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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Black Omega" data-source="post: 1049538" data-attributes="member: 79">The battle had been over for several days and the clean up was going well.  Based on confused reports, the barbarian compound had been attacked in the night by undead and creatures of shadow of a type the Rokugani were unfamiliar with.  Even an old cleric from the west who had survived the battle was not sure of the shadow creatures, but agreed they could be the same Shadows the party saw in the Battle of Kuzo.  The attack never reached Bugaisha proper, instead focusing on killing as many gaijin as possible while destroying merchant houses.  To the surprise of no one in the party, the Red Wizards had survived with minimal losses but even they were very close mouthed on what had attacked.Kaz and Toshiro returned to recognition of their heroic role in defeating the bandits.  Both were promoted to Gunso and put over twenty samurai.  And as a personal gift from Lord Shinjo Jyaku, the group received Bansho Kishu badges.  Each would be enchanted with a minor spell of the group’s choosing.  Mindra and Verick both choose Invisibility, though for very different reasons.  Mir choose Detect Taint.  Volar was very mysterious with his own choice, making sure no one else in the group knew he was picking…Speak with Animals?  Kaz and Toshiro were in perfect agreement for their own badges, Swift Advance.  Though why the Western Kingdoms insisted on calling the spell Expeditious Retreat was beyond them.Verick was quite relieved to be back from Kuzo.  He had a week upcoming in the temple for purification.  But it was good to be home.  He was greeted by Akiko’s smiling face, the young lady who had gone from running the smuggler Kome’s house in Mimura now handling his own home.  “Welcome home, sir.  Here’s your itinerary for the coming week.  You are scheduled for a tour of the sake works later today.  I’ve allotted a little free time this evening before a meeting with a Unicorn merchant seeking a letter of recommendation.  I’ve listed the upcoming social events here, with notations for which you must go to, which are option, and which you can safely miss.  News on the Lion/Phoenix war on the Dragon clan has arrived.  And there are two reports for you to fill out and send back to Lion lands.”  You know…Kuzo really hadn’t been that bad, Verick reflected.For Kaz and Toshiro the news was more grim.  The Crab Clan had indeed been defeated by the Crane, as they had heard in Kuzo.  Their clan champion killed.  In a show of support, the Unicorn have sent the smallest of their three armies to assist the Crab.  Perhaps spurred on by this, it was not long before Toshiro heard his father and Lord Jyaku had finally come to an agreement over his marriage to Shinjo O-Hisa.  The ceremony was set to happen in two and a half months.But first would come another great change.  With the devastation of the barbarian quarter, Bugaisha would take a year or more to recover it’s trade. Under the command of Shinjo Yuji, since the order commanding Lord Jyaku to take over Ryoko Owari had come through at last.~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Even so, there was much to do in Bugaisha still.  Naga from Kuzo was finally freed of Volar’s domination.  As with the agreement, his life was spared and a job offered.  Verick had this idea for setting up a tavern in barbarian quarter while it was being rebuilt and a tough bartender who spoke common would be required.  Burly and bald, Naga fit the bill perfectly.Not long after this Volar heard from his chief student, Chen.  Apparently some ashigaru had developed a taste for the fiery Yabanjin alcohol captured after the battle.  With his master’s permission, Chen planned to set up a still in the area of the tower set aside for alchemy.  Volar graciously gave permission, with the unspoken caveat that Chen had better not get in trouble with the magistrates.A punishment for her recklessness, O-Hisa going to be training as a courtier.  Forced to learn at least the basics of culture and diplomacy.  And because O-Hisa was compelled to attend cultural events, Toshiro had to as well, though he was not nearly as unhappy about it as his fiancé.Out at her grove, Mir had a meeting with her old friend Yoenki.  The ‘Unicorn’ girl’s robes were a bit bloody still and there was some sign some of the blood had been Yoenki’s own.  But she was well enough now and simply wanted to let Mir know she’d be in other parts of the empire and might not see Mir for a while.  Yoenki also cheerfully confirmed she had sent the shadow at Kuzo.“You did a great job creating Chaos.  It was against my side, of course.  And I was little miffed over that once I noticed you were close around.  But you did really well and it made the battle more fun.  And now look how it’s all turning out…Lord Jyaku gone to Ryoko Owari.  Rodrigo dead.  Mom going elsewhere.  We’re left with a bunch of smaller factions fighting to fill the void.  It’s really very exciting!”  Yoenki stated happily.Nezu was left in charge of Toshiro’s home in Bugaisha, Mir reluctantly left Cracked Nut in charge of her grove, though her cleric in training was going to take that over once she got a little experience.  Volar left Chen in charge of the tower, the wily elf pretty sure he’d not be able to build a second wizard tower in Ryoko Owari.~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~The trip to Ryoko Owari was fairly uneventful.  The arrival of Lord Jyaku in Ryoko Owari was a great spectacle, though the formal hand over of power was conducted with proper ceremony in the Governor’s mansion.  As was the command from the Khan of the Unicorn clan that the former Governor, Shinjo Osemu, be allowed to pass onward honorably.A polite euphemism, the gaijin of the party discovered, for him simply slitting his belly in honorable suicide.  Toshiro, Verick and Kaz were in attendance for this final act of the former Governor to atone for his failure of his clan and lord.  While the others in the party simply wondered how the Rokugani could call –them- barbarians.While Toshiro and Kaz were assigned as officers in the Thunderguard of Ryoko Owari, Verick had a different destiny.  He had been promoted to serve at the Akodo Estates outside Ryoko Owari, as a diplomat.~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~The party barely had time to settle in before Toshiro was allowed a gift before his coming marriage.  A chance to visit his home, the lands of the Crab Clan.  He was allowed to bring along the rest of Bansho Kishu to Shiro Kaiu to meet his father and family there.  After all that had happened, perhaps it was time things were looking up for the Crab Clan.[GM Note:  This is a little sketchy, I'm picking up the pace to try and catch the story hour up a little more with the game.  Rest assured, there's plenty of action on the way.]</blockquote>

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