Upgrade your account to a Community Supporter account and remove most of the site ads.

Reply to thread

Message: <blockquote data-quote="Black Omega" data-source="post: 296040" data-attributes="member: 79">As the ambushers ran back toward the bar the group returned to Yasuki Kome's to report, the four ex-courtesans in two.  And only then did they move on to the Blessings of the New Year Inn.  As always, the décor had a unusual spider-oriented theme but the innkeeper was more than happy to see them again, waving off any attempt to pay for rooms with a cheerful "No matter, no matter.  It's free again.  Welcome back!"The group settled in for dinner, Kaz opting for sake while the rest played it safe and stayed with tea.  In the corner a massive, hulking figure watched.  One the group remembered well.  Chen, the mountainous monk they had fought when they first visited the Inn.  The tense silence lingered as Chen finished his own meal, then lifting his staff, the metal rings jangling, he started over toward their table.Looming over them, the 6'5", burly monk glared from face to face before surprisingly bowing to Volar.  "I thought you would return here.  I've been looking forward to seeing you again, Volar-sama.  Thank you for the lesson in our last meeting.  Before I left the temple, my master said I must seek enlightenment in darkness and understanding in weakness.  I was strong enough to nearly pound a samurai's head through the floorboards here."  He rumbled, offering a bow in Toshiro's direction "But was helpless before you.  I believe I understand a little better now.  I owe you a favor."The monk was just moving to return to his seat when spontaneously Volar said "Would you care to become my student?"  Surprised, the monk looked back to him.  "I don't have any right now and I'm sure I have more I can teach you.  There are forms of enlightenment other than found in the Empire."The massive monk took a moment to consider before bowing once again "I accept.  Where do we start, sensei?"In truth, Volar had doubts about the intelligence of the monk, but it's always nice to have someone to order around.  He might come in handy.  Volar took Chen back to his room and started him on the very basics of Wizardry  "This is a scroll.  You'll be making many of these for me…"While Volar got busy teaching his new student Mindra retired to his room as well.  His thoughts had often been on the pearl recovered from that city.  A Naga pearl, he had discovered recently.  But still, he knew little of what that really meant.  Taking the large pearl out, he studied the intricate carvings over the lustrous white surface.He had communed with the spirits of many other objects…why not this?  How dangerous could it be?  Softly chanting, the peaceful monkey sent his thoughts drifting…reaching out to the spirit of the pearl.  With a sudden, surprisingly wrench contact was made and he lost all awareness of his surroundings.Down in the main area, Verick and Toshiro welcomed back Kaz and Mir.  Mir's own communing had gone well and she come to a decision.  When they got back to Bugaisha she would ask Lord Jyaku for an area where she could set up a shrine to the Oak Father.  What harm could it be to ask…While the four plotted, one of the girl's 'rescued' earlier came by, her hips showing a well-practiced wiggle.  "Toshiro-sama…" she murmured, "We were talking back in our room and we might have some information you can use.  "One of us was 'talking' with a guard for that akujo Sadoka last night.  She has a shipment of sake and other 'supplies' arriving in the morning.  Some people are sent out to meet with them and bring the wagon into town themselves."  Real venom in the girl's voice now as she hisses "If you stopped that, it would -really- piss the boke-baba off!"The group brightened up at this, Verick the first to start asking questions "Hey, have you seen the big, masked guys with Sadoka?  What can you tell us about them?"The girl winced "They are huge!  Massive!  And -not- very nice.  It's freaky how they keep the masks on through -everything-.  They speak really bad Rokugani, I'm sure they are barbarians and just hiding it with the masks.  I'm sure one of them will be at the meeting, it's really important.  Sadoka won't go, herself.  But she'll only send a few guys she trusts."Toshiro nodded, then hhmmed "And where does Sadoka keep you girls?  She must have a place to stash you away."The girl nodded sorrowfully "It's a real dive.  A warehouse she keeps sake and other stuff at.  We have little locked rooms."The girl confirmed where the warehouse was as well as the time the delivery should be coming, and where exactly, a grove of trees just outside town.  Then Toshiro thanked the girl and sent her back to her room.Toshiro was restless, as was Verick and the two who had missed the fight at the bar.  In the end they decided to make a raid that night, before even worrying about the shipment.  Volar was invited as well, but declined.  He was enjoying having a student so teach. Mindra…well, the magic monkey was staring intently into his pearl and didn't answer.So it turned out to be Toshiro, Verick, Kaz and Mir. [DM note:  Volar's player as gone this week, as was Mindra's.]Verick went ahead to scout the warehouse, finding two guards posted out front, disguised as bums.  The side alley had a door with a guard as well.  Returning to the group they started to hatch an idea.  But they needed a distraction.  Something to fix attention on the front of the warehouse.  Their first thought was using a wagon borrowed from the old man at the Blessings of the New Year inn.  That was discarded quickly since he'd been nice to them and they expected the wagon to get destroyed.Then they hit on borrowing a wagon and driver from Kome.  He was a smuggler; he was bound to have a few.  In fact, Yasuki Kome was happy to help with the plan and offered the services of Gyo, his best wagon 'driver'.  Gyo was a cheerful man with a big man and the smell of someone who spent a lot of time working with horses.  He listened seriously to the group's plan, then finally nodded "Riding in front of the warehouse is a little risky, but no trouble.  