don’t you or someone from your brotherhood join my school? I only have one student at the moment so it’s a good time to get involved. You could learn the magic used for enchanting items.” Volar suggested.

The ronin was a bit surprised but seemed to find the idea intriguing. Of course, such training was very rare and specialized, Volar would explain. And the young ronin clearly got the hint. By the next morning Volar had a new student, a White Fan ronin named Kuroko. And he was finding ‘gifts’ left for him, though in a few cases it was obvious it had belonged to someone else and at those times he made sure to return them.

Out at Mir’s grove, the previous carpenters (found to have Bloodspeaker links) had been replaced with a new group hired to build the shrine to the Oak Father as well as a tree house in one of the oaks for Mir’s residence. Much to Mir’s surprise, Mindra was one of the workers assigned to building at her grove. As the foreman explained “He’s a great climber and a good little worker. And he’s got a real way with wood, a real way.” No great surprise, since Mindra was using his spirit powers to help his carpentry. Mir was so surprised by Mindra’s sudden new career she even stealthily cast a detect magic then checked the Vanara out, just to make sure there was no magic influencing him to become a carpenter.

[DM Note: Mindra's gotten teased quite a bit over becoming a carpenter. I was a little surprised he accepted the job offer, really. But it's made things interesting. Mindra's even put some ranks into carpentry now.]

“I’ve not really been doing anything before.” Mindra would explain “Just sitting around Toshiro’s house. This gives me something to do when we aren’t busy with more pressing matters.”

Toshiro had also been busy with patrols. But there was nothing exciting going on until Shinjo O-Hisa returned from her mission to the rebel village to brighten his day. She greeted him with an enthusiastic kiss and the story of her battles in the rebel village, and the spellcaster she fought he was no normal Bloodspeaker, he had used spells that sounded like Volar’s. This was news to share with Volar later though, for that evening the O-Hisa went into more detail on her bloody victory over the bakemono warlord while Toshiro talked about the group’s Great Northern Adventure.

[DM Note: Samurai love. A jug of wine, a severed head, and thou.]

That night after O-Hisa had left, Toshiro was awakened by a fiery glow. Bolting out of bed to look out the window he saw Bugaisha in flames. The shambling zombies were everywhere as flames leapt from building to building. Only the Temple of the Seven Fortunes was spared, a figure standing on top of it, his arms lifted as corrupt magic arced outward from him over the city.

Turning away to grab his sword, Toshiro found himself suddenly in the living room of his house. His friends were seated around the table but unmoving. Mir and his girlfriend, Shinjo O-Hisa were facing him and behind them, shrouded in shadows, was the dark figure he had seen on the temple. At the command of the dark figure O-Hisa leapt for Toshiro, a dagger in her hand. Unable to move a muscle, Toshiro could only watch as the steel sank into his chest….

Toshiro awake covered in sweat, his heart racing, the dream so vivid in his mind. Too vivid, even the stabbing pain in his chest remaining. He looked down and to his shock saw the front of his kimono was stained in blood! The spot where O-Hisa had stabbed him in the dream showed a shallow wound, still bleeding.

Toshiro quickly summoned his friends and explained the dream to them, and was healed of the wound. No one was quite sure what the dream meant, except that there was obviously a threat to Bugaisha. Maybe the temple would be a final refuge, but there were other, more sinister possibilities. While the group was discussing and speculating, the Oba-san of Toshiro’s house entered to let them know that with the dawn, a guest had arrived. Shinjo Yuji, Lord Jyaku’s assistant left in charge of Bugaisha.

After some pleasantries over morning tea, Yuji revealed his reason for visiting so unexpectedly was that someone had been talking about Toshiro in the Red Lantern district of Bugaisha. “You have to understand, running a town like this requires a lot of information. So Jyaku-sama has people who pass along interesting information when it comes up. In this case someone at a sake house was talking about having to meet Toshiro, to warn him that a new crime boss was moving into Mimura. He seemed to think you were involved in the crime scene there and you needed to be told. Do you have any idea why he would think this, Toshiro-san?”

