L5R Army of Midnight Chapter 1

[2009-07-03 17:19:21] <Traveller_GM> The year is 1119, during the reign of our Emperor Hantei XXXVIII, Son of Heaven.

[2009-07-03 17:19:59] <Traveller_GM> It's winter now, the social season in Rokugan, where courtiers and diplomats struggle for favors and dominance against each other.

[2009-07-03 17:21:15] <Traveller_GM> The Emperor is expected to attend Matsu Shiro, as a gesture to the Lion Clan after the last skirmish between them and the Crane.

[2009-07-03 17:22:22] <Traveller_GM> Of course, all the important people in the Emerald Empire want to be there, in order to gain the trust of the Son of Heaven.

[2009-07-03 17:22:26] <Traveller_GM> YOU, on the other hand...

Kakita Yuzuki, Kakita duelist and servant of the Emperor, stood watch on a lonely waystation in Phoenix lands. Inside of the station, Shiba Akira, an old Isawa shugenja that volunteered for the job just to have something to do, was writing on his journal how utterly boring everything was. Save for the arrival of one Asahina Benkei, a jovial shugenja of the Crane clan, nothing seemed to break the monotony of that day.

Until, later on, Jin (a local carpenter and acquaintance of the party) came in a hurry: apparently, a boy (Taro) had gone missing in the mountains. The sun was setting down, and without winter clothing he wouldn't make it past the night. Our PCs and Benkei were willing to go find the kid, but Isawa Junko, the station chief, had Benkei follow on his way.

[2009-07-03 18:15:02] <Traveller_GM> Junko: "And what kind of hosts would the Phoenix be if we had a guest running around at these hours, young Akira?"

Leaving Jin behind to watch the station and Junko, the duo left for the mountains.

[2009-07-03 18:20:14] <Shiba_Akira> As soon as we leave, I complain about politics getting in the way of doing the right thing.

The duo tryingly traced Taro's trail until they found disturbing evidence: blood, and footprints larger than the boy's. They followed them into a cave, where they spotted two goblins (!) cooking some sort of vile stew. Akira's old bones weren't made for sneaking, though, and they were alerted to their presence - but the foul creatures were no match for two trained samurai. And, thank goodness, Taro was found alive, though badly bruised, and not part of the stew.

Back at the station, everyone was relieved at the happy outcome, but another peasant (Kimiko) came in running, very distressed. She had found the dead body of a samurai on the road between Makaimura and the City of Remembrance. A samurai in light-blue clothing...

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