Editing L5R Army of Midnight Chapter 4

An enraged Akira kept screaming at the Phoenix riders, righteously pissed off as only an old man almost run down can be - but stopped on his tracks when he noticed the face of the tied-up ronin they were hauling away. In the alley, Kaori questioned Sharuji about his reasons for being here: he answered that he was supposed to visit Dragonfly lands, but the winter storms trapped him here, and the Phoenix were kind enough to let him stay. After Akira patched Sharuji up from his close encounter with the ronin's blade, Kaori decided to return to the City of Remembrance, leaving Yuzuki and the old shugenja behind to question people, but she had a small chat with our Kakita duelist before leaving...

Presentations were made, and Akira tried to put together the facts of the case. Kouichi couldn't follow his train of thought, but suddenly the shugenja doubled over and fell. Everyone tried to help him, as he was barely able to stand up. He then ordered Kouichi to take Sharuji to the local inn while they conducted their investigation, and confided to Yuzuki that he was afraid of going senile - apparently, he had a vision of the village, dead and twisted beyond all recognition. All they could learn from the inhabitants of Makaimura (particularly, a mousey kid with the nasty habit of picking his nose) is that the ronin had been around the village, sword drawn and calling people demons. The kid thought he was just acting. Then Sharuji showed up and...

''[2009-07-24 18:48:29] <Traveller_GM> The kid grins and eats up the booger he's been digging out. "Yeah! It was like BONK and the ronin went down like a bag of rice!"''

''[2009-07-24 18:50:00] <Shiba_Akira> I tell the kid that if he keeps eating his boogers, Goblins will kidnap him.''

Then, the duo decided to follow the lead of the captured ronin: it seemed like the Phoenix riders had taken him to the city, so they headed there.

Kouichi was very disturbed at the recent events, and it didn't take much probing from Sharuji for the young Phoenix bushi to start spilling all the beans to the Scorpion. Sharuji was kind enough to try to calm him down, as it looked like things were getting to him badly.

''[2009-07-24 18:56:27] * Bayushi_Sharuji says "I see. You should not fear what has happened young Pheonix, but prepare for what is to come. Your knowledge of the situation so far is a little limited, but sheds enough light to warrant concern. Watch the Crane commander, she seems to know what she's doing. Also, trust your shugenja, the pheonix and dragon have very special relationships with their priests, it's best to trust them." ''

A little calmer, Kouichi thanked Sharuji and took him to the local inn, Soun's Tea House and Lodgings, then ran to catch up with the other two PCs.

----

At the City of Remembrance, Akira (who knows remarkably little about how the Phoenix works) asked Kouichi to take them to the local gaol. The place was empty, except for a guard who was clearly not comfortable with Akira and Yuzuki asking questions about ronins and riders. Not pushing the issue any further, they left wondering where to proceed from there, Akira even thinking about asking favors of his wife - only to find Daidoji Takeo (Kaori's yojimbo) dragged by two Phoenix bushi to the gaol: according to them, he was caught drunk and making a scandal at a local tea house. All the yojimbo could say for himself were unintelligible mumblings. Some fast-talk by Yuzuki later, and Takeo was in the PCs' capable hands. However, there was a more pressing matter to attend!

''[2009-07-24 20:14:49] <Traveller_GM> Kouichi: "Shiba-sama, I---"''

''[2009-07-24 20:15:01] <Traveller_GM> A loud sound comes from Kouichi's belly.''

They had been running around for most of the day, after all. In the kid's defense, he refused to leave Akira's side over that.

In the manor, Kaori was shocked at Takeo's state, and even more at Yuzuki's explanation. Then it would be Akira's turn to be shocked: 

''[2009-07-24 20:24:56] <Traveller_GM> From a room inside the house: "Doji-sama, is something---"''

''[2009-07-24 20:25:12] <Traveller_GM> A door slides open, and Shiba Hoshi appears behind it.''

''[2009-07-24 20:26:41] * Shiba_Akira 's poker face goes through an impossible mix of expressions in a single second before turning into complete and total surprise''

Hoshi and Akira greeted each other politely, as usual. Kaori explained that there was no way that Takeo could have been drunk: the yojimbo doesn't drink at all. Adding that to the facts that she had, Yuzuki came up with an ominous conclusion:

''[2009-07-24 20:36:41] * Kakita_Yuzuki opens her mouth to ask something, but stops. She tries to glance at the face of the man she's carrying. "Then... is this really Takeo?"''