Toshiro had no idea, though Volar did. He had nearly forgotten the seeds he had planted about Toshiro being a secret criminal boss. Now that it was turning up again, he wasn’t going to say a thing…

“I have no idea. I’d like to talk to this man though, and find out what is going on.” Toshiro said angrily.

Yuji frowned and nodded “That’s why I came to see you, Toshiro-san. I sent someone around to collect him. but he was found dead this morning…”

 

[Brown Jenkin]

Notes from Mir

So far so good, but we did skim over a little bit the incident at my grove. As was mentioned we were warned that my grove interested the bloodspeakers. Taking care of the incident required a little more than just firing the workers. In addition to O'Hisa, and Toshiro, and many others my own lineage from the heavens also was putting me at risk of kidnapping and sacrifice, not something I am particularly keen on. Fearing that the bloodspeakers were going to try to ambush and capture me at my grove we set up a plan to deal with the situation.

Volar and I headed on out to the grove, with a little protective magic already in place, and went about normal conversation and inspection of the work. Something seamed suspisious about the way the workmen were behaiving though. As I went forward to get a closer look and inspect the work Things started to go bad. Volar fortunately had his bow out and was randomly shooting things, under the guise I believe that he was insane and this helped him relax, or something to that effect. One never knows about elves and Volar keeps up this image quite well (sometimes too well maybe confusing even me). As I was jumped by the foreman, Volar open fire for real with the bow.

This was the signal, OK maybe not but we had failed to work out a proper signal so our being attacked apparently was it. At this point the Samurai who had been observing us from a distance came charging in on horseback to save us and destroy the bloodspeakers. The battle was on with full force with the Samurai attacking the workmen (OK obviously from the way they fought more than real workmen). I tried engaging the leader but had little effect on him. I did manage to keep him ocupeid though as I saw Volar trying looking like he wanted to drop a spell but was unable to because of my presense. Figuring he wanted to drop an electricity ball as was his habit, I yelled to him "just do it, don't worry about me" Knowing I hadn't been hit yet and my own inherent resistabce to electricity I braced myself for what was to come as the sparks started flying around us. Sure enough he came out of it worse than me, but he was still standing. As I started to flee Volar was able to finish him off with a Magic Missle or too. After the leader fell it wasn't to long before things were wrapped up by the Samurai.

Upon investigating we found several vials of taint designed to corrupt my grove. These were removed and Shugenja from the temple were brought out to clean up the taint that had gotten out. My grove had been saved and I could sleep easy again. New capenters were hired to finish things and check for any other surprises that had been left behind.

So goes the story behind the little line "Out at Mir’s grove, the previous carpenters (found to have Bloodspeaker links) had been replaced with a new group hired to build the shrine to the Oak Father as well as a tree house in one of the oaks for Mir’s residence. "

Brakkus did show up after that eventually and he went over with me in more detail some of the items we had discussed previously. He agreed to teach me several thing before he had to be on his way again (He explained that he felt a great need to expore and travel, something we both had in common). The first thing he taught me was that as long as your faith in your god was strong all the rituals were not needed. This was a good thing since I no longer had access to any formal training and was winging it in several cases already. Secondly he began to teach me that the bounds between Arcane and Devine were not as strong as they apeared. While most of our spells were granted by the Oak Father, as I already knew by my bard training this same energy can be channeled by ourselves. We just need to be more open to how we believed. He expained that if you worked on it you could learn arcane spells, brew arcane potions, and even bond with a familiar while still maintaing your spiritual devotion.

Eventually the urge to move on grew to strong and he had to leave. I was left with many more things to explore. For some reason I could not explain I was quite content to stay here and continue my studdies. I know it can't be true since we have checked on the powers of the coins and they are mearly to cast an Augury spell when used together, but maybe they do have some other power. My coin is of contentment and for the first time I don't feel the strong need to explore all the time, Mindra has the coin of honest work and is now one of the carpenters working on my house, Toshiro seems ever more in love, and Volar is starting to make a go of his new wizards academy. Why though if they have such a strong influence doesn't this radiate from the coins. More mysteries to look into sometime. I guess my next step though is to make use of Brakkus's teachings and maybe look up Volar for future access to his labs.

