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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Black Omega" data-source="post: 893453" data-attributes="member: 79"> “The samurai who does not keep his mind fixed on death, even though he wears a sword, is nothing but a farmer or a merchant in warrior’s skin.”  Daidoji Yuzan.“Hello there.  I’m Malachai.”  The mini sized Half-Orc said, a grin showing his fangs.  Thumbs hooked into the belt of his leather armor, Malachai looked over the group, nodding to Nezu “Hey Rat!  Welcome back.  Got a lotta guts coming around here again.  A few things you should know about Kuzo.  No matter what you might have heard, we do have our own set way of doing things, our own rules.  Don’t go around casting spells or someone might think you are trying something funny and attack first.  If you need religion there’s a temple to Cyric, and a smaller temple for Beshaba.  For your Roko’s.”  the burly little figure nodded to Mongo, Taz, Ming and Kyruko.  “There’s a shrine to Bishamon as well.  Not many people go there though.”Malachai walked along with the group as they headed into the town “You see someone around here who looks Half-Orcish (looks like me, but most are bigger, for you Roko’s) We’re the Children of Rodrigo.  We run this town.  Don’t forget it.  Our rules are simple.  Strength rules.  No, that doesn’t mean all eight of you on one guy.  Good tactics, but it proves nothing and everyone has friends to watch their back anyway.  Think someone has cheated or screwed you?  Sucks to be you.  Be smart and it won’t happy again.  You want to complain to someone, talk to Viktor.  He’s the closest thing this town has to someone who’ll give a damn.  You can’t miss him, look for a 6’5” guy with elfy kinda features.  To the north of town you’ll find an Inu camp.  Damned Inu…just don’t go there.  Can’t trust them a bit.  Want a place to stay?  You are out of luck.  Everyplace is full.  We’ve got something big going on, so things are a little crowded.  But you take a right and head down there, you can find a place to pitch your tents.  So, who’s the elf belong to?”“Mine.”  Vlad growled quickly “Already heard that question enough.”“He’s also mine, though.”  Fireblossom chimed in while gazing lovingly to Vlad.Malachai laughed “This’ll be interesting.  Dad has had a taste for elf girls.  I’ll be seeing you later, I’m sure.”~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~“I thought Nezu had been gone from here for years?  Why do people remember him?”  Volar thought to himself.  But he had to snap back to Fireblossom as the group found a spot to camp, near the east wall.  There were many other tents put up in the area, a few seemed like bandits from elsewhere but many seemed to be peasants looking for a chance a fast money and escape from the fields.Gathers together, the group set up their tent and settled in.  Fireblossom checked to make sure no one was around invisibly before the discussion began.  Mongo, Taz, Ming and the Rat could go check on the Yabanjin and find out why they were here.  Dmitrios had given him a barracks to go to on the north side of the village.  Vlad, Kyruko, Fireblossom, and the Kid (Yukiyo) would look around town and try to get a good idea of the layout of the place.~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~The first stop, keeping up appearances, was a local store where they could sell their plunder. They found a weathered, wooden building with a faded sign that read ‘Fernow’s’.  Inside they found an older, rugged looking man.  He kept a mace close to hand and there were a couple guards keeping an eye out for trouble.  Even so, he was a reasonable sort.  Perhaps all those years dealing with thugs and bandits who’s not think twice about trying to kill him if they felt cheated, there wasn’t much haggling.  And the offer for their Hordeland plunder was reasonable if not generous.Vlad settled on the price, then the group set to looking around for other things that might come in handy.  They got some food, enough for a trip deeper toward the empire.  And to keep the cover story going, Vlad asked about travel papers.Fernow did indeed have travel papers for sale.  His last set, sadly, so the price would be more dear.  But the papers were of excellent quality and forged with the chop of a famous samurai, one who no one would dare question.  Hiruma Toshiro, slayer of Oni.Yukiyo, as the Kid, was called in to check on the papers.  They were very well done, Toshiro himself would be able to tell the difference between these and real papers.  Not that he could tell even a mediocre forgery, Yukiyo thought to herself.  Then on a whim the Kid went to work practicing a forgery on the spot.  In just a couple of minutes, she’d produced a forgery better than Fernow was selling, a point she happily made.“Fine, then make your own.  None of my concern if you head on into the empire and get caught because you’d trust some kid over my own fine craftsmanship.  Keep in mind, Roko jails are just a place to rest when you are not being tortured.  And the punishment for all crimes is death.  But if you think you can do better yourself, go right ahead.”  Fernow said gruffly.Kyruko soothed his ruffled feathers and Vlad said he’d think about the papers and maybe buy them later.Undeterred by the looks from others in the group, the Kid piped up again, brightly asking, “If you are selling so much here, you have any jade arrow tips or anything?”Fernow raised an eyebrow, looking at the kid for a moment then shaking his head “No.  