L5R Army of Midnight Chapter 3
When getting ready to sleep, Yuzuki is approached by Kaori - in an awkward manner, the Magistrate questions her about Shiba Akira. Not that she got much from our Kakita duelist, though - it's not like she knows him that well. Apologizing for asking such a question, Kaori left Yuzuki alone.
At his home, Akira found that his wife, Hoshi, wasn't even waiting for him. Maybe she was, but she didn't think of being up - she was in bed, reading a book or something. Awkward unhappy couple chat ensued - Hoshi does not want to be where she is right now.
[2009-07-17 17:51:02] <Traveller_GM> Hoshi: "Just leave, *dear* husband. It is late, and I understand that you are to travel with the Magistrate tomorrow."
[2009-07-17 17:52:02] <Shiba_Akira> "Yes, yes dear, I...." That sentence never finishes, I just close the door and leave.
[2009-07-17 17:53:45] <Traveller_GM> *shamisen chord*
Next day, the party (the PCs, Kaori, her yojimbo Daidoji Takeo, and Shiba Kouichi) went back to the crime scene. [2009-07-17 18:06:48] <Traveller_GM> Kaori: "Not a single place where an ambush could be launched from. The killer must have challenged Asahina Benkei on the road."
...
[2009-07-17 18:08:43] <Shiba_Akira> "If I might, Doji-sama, perhaps his attention was called from outside the road"
[2009-07-17 18:09:32] <Shiba_Akira> "The blood splatters indicate that either the body was moved, or someone else, possibly his assailant, got hurt badly, but yet managed to flee"
...
[2009-07-17 18:12:42] <Kakita_Yuzuki> "That could mean the murderer is in the surrounding areas. Or perhaps the village."
Leaving behind Akira and Kouichi, the former tasked to commune with local kami and find out what happened, Yuzuki and her clansmen followed the road to Makaimura.
Akira then tried to commune both with the spirits of the road and the wind, which gave strange answers to his questions:
[2009-07-17 18:28:34] <Traveller_GM> Road: "I feel your steps before. I feel them now. I felt one man walking here. Another man is felt. Wrong man. Steps are felt. Hurried. A step back. A dash. No steps. A body falls."
[2009-07-17 18:55:05] <Traveller_GM> Air: "demon... servant of fu leng... how dare you... no... let me... no... die... no... must... run... must run far... go back... regret... mountains... must run..."
Suddenly, Takeo showed up: apparently, the suspect had been found in the village, and Akira was to go there post haste!
Yuzuki and company found the shack of Sanjuro, the eta in charge of the dirty business of handling corpses, on the outskirts of the village. Yuzuki peeked inside the ramshackle dwelling, seeing the corpse of Benkei on a table, covered by a sheet, and Sanjuro himself snoring like some snoring thing of Snoringdom.
[2009-07-17 18:39:33] * Kakita_Yuzuki gasps and makes a face at the smell. Fanning at the air near her face with one hand, she directs her next words to the sleeping man. "Hey, wake up!"
[2009-07-17 18:40:35] <Traveller_GM> Kakita_Yuzuki: With a gasp, the man wakes up. "Hey, what the fuck are you doing in my--- hey, darlin', what's a pretty thing like ya doin' in my fine 'stabliish--- oh shit."
Let us take a moment to remember that eta can be killed by anyone with absolutely no legal repercussion, especially by them katana-wielding samurai.
Sanjuro was quickly on the floor, apologizing profusely. Yuzuki demanded to see the body, and he obliged: she was forced to shut her eyes at the grisly view of Benkei's savaged face. As she and the others looked at the body, they suddenly became aware of a disturbance outside - people running and commenting, like something strange was going on... A ronin and a Scorpion duelling? With a nod of understanding, Takeo returned to the city, and Yuzuki and Kaori went for the duellists.
A samurai in black-red garb was entering the village: Bayushi Sharuji. *round of applause for the newcomer* People mumbled and gossiped where he walked: Scorpion samurai are not a common sight in these parts. But Sharuji had some very important reasons to be in this country.
A commotion drew his attention: people were getting away from an alley in a hurry.
[2009-07-17 18:41:58] <Traveller_GM> Bayushi_Sharuji: A mousey kid looks up at you. "It's a drunk ronin, nii-san! He's all with his sword up and everythin' like he was at war or somethin'"
...
[2009-07-17 18:45:52] * Bayushi_Sharuji looks at the kids questioningly. "In the future young one, i would advise againt calling any samuraai you meet 'nii-san' ". Sharuji then makes his way to the ronin.