 

[Yellow Sign]

Just a bump from a Rabid lurker fan!

 

[Black Omega]

A little something to tide you over...
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Rokugan Interlude

Nezu settled back onto his futon with a contented sigh. For the first time in too many months life finally seemed to be turning around for him. For years he had dreaded his secret coming out. Bandits were executed in Rokugan and there was no time limit on how long ago the crime was committed. And though he wasn't like that anymore, Nezu knew there were still a few people from his past who would show no mercy if they knew where he was. But legally he was in the clear, thanks to Toshiro. And that was an enormous weight off his mind. No one could blackmail or use him anymore. At last he could settle down with his wife and child and simply live out of his peacefully as a peasant.

Nezu awoke from terrible nightmares with a scream, though the sound was stifled by a hand clamping over his mouth, long nails digging into his cheek. "I am told you were once called the Rat. I am told you know the Yabanjin villages to the north rather well." A feminine voice hissed in his ear "You will guide me or I will make sure something memorable and unpleasant happens to your family."

Some people were simply not destined for a peaceful life quite yet…

 

[Black Omega]

“Dead already?” Toshiro exclaimed, not so much displeased the man was dead, but rather he had some questioned he wanted answered first.

“Hai, very dead. Beheaded I understand, though the Imperial Magistrate investigating the scene can no doubt tell you more. Frankly, I had thought you might have done it yourself as a matter of honor. That would have solved the question very nicely. Now that I see it’s not the case, the investigation will proceed.” Shinjo Yuji commented gravely

Toshiro also passed along the basics of his dream to Yuji-sama, who promised to ask at the temple about what sort of prophecy this could be.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The group was taken directly to the site where the man had been killed. A path Kaz knew very well indeed, to the red lantern district on the outskirts of town. A walled off area of sake houses and places of less sophisticated entertainment. The body was lying in an alley just off the red lantern district. Ikoma Ichiro, Imperial Magistrate, was already on the scene.

Ichiro’s assistant was already at work making a sketch of the crime scene, the alleyway spattered with blood, the headless body lying on it’s belly with the head sitting off to the side, eyes wide, blankly staring back to it’s body. One can only imagine what his final thought must have been.

“Ah, Toshiro-san, I was planning to look you up.” Ikoma Ichiro commented while looking closely over the corpse. “More interesting than I’d thought on first glance. See here? He was killed from behind, judging from the angle of the cut. A fine strike too, beheaded in one blow. His money is taken, which is suggestive of a robbery. But his katana was broken as well. Why would a thief bother with that? A very stealthy thief. He or she could not have avoided getting blood on them, yet there were no reports of anyone seen with blood spatters. We’ll have to follow up on that, to make sure. It doesn’t prove anything.” He comments to Toshiro “Only a confession will suffice, since it seems unlikely there is any eyewitness beyond the killer.”

The group looked over the scene but found little more to add. The katana was magical but that glow was fading. Volar did indeed recognize the dead man as one of the men from Mimura he had spread the rumors among. And it gave him an idea for investigating. Discussing the situation out on the street, Volar enlisted Yukiyo and Mindra’s Rokugani form to help him later in the day when the Red Lantern district was open. Kaz had his own contacts in the area he wanted to talk to as well. Toshiro had his own suspicions on who might have killed the man he planned to check on. Mir had her shrine outside town to check on. And casting glances over to Mir, Verick was less concerned over the murderer than he was over the most likely target to be kidnapped…Mir.

Splitting up, the group went their separate ways and into their daily routine. Training for most, working for Mindra, the agile gray monkey’s work fixing roofs drawing small groups of onlookers. By the afternoon, Verick had a break in training and he went out looking for an old friend. He found Gyo in the Merchant’s Quarter, a flipped gold piece catching the crafty driver’s attention before it disappeared into his grasp. Verick looked around before leaning in to murmur, “Find a friend you can trust. I need someone followed.” Later that day when Mir rode out to her grove, she had a shadow watching her every move.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Training for the day finished, Toshiro stopped by home to clean up and get dressed in a new kimono, his little old lady making sure every hair was in place. Then Toshiro set off to visit Shinjo O-Hisa, his suspicion on who might have killed the criminal had weighed on his mind all day, and he had to know the truth. But all that disappeared in seconds as he approached O-Hisa’s home and saw a delivery boy there first, bearing a package that looked to him suspiciously like a gift. Fading into the late day shadows, Toshiro watched and waited until the delivery boy appeared again, then he stepped into the boy’s path, growling “What are you doing here? Have been bringing a lot of presents here? From who?!”