I'm used to creating distractions for town guards; this isn't all that different.  Don't expect me to help much in the fighting, but I'll be a great distraction!"  He promised cheerfully.As stealthily as they could the group got into position, waiting on Gyo.  It wasn't long before a drunken wagon driver came driving along, singing an improbably song about a wagon driver and a female samurai, in a loud, off key voice.  The two guards in front slide their hands to their swords, clearly suspicious.  One looked around as the other was drawn into an argument with the drunken driver.The clamor was enough for the group's limited stealth to get them to the far end of the alley.  Carefully, they took aim with their bows at the two guards there.  The guards made an easy target, both looking toward the front of the warehouse as well. They let fly, Mir and Toshiro bringing down their guard with expertly placed arrows.  The other guard was shocked to see two arrows thunk into the wood of the warehouse just beyond his face.  He glanced back quickly and was about to give a yell as the second volley of arrows put an end to him.[DM Note:  Sneak attack round, Verick and Kaz both rolled nat 1's.  Good thing they won init.<img src="https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/joypixels/assets/8.0/png/unicode/64/1f609.png" class="smilie smilie--emoji" loading="lazy" width="64" height="64" alt=";)" title="Wink    ;)"  data-smilie="2"data-shortname=";)" /> ]As the argument grew more comical out front the group rushed to the door, Verick picking the lock quickly.  Then he yanked open the door just as someone was whispering, "Hey, could it be trapped?"A loud clatter from inside was the answer and the fight was on.  Toshiro and Kaz rushed to the front, attacking the guards there as Kaz and Mir ran inside, into a volley of arrows from guards inside.  The battle of the warehouse was short and sweet.  Kaz took a number of arrows before closing with the archers, Mir providing cover fire and healing as needed.  Outside, Verick and Toshiro drove the guards back with a flurry of slashes.  On guard bumped into the wager and in a flash, Gyo pulled a tanto from a sheath dangling from a cord inside his tattered kimono, pulled the guard's head back by his helmet and slashed his throat before tucking the weapon away again just as fast.  One guard down and Toshiro and Kaz quickly finished off the other.Joining the battle inside, the group finished off the archers easily and paused to take inventory.  Barrels of sake, bags of rice, and in smaller packets what was clearly some type of drug.  Kome was on the scene quickly as well, once it was safe.  Toshiro and Verick were clear a lot of the sake and rice should go to the Innkeeper at their inn, but Kome could have the rest.  Except for the drugs, they would have to be destroyed.Maintaining his reputable facade, Kome agreed grudgingly.  Even without the drugs, he stood to make a handsome profit from it all and that put him in a truly expansive mood.  Profit was his life.  While everything was getting worked on, he took Toshiro and Verick aside "I'm thankful for all the help you've been with this.  I don't want to make a big deal of this, but please accept these gifts."  Each of the four was given gold as well as a lacquered box of torinaga rice brandy for the group.  The finest in the land, a secret recipe only he and a few others know.As the group walked back to their inn they were silent, until finally Verick looked over to Toshiro and admitted "Kome's been fair to us, even if he's a criminal.  I think we should give him a chance to leave town instead of just attacking him when we're done with Sadoka."  Toshiro and the others agreed after only a brief discussion.------------------------------------------------------------------Meanwhile, Mindra's meditations were running away with him.  In his first attempt to commune with the pearl, the item has proved even more powerful than suspected.  The gentle monkey's mind was drawn into a vision that seemed, smelled, even felt totally real.  First an image of the Orc-like creature he'd helped fought outside the bar.  Then an image of three more, all in masks still.  One holds a great black foreign looking two-handed sword and as you watch flames spread along the blade.  Another is not clad in armor and lightning crackles around him.  Then the scene turns hazier...as if you can see through the figures…and behind them another figure, much much larger…he too is wearing a demon mask, a truly hideous thing with a great toothy mouth and as you watch the mask seems to change and shift as if it were alive.  Around the figure is dark village, a secluded place of great darkness tucked away somewhere in the hills.Then with a high pitched screech the monkey snapped out of the vision, leaping up high to the roof overhead, hanging by his tail as he looked around in confusion, panting for breath.  Just a vision…just a vision…--------------------------------------------------------------------The group slept, though only a little while for some, it was late when they got back from the raid.  And in the early morning hours before they were to be awakened, Verick heard a tapping at his window.  Double sword at ready he peeked out and found Gyo hiding close by the window.  Beyond him there was a glow beyond the buildings that could almost be dawn, except it was a little early.  Gyo hissed softly "There was a raid on the sake works just after you hit the warehouse!  That's where the hiretsukan were!  It's burning now…"[DM Note:  This was really a one off session.  We had to play in a different place and with a good number of people missing.  Gyo is an example of a character I hadn't even planned on making, but the group needed a driver.  A few people turned out to like him.  So I had to gave him a name.  Gyo is just the first kanji of Gyosha, a Japanese word for driver, and means 'driving a horse'.  A handy mnemonic to remember him by. And now, off to Gencon.  I'll post more once I'm back.]</blockquote>

Verification