A dark feeling in his heart, Akira left the manor quickly, and communed with the spirit of the building. Was this man really Daidoji Takeo? Fortunately, the building confirmed his identity, only noting that he was 'tired.' Yuzuki and Kouichi dropped Takeo in his own room and let him rest.

''[2009-07-24 20:59:33] * Kakita_Yuzuki gives a weak smile to Kouchi, "Anyway... let's let Takeo-san sleep. We can ask him a few things when he's awake. Let's see if Doji-sama will feed us, yes?"''

''[2009-07-24 20:59:58] <Traveller_GM> Kouichi: "Ah... yes, Kakita-sama."''

''[2009-07-24 21:00:14] <Traveller_GM> Perception roll TN 5 to notice Kouichi praising the kami for that''

''[2009-07-24 21:00:31] <DiceMaid-9001> Kakita_Yuzuki, keep 2: 5 [2d10=4,1]''

Kaori questioned Akira's explanation, noting that Daidoji don't just get 'tired.' Hoshi "helpfully" pointed out that spirits are hard to interpret. When the Magistrate offered (finally!) food to our heroes, a servant entered the manor: a Phoenix guard wanted to see Kaori, as apparently a Scorpion bushi had captured someone related to the murder of Asahina Benkei!

''[2009-07-24 21:06:28] <Kakita_Yuzuki> "What did I miss?"''

----

What happened? In the inn, Sharuji penned a message to the Scorpion delegation to the Phoenix at Shiba Shiro and paid a runner to carry it there. After a meal in his room, he went to the dining room and started observing people: locals commenting on the latest events, a couple of old ashigaru swapping tales, that sort of thing. He did notice that one of the men that was in the dining room when the innkeeper was showing him around was gone. Making a note of that, he decided to take a walk outside and then pay the Magistrate a visit - noticing that someone tried to follow him. Sharuji led him almost all the way to the City of Remembrance, confirming that it was the same man as in the inn, then suddenly turned around: the spy tried to escape, but the bushi quickly disabled him with a well-aimed aiguchi to his leg.

It's Jack Bauer time!

''[2009-07-24 20:16:11] <Traveller_GM> He falls on the snow, painfully trying to crawl away''

''[2009-07-24 20:18:19] <Bayushi_Sharuji> I pull out my sword and approach the man. "It is unwise to stalk a samurai, and doubly so for a Scorpion. Now tell me your business with my person or else I will be forced into the terrible decision of either releiveing my own irritation or improving inter-clan relations by handing you over to the Crane Magistrate."''

The man, who identified himself as Jiro, denied all accusations, showing defiance and claiming that Sharuji had attacked him for no reason, but he revealed disturbing facts while doing so - like the fact that he knew Sharuji's name. The Scorpion managed to get him to talk after some back-and-forth between them: someone (Jiro either didn't know or wouldn't say) had ordered him to spy on Sharuji, then report back to a location in the City of Remembrance. He refused to say more than that.

Sharuji was not pleased.

''[2009-07-24 20:48:55] <Traveller_GM> He pulls on the aiguchi slowly, more blood flowing from his leg.''

''[2009-07-24 20:49:33] <Traveller_GM> Jiro: "Just leave, Bayushi-*san*. This is my advice to you: run away."''

''[2009-07-24 20:49:37] <Bayushi_Sharuji> Can I stab his other thigh, completly immobilizing him? ''

''[2009-07-24 20:49:43] <Traveller_GM> Sure''

''[2009-07-24 20:49:45] <Traveller_GM> *stab*''

''[2009-07-24 20:49:48] <Traveller_GM> Jiro screams.''

''[2009-07-24 20:50:58] <Bayushi_Sharuji> "The Bayushi don't run from the darkness. We master it."''

The bushi decided to drag the still-living Jiro all the way back to the city. The Fortunes willed that the man survive the painful journey, leaving a nasty trail of blood behind him. The bushi guarding the gate could not believe his eyes, and decided that going with Sharuji's request of an audience with the Emerald Magistrate was a good idea.

----

And as the plot thickens and the sun sets, soon it will be revealed that this are the last hours of peace for many people.

For tonight, Makaimura burns.