Arc 1, Session 4, L5R

 Hida Hotaru’s Private Records, August 5th

With the danger absent for the moment, we all returned to sleep. In the morning, Shosuro Kiyuki & I carefully examined the shuriken. Though we knew it was coated in some kind of poison, it wasn’t until I recognized the smell of one of the ingredients that we were able to identify it: some of its ingredients must also be in my night-time draughts. The drug was a type of heavy sedative. Non-lethal, but certain to put someone out of commission for several hours.

Though discussion regarding our options continued for a brief time, it was decided that not appearing at breakfast would likely do us a discredit. While we ate, Kasuga Hayata spent some more time speaking with Moshi Jukio. He convinced her to use vision on a piece of the rubble from the Sparrow’s stone.

She was able to determine that nothing supernatural had touched the stone- but she confirmed that there had been a hollow inside the stone, for several days. On top of that, apparently something had been kept within the hollow, only being removed the night of the 3rd. Kitsune Ryosei agreed that she felt no lingering presence of any spirits, thus confirming her own capabilities.

At the other end of the table, Utaku Megumi & Shosuro Kiyuki spoke with Kaikoga Ochiai. Though they spoke of many things, the Scorpion appeared most interested in the Moth’s dreams while at the wedding. Kaikoga Ochai explained that she uses a sleeping draught designed by her clan to strengthen her connection to the realm of Yume-Do. Her dreams thus far had been mildly disconcerting. Of note, she claimed that she saw all the guests of the wedding, missing our faces.

The meal ended, & we each wound apart for a short time. Yudai engaged in a brief sparring match with Toritaka Ochiyo. Usagi Oda could also be spotted using the grounds to train. Yudai found his skills close to that of the Falcon, but his strength won out in the end. Afterwards, he made mention of the possible spiritual disturbance around the waterfall, in hopes she might investigate.

Close to noon, Monsho no Rumiko opened the proceedings with a display of her skills as a Tide Seer. With fluid movements, she summoned forth a white cloud above her head. It sped around the garden at her command, before splitting into smaller fragments. Darkening, the wisps became as storm clouds, dripping with a light rain.

As a crescendo, the Mantis summoned all of the clouds above her in a pattern. There was a moment of silence, before arcs of purple lightning soared from her hands. The bolts pierced each cloud in a blur, leaving our skies returned to normal. Fureheshu Garou appeared most interested in this display.

Next was Moshi Jukio. Where the Mantis had flowed, the Centipede stood near stock-still. With no fanfare, two pillars of flame seared the air on either side of her. The fires began to twist & dance around her in concert. I was not alone in gasping when they began to coil inwards towards the Daimyo.

Our fears were unwarranted: with delicate movements, the flames began to weave themselves into a dome around the Centipede’s form. Between them, living shadow appeared to fill the “gaps in the netting”. Once Moshi Jukio had been completely obscured within her dome, both the fire & darkness disappeared without warning.

Asako Rekai had near jumped to her feet as this occurred. After minutes of silence, there was an audible “crack” coming from within our group. The Daimyo had reappeared by her seat, modestly bowing before setting herself down. Awed by these performances, we now moved to split up for the rest of the day’s events.

Calligraphy, Painting, & Origami would all be practiced at separate areas of the courtyard. While we milled about, Utaku Megumi spotted Fureheshu Garou cornering Monsho no Rumiko into an uncomfortable conversation. The Unicorn inserted herself into the discussion, much to the Mantis’ visible relief & the Badger’s consternation. Utaku Megumi complimented the skill of the shugenja display earlier. Monsho no Rumiko gladly threw herself into talk of this as a distraction.

It became evident that the Badger had insisted that the Mantis sit with him at dinner this evening. There was a gleam of mischief in her eye as Utaku Megumi changed tack: with friendly exuberance, she stated that she & Monsho no Rumiko would absolutely love to join him later. Interestingly, both of the other samurai scowled- though I don’t know why Fureheshu Garou was disappointed with this turn.

