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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Black Omega" data-source="post: 1091785" data-attributes="member: 79">As Mindra fled from the site of the attack, Yukiyo was in another, less reputable part of town when she was approached by a shady looking figure.  A young man who glanced around suspiciously to make sure no one was close enough to listen before saying “I understand you’ve been looking for poison.  I know a way to get some.  No...no...nothing I’m carrying now.  It’s too dangerous.  Meet me later at the Rusty Katana.  Ask around, you can find it easily I’m sure.  If you can’t, I don’t want to sell to you.”Yukiyo agreed to the meeting, but was equally suspicious.  Feeding Kaz a story about getting help with a criminal ‘sting’ she talked him into coming along to watch her back.  Finding the Rusty Katana was easy enough and Kaz entered first, looking around before finding a spot to sit where he could see everyone.  Even out of his Thunderguard armor, a number of the sake house patrons stared back at the rugged Crab suspiciously.Yukiyo entered a few minutes later and immediately went over to speak to her ‘friend’ who was just finishing up a deal with someone else.“You understand, this is very nasty stuff.  And very illegal, you don’t want to get caught with this stuff or you’ll be executed, Bansho Kishu or no.”  As the man droned on about his merchandise, Yukiyo got a itching at the back of neck...someone else.  Just before the first, sudden, invisible attack came.  Yukiyo’s lightning reflexes saved her from the worst of the attacks and she tumbled out of the line of attack, coming up with a blade in hand, looking to Kaz for help.  But Kaz was slumped down in his chair, unmoving.  Braving the next series of attacks, Yukiyo rushed over to grab Kaz and in a display of strength she could not explain later, she managed to drag him out of the sake house at the run.[GM Note:  It was late and I forgot encumbrance rules.  So, it’s amazing what adrenaline can do.]~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Contacting the others, Yukiyo gave her story, leaving out certain vital bits of information like exactly why she was in the sake house with Kaz.  Mindra’s magic revealed that Kaz was under the influence of a drug and one Neutralize Poison monkey chant later, Kaz was recovering, and apologetic.  He’d been drinking the sake and hadn’t thought about someone trying to poison him.The group headed over to check out the Rusty Katana, in force this time.  Verick snuck around behind invisibly to make sure no one escaped and to see what was going on in the rear of the sake house.  Mir, Toshiro and Kaz marched in the front.  And Volar started to sneak around invisibly as well.The Thunderguards and Mir didn’t get much before the door before the sake house barkeeper was standing in the way, a heavy iron club topped by the crow symbol of Shinsei held in one hand, leaning against his shoulder.  “What can I do for you gentlemen tonight?”“Kaz was poisoned here!  We’re investigating that!”  Toshiro snarled, waiting for the bartender to back down.He didn’t.  “This is Shinjo Nihao’s area.  I’m sorry your friend got poisoned but maybe it was just strong sake.  We’ve got some pretty powerful stuff here and he’s pretty well known to drink a lot.  Anyway, are you sure it was here?  I’d know Kaz anywhere and he’s not been in all night.”The conversation went downhill from there.  Toshiro trying to rationally explain to the bartender why he should cooperate, and the burly peasant steady forcing Toshiro back with a mix of religious comments and practical sidesteps over to the two samurai being out of their areas.Mir was growing impatient, wishing she could create some telepathic link to Toshiro to guide him through this.  Kaz took the more direct approach.  A swift, backhanded slap got the barkeep’s attention, then Kaz said in a slow, cold voice “I got poisoned here.  We are going to catch who did it.  And you are going to step out of the way and not say another damned word until I say you can speak.  Do you understand?”The bartender was about to say something but Kaz’s raised hand silenced him and silently the man stepped aside to let the group in.~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~In the back, Verick had already discovered a way in.  The room was filled with gamblers tossing dice, a couple of men obviously on guard but in a very relaxed fashion, mostly just to deal with unruly gamblers.Yukiyo kept watch outside, observing as one man left, running down the street and away.Volar had been lurking in the area invisibly, silently cheering as Kaz took charge of the situation.  Drifting from table to table he listened in on conversations, mostly speculation on why the Thunderguard were visiting and who they might be after.  Until he got near a table in the corner.  There one of them men silenced the others as he suddenly look around.  After a moment he touched a amulet he wore.  Then a nod straight to the unseen Volar before he returned to talking to his friends.Kaz and Toshiro started questioning the nervous, shady men, while Verick picked his moment, waiting until the two guards were looking ready to rush into the front room, then just as they opened the door he surprised the men with a push the sent them off balance through the door, trapped between the three visible samurai now.  