The terrified boy was speechless for a moment “But…I…samurai-sama! I just bring packages! I don’t know whom they are from or what’s in them or anything! I swear! This is from...from the House of the Golden Sunset…they make kimonos! I’ve been bringing a lot of gifts here lately! I don’t know anything else, promise!” When Toshiro stepped back out of his way, the boy disappeared in a flash of movement.

Toshiro still had a purpose for the visit fixed in his mind when he went to the door, though that purpose had changed quite a bit. Allowed in, the servant girl led him to a room, offering tea as she let him know O-Hisa would be out soon. Twenty minutes was relatively soon, and it was obvious Shinjo O-Hisa had used the time well, a shimmering kimono in purple trimmed with white. Her hair done properly, the subtle scent of perfume wafting around her.

Sitting cross the low table from him, the smiling Unicorn girl nodded “It’s great to see you again, how has the training been?”

“Not bad. I was coming over here for a reason though; I need to ask you something. But first…who’s sending you gifts?! I just saw the delivery boy when I was coming up to the house.”

A most impolite question and it took O-Hisa a moment to recover from her surprise “Um…someone from the temple. It’s really nothing you need to worry about…” More than a little taken off guard it seems, if O-Hisa’s slight blush was any indication.

“I need to know who’s sending you gifts! I mean…we have something going here. But if I have a rival I want to know…” Toshiro began.

“It’s NOT like that! There are a lot of reasons gifts might be given, and even if he wants there to be something more to it, I’M telling you there isn’t. Trust me.” O-Hisa said firmly, the surprise changing to a smoldering anger.

Toshiro nodded, a deep breath drawn in and released “Ok...ok. Thanks for seeing me.” He said, rising to leave before a cough from O-Hisa caught his distracted attention.

“You did say you were coming to see me about something before you saw the delivery boy.” O-Hisa said with a frown, that smolder in her eyes growing. She had just spent 20 minutes preparing to meet him, after all…

“Oh…yes.” Toshiro said as all the other events of the day came back to him “Yes. If you knew someone…a ronin…was spreading false stories about me, what would you do?” He asked.

O-Hisa gave it barely a second’s thought “I’d smash his head in with my hammer and let you know. He wouldn’t deserve me getting my katana out. Why?”

Toshiro went on to explain about the killing that morning, and his own suspicions regarding it. He had thought it might have been her. Finally chatting, the tension in the room decreased…a little bit. They shared stories about their days and a date was made to go out together the next night. O-Hisa suggested a sake house. Toshiro countered with a play. And they finally compromised.

Toshiro’s first words to his little old lady when he got home were “I need help picking out a present.”
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Toritaka Kazuyuki went out to do his own investigating that night. On his way to the Red Lantern district he found himself challenged to a test of swordsmanship and was forced to put it off until the next day. He’d been getting a lot of challenges lately, and he was the one who had gotten the Coin of Bishamon, the Fortune of Strength.

Entering one of his favored sake houses, he was greeted with a hearty “Kaz!” from the regulars, of which he was one. But tonight he was putting off drinking in favor of asking about that ronin. It took visiting several sake houses but Kaz tracked down a place the fellow had been known. A new guy in town, loud, a little obnoxious. He acted all secretive but once he’d had a few bottles of sake you couldn’t stop him talking, the owner of the sake house explained.

“So, what was he talking about?” Kaz asked.

“Well, he says ‘I’m with Toshiro’s group, I need to get in touch with him. I have bad news.’ Then I said ‘What kind of bad news?’ ‘Really bad news.’ He said. ‘Sounds pretty bad.’ I said ‘Yep, very bad’ he said.”

Kaz ahemed, “But did he talk about the bad news?”

