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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Black Omega" data-source="post: 275290" data-attributes="member: 79">The guard had little more to offer, providing directions to the temple where the town's Yoriki was recovering.  The group rode in silence, quite aware their presence was probably already being reported to certain interested parties.  At the temple, the lone shugenja there had the harried look of a man who's been running on endless cups of strong tea and expending his healing spells as fast as he could prepare them.  The Yoriki was in much worse shape, painfully pale and heavily bandaged from a variety of wounds. Unluckily, the shugenja was already out of healing spells by the time she'd been brought in.  Luckily, Mir had some healing to spare and after some chanted prayers to the Oak Father the Yoriki was almost as good as new.  From her, the group discovered there had previously been one boss in town, an older man named Nam who had run everything.  When he had died, there had been a tense peace for a while, but that had finally broken down into violence and now arson.  Madame Sadoka had started the trouble when four new allies, massive mysterious men in black iron masks, joined her.  One wielded a massive tetsubo, a two handed club studded with iron.  Another fought with a strange curved dagger in each hand.  Another had a great two handed falchion but seemed to know some foreign form of magic.  The final one was the most massive and seemed to be in charge, a 6'5" brute with a great black two handed sword.  None had been seen without their masks, but it was accepted from their build and tanned, grayish skin tone they were barbarians.It was also revealed the group's old friend Yasuki Kome was involved with the smugglers and that they were hiring every ronin in the area as fast as he could.  The situation was building toward a final confrontation and the Yoriki admitted there was little she and the few town guards could do to control it.  After some whispered consultations Toshiro spoke for the group in assuring her both side of the problem would be dealt with.  Soon.Exiting the temple, the group conferred before splitting up.  Toshiro, Volar, Yukiyo and Mir all went to visit Yasuki Kome for a friendly little chat.  Kaz, Verick and Mindra (using the amulet recovered from Malthorn that allowed him to look Rokugani) were sent out to visit the bar Madame Sadoka owned, on the logic they would not be recognized and so could scout freely.The Silver Okasan was just as seedy and disreputable as Mindra recalled.  Ronin dregs with little more than armor, sword and a few koku to their name hung out there, while the more 'well off' ronin snuck off through a door to the back.  The sickly sweet smoke and feminine giggles that were noticed whenever that door opened left little doubt what was offered there.  And presiding over it all was a figure in a black, demonic mask, seated in the corner with his muscular arms crossed, a large iron studded club kept close to hand.It proved impossible for Kaz, Verick and Mindra to blend in.  For one thing, they had all had a bath in the last couple of days, something no one else in the seedy bar could claim.  Their quite watching soon drew the noxious attention of a drunken ronin.  Mindra introduced himself as Chen, drawing an immediate response from the drunk "Are you related to that worthless monk who left Sadoka's pay??"  was demanded.Mindra calmly fended that off but Verick couldn't help but rise to the challenge "Our business is our own, now shut up and leave us alone."Glancing over the young man's Lion colors the drunk sneers and patted his sword "Are you looking for trouble here, Lion Cub?  Maybe you should wait until you are old enough to shave before dying.  But if you want a fight, we'll give it."  A nod back to his two friends drawing them into the discussion."A fight with you would be pointless, we're just here for a drink."  Verick replied, temper rising quickly.The drunk laughed, "No one comes here for a drink, the sake stinks!  But isn't that just like a Lion.  Arrogant and swaggering when they can get away with it,  but all meek and mild the moment they think they might lose."The gauntlet was cast and even though it was agreed earlier to try and avoid trouble, Verick could not resist.  He, Kaz and Mindra stepped outside, followed closely by the three ronin and several others, apparently to watch the fight.  The looming, masked figure among them.  Kaz and Mindra acted as Verick's seconds, while the drunk's friends watched his back.  The actual fight was disappointingly fast.  The ronin wasn't much of a swordsman and Verick was not only skilled, but had a unusual style that drew a little on the fighting styles of the West as well as more traditional Rokugani style.  A few lightning fast strikes left the ronin in a pool of blood.  When Verick decided to finish it with a flourish, lifting his sword high then pinning the dying man to the earth with one savage stab, his friends decided to get revenge.  Swords were drawn in a flash and Kaz leapt to his friend's defense.This fight lasted much longer and while Kaz had little trouble fending off his ronin's wild swings, Verick was taken off guard by the other ronin's blind rush and blood was drawn from a slash to the leg.  Another cut splashed blood over Verick's arm and things started to look bad for him.  But as Mindra stepped forward to try and heal the Lion Cub, a strong hand clamped painfully on his should and the masked figure growled "Let them fight.  The strong will survive."Kaz parried a few strokes from his opponent before replying with powerful sweeping strikes that left the man collapsed in a heap.  Verick continued to struggle; another hit covering the young man with blood.  The confident ronin snarled in triumph and leapt forward, his sword sweeping down for the finishing blow, but with blinding speed Verick stepped to the, a drawing stroke slitting the man's belly half open.  As he stumbled forward in shock, Verick's sword swept back, separating the ronin's head from his body.The battle over, the other ronin just ambled back into the bar, losing interest.  Mindra wasn't quite so lucky though.  The masked figure growled, "So, who are you?  Why are you here?"Mindra tried to just shrug and walk away, but he found himself roughly yanked back around to face the man "Don't you dare turn your back on me!  I asked you a question! I'd better hear and answer fast!"Meekly now, Mindra explained that his name was Chen, but he wasn't with the monk.  He was just a merchant passing through town.  The masked figure's eyes narrowed.  A merchant with a Crab bodyguard.  Kome was a Crab, and merchant was an excellent cover for smuggler.  He finally let Mindra go, and immediately sent a messenger to find Madame Sadoka with a message "Trouble's arrived."He didn't know the half of it…Is it just me or are there times it's really tough to get started on writing.  Once I get started it flows pretty easily, but just starting sometimes feels like a struggle, especially when I've not written for a while.</blockquote>

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