The Red Lion had struck again, and the two guards were only to happy to simply lay down their weapons and wait their turn.The men in the corner were the only one’s with useful information.  The man selling the poison was Arisato.  They knew of ‘rumors’ he sold poison and other banned substances, but had no proof.  They had nothing to do with that business, so why care?  They were just out for a drink and sometimes people here things.  Where else might Arisato be found?  He often hangs out at the Dead Rat, but that’s a pretty tough place.  Not quite so easy to walk in and push people around.  Unlike the others in the Rusty Katana, the three men were calm and unworried.  Now and then a  glance from the one man to Volar, just keeping track of where the hooded, invisible figure was.Before the conversation could go on further, Shinjo Nihao and three of his Yoriki (assistants) showed up.  Glaring over the room he nodded to Kaz and Toshiro “Speak with me outside, please.”“Are you trying to insult me?  Coming into my area…tossing people around.  This place is owned by the vassel of a Unicorn.  And he’s going to complain to his lord.  Who will complain to Lord Jyaku.  I’m waiting to hear what is going on.  Please.”  The Thunderguard’s eyes cold as he crossed his arms.Toshiro and Kaz explained in brief.  Nihao-san needed but also frowned “Kaz, what were you doing here with Yukiyo?  I could have told you it’s a bad place to go alone, without telling anyone.  It was Yukiyo’s idea?  But you are not sure why she wanted to come here?”  Nihao asked, that frown growing “I want to speak to her tomorrow then.  An official questioning at Thunderguard HQ.  I know you two would not lie to me on this, but there’s more to what’s going on.  When you go into someone else’s territory though, you really should let them know.  It’s a matter of respect.  Now, please wait here while I find out what these men know.”Shinjo Nihao’s questioning was more to the point than the other’s.  He habitually carried a leather wrapped club made from some stout wood.  And he wasn’t reluctant to smash someone with the club for nearly any reason.  It was brutal but it certainly put the fear of him into most of the men in the room.  Whyen he finally was done and allowed the men to go, most took the most direct route, going out through the windows before escaping into the night.“Yukiyo was meeting with a poison seller, mm?”  he said to Toshiro and Kaz “Yes, I’m definitely looking forward to speaking with her.  Please send her around first thing in the morning.~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~The next day was busy, the second day of Generosity.  Tomorrow the King of Generosity would be crowed, but for today there were plenty of events to celebrate the holiday.  Kaz got his mistress a nice gift and now doubt received something nice back in return.  Volar received a black spider carving from the Scorpion.  And immediately grew worried what was meant by that.  The scroll?  Drow?  It certainly could be a sign the Scorpion knew about dark elves…and he didn’t like that one bit.Shinjo Nihao met with Yukiyo and emerged from the questioning even more sure the group was up to something suspicious.  Even so, he tried to take Toshiro under his wing and show the honorable Thunderguard a little better way of handling thugs.  “Here’s a club.  Leather wrapped and made from oak, it’ll last you years.  You should always carry it with you.  A katana is scary but if you draw it there’s no time for talking with many people.  They’ll either run or fight.  You use your katana for killing.  A club…isn’t quite so threatening.  You can hurt the person without killing them.  See, you hold it here, a third of the way up and snap the strike.  No follow through, or you’ll hurt the guy badly.  You just want them to feel pain.  Now if you are serious, hold the club down here at the end and get maximum leverage.  Respect is one thing, Toshiro.  But when you are dealing with thugs, you want them to fear you.”Each of the group received in turn a small bottle of fine sake from the bartender of the Rusty Katana, the burly man looking much the worse for wear after his ‘interview’ with Nihao.  And very very sorry for the trouble he had caused them.Toshiro was also approached by the man Mindra worked for, the nervous artisan requesting a letter of recommendation for him to get a contract fixing the roof of Thunderguard headquarters. It would be a great honor to be allowed to put Mindra to work on such a high profile contract.Mindra went to work as usual.  Holiday that is was, there was always work to be done and today it was a high roof.  Mindra chatted with the spirits as he worked, hammering in the wooden shingles into place.  His first warning something was wrong was when the spirits suddenly grew agitated.  He second warning was when the hammer blows from invisible foes found him again.  But this time they were joined by an ice blue beam that struck him, a spell the nimble monkey realized stopped his teleporting.Mindra leapt high into the air and away, trying to buy the space to run while his substitution spell passed on some of the damage of the attacks to his iron monkey idol.  The next attack was a Dispel magic that stripped him of his magical defenses and moments later the monkey was pummeled into unconsciousness.  The only thing the workmen saw was Mindra suddenly jumping around, shaking, then he disappeared without warning.</blockquote>

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