‘Well, that’s just what I was getting too. He says ‘Toshiro’s a bigshot, you know the type.’ ‘If I knew the type, why’d I be asking?’ I said, and then he says ‘You know the type.’ And he makes this hand gesture. You know the type.” And the sake house owner makes this hand gesture.

Kaz did know the type. Organized Crime. Yakuza.

“I can’t imagine where he got that idea but he was pretty sure. Then he says ‘Someone’s moving in on Toshiro’s territory. He’s taking over the whole town.’ ‘What’ town’s this?’ I said and he looks all annoyed ‘Toshiro’s town!’ he says. By this time I’m getting pretty annoyed myself but he suddenly gets nervous and clams up. Talking’s thirsty work, think I’ll have some sake. Care to join me?” the innkeeper offered.

By this time Kaz was ready for a drink.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Volar’s own little plot was in motion at this same time. Volar used illusions to disguise himself as Rokugani, Yukiyo dressing herself up in silks, trying to look perfectly harmless. And Mindra used his amulet to take on his Nabe persona. And the three of them went on their own trip to the red lantern district.

Pretending to be friends of the dead ronin from Mimura, they made their own splash on the red lantern district. Sake cup always in hand, even if they were careful not to drink too much, they asked around about their friend. And finally, their ‘fishing expedition’ got a nibble. Some sleazy gamblers in a less reputable sake house broke the bad news. “Your friend is dead. Killed while leaving the district. Guess he had it coming from someone. Guess he had a good time before going though, he left with a girl…”

“A girl, who?” the disguised Volar asked ‘Anything you can tell us about his death would help.”

“So, you with this Toshiro group that guy kept talking about? Yeah, saw him leave with a dark haried beauty. He seemed to know her.”

Volar considered this “What did she look like?”

“Oh, I didn’t look at her face much…she had this kimono cut down to…” the gambler’s hand waving lower. “I’d recognize that cleavage anywhere, though.”

Volar sighed “But he seemed to know her?”

“Yep.” The gambler replied “he was pretty nervous but he relaxed when he saw her and left with her after she whispered something.”

The three had a chance to give this some thought while the gamblers all generally agreed they’d have gone about anyplace with that girl.

Finally, Volar leaned over “Hey, if you guys could tell me if you see that girl again, I’d consider it a favor. I have a certain interest in finding this girl. And I’d be a good friend to have.” The disguised elf murmured.

That got the gamblers attention. “And why is that?” one asked.

And Volar gestured, crafting an illusion of a black haired girl in a kimono “This. Now…can you tell me a little more what that girl looked like?”

The gamblers were suitably impressed, this was a very casual use of magic…this guy must be pretty powerful. They gave a little help toward crafting the illusion, but ultimately it still could have been almost anyone fitting the description ‘female, black hair, well built, young’.

“Hey..what else can you do with that illusion?” one of the gamblers asked, waggling his eyebrows.

Volar caught the implication and winked, making the figure dance, then do a little strip tease with the kimono. Now –that- really got the gamblers interested. “Can you do this with anyone?” one of them asked.

“Well, anyone I’ve seen. Hmm...if you are interested, I could teach one of you the magic.”

The gamblers quickly agreed and the three went to leave. Volar paused at the last second and nodded to the gamblers “and just remember…I’ll be watching.” Then he dropped the illusion around himself for a moment, revealing himself as Volar before he walked out.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~`
The next morning Toshiro awakened, stretching his arms, ready to start a new day. But his hand brushed something on the bed. A rose left beside him. A rose…in the middle of winter. And beside it on rice paper a haiku in very elegant script.

From within the dark
A mingling of love and blood
I will be watching

 

[Yellow Sign]

YEAH!!!! Great update.
I was starting to have Rokugan withdrawls!







Rokugan Story Hour Fanboy!

 

[Ancalagon]

excelent... this drips with rogukan flavor, realy fun to read!

Ancalagon

 

[Black Omega]

Thanks, I should have another update done soon. Fair warning, all haiku is mine. just assume it loses alot in the translation from Rokugani.

Coming up next! Verick is given a rose! Mir gets a stalker! Toshiro gets in (more) trouble! And Mindra fixes more roofs!