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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Black Omega" data-source="post: 1257498" data-attributes="member: 79">In the aftermath of the battle with the assassin the group kept their ears open for anything that might have something to do with that trip.  And soon enough they heard news.  A foolish opium dealer had stolen money from the Scorpion clan.  He’d made a good try of escaping, getting as far as Bugaisha before Jinshi, a local Ryoko Owari assassin had caught up with him and killed him.In Kaz’s area things were barely holding even in the battle against the drug dealers.  The torturer had gotten enough information from the bodyguards to close down one network.  But there were always more ready to move into the vacuum.  He also had a meeting with Bayushi Sakura, who seemed a little quizzical.  Though it was hard to tell with her mask in the way.  “Is Toshiro ok?”  she asked.  “I’ve heard so many stories about how brave, fearless and unstoppable he is in combat.  Then I compare the stories to what is happening in Ryoko Owari.  Toshiro being more courtly.  And cruel.  Standing back in battle and letting others fight for him.  Are you sure he’s not been replaced by a minion of the Lying Darkness or something?”Kaz just shook his head “I’m sure.  Don’t ask how.  But we’re sure he’s really Toshiro.”  Kaz’s no nonsense approach deflected more questions from Sakura  and finally she settled for a bow and wishing the Crab samurai a pleasant day.~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~The Great Boar hunt came with the coming of Spring.  Hunters from every significant clan in Ryoko Owari were on hand to claim to glory of the first kill.  Bansho Kishu even had two entrants.  Toshiro, who was receiving the help of Hawk.  And Verick.  In past years the great hunt had usually only taken a  day.  But this year it was only on the second day of the hunt that a boar was caught.  Two in fact.  One by Bayushi Watanabe, to whose family fell the glory and extra hunting rights that went with the first kill.  And Toshiro, who returned only 15 minutes later.  Still, but was a bad omen for the coming year that the Boar hunt had taken so long.Except to Mir, who had spent quite a bit of time using her woodland skills to try and get as many of the boars out of the area as she could.  Mir had a serious problem with sport hunting and considered this the fastest, most reliable way of trying to deal with it.  She knew no one would listen if she simply suggested they not do the hunt this year.~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Finally the time came for Verick’s war games at the Akodo Estates.  A lot of work had gone into making changes at the estates.  Verick, as well as Mindra Hawk and Toshiro watching from the side, could not miss the fact the lay out of the Akodo estates now more closely resembled the layout of the Bansho Kishu estates.  The war games were set to last two days with Verick’s side set as the attacker.  The first day’s attacks did not go well.  Though an ‘explosion’ of magic took out the gate, the main attack there failed against determined resistance.  Evidently the gate had been targeted as a weak point by the defenders as well.  The second day went a little better and by the time the day was done the attacker s had captured half the estate, but not all their objectives.  It was a defeat for Verick but he had hardly been embarrassed.~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~During the battle some strange came up, though.  On the morning of the second day there had been a loud knock at the gates.  By the time the guards got out there, no one was around but there –was- a present left.  Of sorts.  It was a cage with songbirds, and a note.  Mir went to investigate and found they were a matched set of songbirds from the High Forest.  The note read: “A little present to someone I know would appreciate them.  You can keep them or release them into the grove, whatever you wish.”Magical investigations revealed the birds were exactly what they seemed to be.  Songbirds.  Not harpies polymorphed as someone had suggested.  Casting Talk to Animals, Mir found they were originally from a forest, had been caught there and at one point apparently teleported before being kept safe for several days before being left outside the estate.  Mir added the creatures to her animal companions but remained deeply suspicious.~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~To Hawk came a dire Sending.  “Come home as quickly as you can.  The Rokugani attacked us.  Many dead, including royal advisor.  Contact and trade with the empire is terminated.  Lionheart.”Hawk only took a second to think about it before he sent back “You are dead.”  And left it at that, allowing the connection to die.  He was NOT in a good mood.~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~The next day was a New Years celebration at the Governor’s Mansion.  As is traditional for Rokugan, birthdays are celebrated with the start of the New Year.  Gifts were given to each of Bansho Kishu and pleasant conversation exchanged.There was more going on beneath the surface than simply a celebration, however.  For a few months there had been a growing shortage of rice in the city.  And Lord Jyaku had decided he had exhausted every chance of solving it without getting more ruthless.  Many in the city called the Unicorns and even more Bansho Kishu ‘barbarians’.  He had decided he would give them barbarians.The mission was simple.  Lead wagons to a Scorpion warehouse and requisition the rice.  Lord Jyaku had no intention of letting the situation grow worse in the city and Bansho Kishu did have a certain reputation that inspired fear.  And made such a mission easier.  Presented with a Governor’s order and a draft for the cash to pay a fair price for the food being seized, Bansho Kishu was armed with authority only the Imperial Chancellor could override.For their own reasons, Volar and Verick went along disguised and mostly stayed back in the shadows unless they were needed.  The actual confiscation of the rice went smoothly.  The peasant guards were unresisting even before they were frozen in place then charmed.  Though the fact guards were put on rice was good indication of just how serious the rice shortage was...or was expected to grow.  It was over an hour before the rice merchant’s samurai master was on the scene.Bayushi Watanabe was dressed in plain, non-descript samurai great armor, as were his guards.  His mask was something made from black metal that covered the upper part of his face, even hiding his eyes.  “Toshiro-san!  You are taking my property.”  He called out.Toshiro shook his head “All perfectly legal.  We have orders.”  Toshiro snapped his fingers and Mir came out with the orders bearing the governors seal.Bayushi Watanabe was silent a moment, perhaps lifting an eyebrow if such a expression could be seen.  “Clearly the rumors are true, your relationship with Mir has changed, Toshiro-san.The Scorpion samurai didn’t attack, but clearly he was unhappy.  And plotting his next step.  Something Bansho Kishu expected.  They were planning to lay low for a while after this.  Lord Jyaku had said as long as things stayed peaceful, the trouble this stirred up would likely blow over.~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~But not everyone in the group was pleased.  Volar wondered aloud “Has Lord Jyaku been changing?”  Kaz and Toshiro reluctantly agreed he seemed more ruthless.  Mir was quick to defend her Lord but Volar was equally fast in emphasizing it was only a question.  But still, the reputation Bansho Kishu had cultivated was one of fear and that was clearly what Lord Jyaku had been using to help the mission.</blockquote>

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