Best not to ask about such things, either.  There are a few in town who’d not take kindly to finding out someone was looking for jade.  It’s more than decoration to the Roko’s.  It’s a weapon.  Best to forget about that here, and hope no one hears about you asking.”The kid nodded, and the others were quick to move on before they found themselves in more trouble.~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~It wasn’t difficult at all for Mongo and friends to find the Yabanjin barracks, though it was one of three, each holding around a hundred of the barbarian warriors.  So it took a while to find their friend, since only Nezu knew a smattering of their harsh language.  Soon enough they found Dmitrios, and an ample supply of the vodka Mongo was developing a taste for.  Soon enough they were involved in the drinking contests, all save for Ming who was given a ‘child’s cup, since he obviously needed time to work up to a real man’s glass of the fiery liquid.~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Back at old man Fernow’s, he had returned to dusting the shop when a snarling voice was heard, just out of sight “Hey there, old man.  I heard the new people in town stopped by hear.  You know, part Roko, part halfbreed, with a kid?”Fernow looked over the edge of the counter, Malachai waiting there with his thumbs tucked in his leather belt.  “They have anything interesting to say for themselves?  Usual price if it’s something worthwhile.”Fernow checked out the windows before nodding to the Orcling.  He had some information indeed…~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Vlad, Fireblossom, Kyruko and the Kid were out exploring more.  And what they were finding wasn’t comforting.  A town built for 500 seemed to have 1,000 or so stuffed into it.  Savage cutthroats and rugged Yabanjin from the north added to the normal bandits found in Kuzo.  Much of the town was run down wooden shacks, though there were a few houses that were well built, the pubs all seemed in good shape.  And at the center of town stood a large, squeeze keep.  A tower at each corner of the walled enclosure was manned by half orcs in heavy armor.  Now that they thought about it, there were an awful lot of birds in the area, hawks and falcons circling the bandit town.  Disguised as a crow, Mir’s thrush familiar was safe enough.  But the air was suspiciously crowded.The group didn’t have time to ponder that, though.  They spotted the last thing they expected to find in Kuzo.  An elf.  Pale skin and golden hair were all set off by finely tailored black and gold leather armor, and his cloak was a bright red, trimmed with ostrich feathers.  He was seated out on the porch of one of the nicer houses while a younger looking elf did his nails.  Spotting Fireblossom, the elf was up in an instant and waving them over.In common he introduced himself as “Finafin, the Golden Duke of the Sword Coast.  A gentleman, performer, and duelist of the first caliber.  It is such a marvelous pleasure to meet another elf here out in the wilderness.”Finafin switched to elvish as he invited Fireblossom over “Care for some elvish wine?  It’s not easy to get it here in the middle of nowhere, but well worth it.  I have...connections.” the elf said smoothly.A flick of his wrist produced a scented handkerchief as Finafin chatted in elvish with Fireblossom about the West.  Evidently Finafin had been forced to leave the Sword Coast and was taking a few decades slumming before he would go back.Finafin’s roving eyes picked out Vlad and he smiled to Fireblossom “So, tell me about your friend there.  Is he with you?”Fireblossom’s chaotic side showed through clearly when she smiles brightly and nodded “Oh yes.  He speaks for the group and keeps my bed warm.”Finafin showed a ghost of a smile as he looked over Vlad slowly and nodded appreciatively “I’m very sure.  Perhaps we could work out a sharing for a night…”Verick had to pretend he didn’t understand what was being discussed, since Vlad wasn’t supposed to understand Elvish, but from the look Finafin was giving him, it didn’t take much imagination to figure it out.  Vlad’s hand crept to the hilt of the kusari-gama.  If the elf tried anything now, he’d be ready.One thing was making Fireblossom curious.  “You must get into a lot of fights, Finafin.  You don’t seem the type these bandits would accept.”“Oh, you’d be surprised.”  Finafin smiled “I’ve done a few favors for people.  Helped out Rodrigo.  The Golden Duke still has a few contacts.  As for duels.  Well, some people discourage challenges by being unthinkably brutal in destroying their opponents.  I prefer to make the challenge to…submission.  You’d be surprised how many people will accept almost anything instead of death when a rapier point touches their heart.”That was really all they needed to hear.  Fireblossom accepted an invitation to be Finafin’s guests later at a inn called the Dancing Ferret.As they walked away Fireblossom said softly “I’m so glad I decided to be a female elf!  I can see why elves have such a bad reputation in this part of the world.”Vlad nodded “Just letting you all know.  If there’s a fight, it’s to the death.  No matter what happens, or what the situation is, I’m NOT surrendering.”</blockquote>

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