Turning down the alley, Sharuji saw a ronin in a worn grey kimono, sword drawn and ready for any attack - but to his eyes, it was clear that the ronin was no mere drunk. When challenged by Sharuji, he sheathed his sword and adopted the classic Crane duelist stance, only reversed: he wore his saya on the right side.
A tense conversation followed, Sharuji trying to intimidate the ronin into submission and the ronin trying to unnerve the Scorpion bushi and accusing him and the very Emerald Empire of being in league with the Dark God himself (!) The situation escalated until the ronin couldn't take it any more.
[2009-07-17 19:13:38] * Bayushi_Sharuji says "I doubt Bayushi-sama would wants words from a scorpion unable to talk down a rambling ronin from a highly illegal duel."
[2009-07-17 19:14:10] <Traveller_GM> The ronin freezes for a second, then roars:
[2009-07-17 19:14:39] <Traveller_GM> "Don't you DARE USE THE NAME OF ONE OF THE HEAVENLY LORDS!"
And the fight was on! The ronin was fast as the devils and got a hit on Sharuji, wounding him badly and ruining his iaijutsu move. The ronin was about to finish him off when lighting-fast Yuzuki barrelled down the alley and struck at his sword hand, disarming him in one neat blow. And then...
[2009-07-17 20:09:16] * Kakita_Yuzuki feels the rush of success coursing through her as the ronin's weapon goes flying, but is surprised when she gets a clear gaze at the ronin. "...Asahina Benkei-san?" she murmurs.
[2009-07-17 20:09:37] <Shiba_Akira> (wat)
[2009-07-17 20:09:53] <Traveller_GM> The ronin stands frozen just for a moment.
[2009-07-17 20:10:04] <Traveller_GM> "...what did you call me?"
A moment that Sharuji seized, knocking the strange ronin out with the hilt of his katana.
[2009-07-17 19:56:44] <Traveller_GM> Kouichi: "Master, LOOK OUT!"
[2009-07-17 19:57:13] <Traveller_GM> When you turn to check, you only see a white mane--- and then the horse almost tramples you.
Bruised by a close encounter of the equine kind, Akira saw three Phoenix riders at full, magically enhanced speed towards Makaimura. Someone wanted to get to the village as fast as possible. And unfortunately, Akira had no way to catch up with them, but Kouichi had an idea...
[2009-07-17 20:16:17] <Shiba_Akira> I complain to Kouichi about needing a mount for myself one of these days.
[2009-07-17 20:17:24] <Traveller_GM> Kouichi stops suddenly, and looks around.
[2009-07-17 20:17:37] <Traveller_GM> Kouichi: "You know, master..."
[2009-07-17 20:17:55] <Traveller_GM> He puts his back to you and kneels, ready to carry you on his back
[2009-07-17 20:18:16] <Traveller_GM> "...no one has to know," he says bashfully.
[2009-07-17 20:18:36] <Kakita_Yuzuki> (Real samurai ride each other!)
[2009-07-17 20:18:50] * Shiba_Akira stands perplexed for a second, then hits him in the head "I still have my pride!"
[2009-07-17 20:19:15] <Traveller_GM> Kouichi: *OW* "My apologies, Shiba-sama! I forgot my place!"
Sharuji, Yuzuki and Kaori now stood before the now-harmless ronin, our PC shocked at what she had seen moments earlier. Kaori demanded to know Sharuji's name: he was an unknown player, after all. And then the Phoenix trio of riders arrived, a shugenja and two bushi armed to the teeth, demanding to know what had happened. Sharuji and Kaori explained, while Yuzuki tried to tell the Magistrate what she had seen, but then the shugenja (Asako Kinue) claimed that the ronin was a wanted criminal, and that the Phoenix would see to his punishment. And clearly, she was not making a request. Kaori, shocked at Yuzuki's discovery, tried to stop them, but to no avail. As the riders turned away, a bound and gagged ronin on the back of one of the horses, the PCs noticed a strange mon on the ronin's kimono - but the riders were gone before they could get a better look.
The wounded Akira and Kouichi finally arrived, only to see the Phoenix squad leave the village.
[2009-07-17 20:41:46] <Traveller_GM> They move on, either not listening or completely ignoring you.
[2009-07-17 20:42:00] <Shiba_Akira> "DON'T THEY TEACH YOU PEOPLE ANY RESPECT AT SCHOOL ANYMORE? SINCE WHEN IS IT OKAY TO RUN OLD MEN OVER WITH HORSES?"
They would not answer.