Following this, the Unicorn joined with Shosuro Kiyuki, acting as an impromptu Yojimbo. Together, they made their way to the Calligraphy event, where Daidoji Hansha would be displaying his prowess. I chose to attend the Origami area. Less a display & more of a lesson, it was a quiet, comfortable affair. Tonbo Todori took the lead in guiding those of us unfamiliar with the art.

After advising Shosuro Kiyuki to speak to Asako Rekai, Yudai chose to pay a visit to Edakumi Dayu. The Sparrow had not been seen since his incident yesterday. Though this was likely simply due to embarrassment, it would be better to nip any suspicion in the bud. Obtaining directions from a servant, Yudai made his way to one of the other guest villas.

Only one room was currently occupied, making the search quick. He knocked on the door, & the Sparrow answered. Despite the man’s disheveled appearance, Yudai asked to join him for a moment’s discussion. While this was occurring, Kasuga Hayata chose to investigate a different way. Similarly asking for directions to the kitchen from Shizuko the maid, he stopped by to speak with the chef, Kou. Though their conversation was generally light, Kou could not help but lose himself in a rage when the topic of the quartermaster came up.

Increasingly of late, stores of food he had planned to use were getting spoiled & thrown away without his knowledge. Kou had raised the topic to some of the Crane samurai staffing the castle, but with no resolution. In thanks for overlooking his outburst, Kou gave the Tortoise some of the leftover food from the staff’s breakfast. Each meal, Kou would prepare a second wave of food for his fellow servants- better fed workers tended to be more agreeable to work with after all.

After sympathizing with Edakumi Dayu, Yudai began to ask questions about the stone. The Sparrow was distraught, but explained that his usual contact for art supplies had been unavailable leading up to the wedding. Instead, he had purchased this block from a new vendor, a woman. Yudai asked if he could describe how she looked.

The artist was able to quickly render a detailed drawing of her in lieu of such a description. Though the work was incredibly well-made, the woman’s face appeared…almost too plain. This was the sort of face one could see in any town across the Emerald Empire. It was a reasonable assumption that a disguise had been used.

There was little else of note to be heard here, so Yudai took his leave. As he was passing through the community rooms on the ground floor, he noticed the faint plucking of a biwa. Kakita Nisobu was seated in the room, facing a corner.

In the courtyard, Asako Rekai was…tepid to Shosuro Kiyuki. Some verbal sparring quickly commenced. By the end of their talk, it was clear how the Phoenix felt about the Scorpion. Whatever the final thing she said to Shosuro Kiyuki was, it seemed to take the young girl by surprise.

Meanwhile, Daidoji Hansha used deft brushstrokes to render a favorite poem into a work of calligraphy. Unsurprisingly, Kakita Maru praised his works loudly- causing the groom to fight hard to keep his eyes from rolling.

Shosuro Kiyuki spoke briefly with him regarding his art, & the study thereof. The invested questions were clearly not something the Crane had expected. He spoke with the Scorpion lightly of his passion, eager to share something he treasured. Before he had to take his leave, Shosuro Kiyuki asked if he could perhaps suggest her some starter’s supplies. In turn, he offered to visit the storerooms with her at a calmer moment of the wedding, to gift her with the supplies directly.

Leaving the kitchen, Kasuga Hayata asked Shizuko if she was feeling better than the day prior. The maid assured him that she was, but seemed very on edge. With some gentle questioning, the Tortoise was able to convince her to speak her mind.

Though she was loathe to say it, Shizuko believed someone might have done something to her food or drink on the night of the 3rd. The symptoms she suffered felt much less like food poisoning, & much more…intended. Having shared this, she led Kasuga Hayata to the storerooms, & took her leave.

Inside, a short, stocky woman sat behind a desk. Her face bore a seemingly vacant expression, but she jumped to attention upon seeing she had a guest. The servant introduced herself as the quartermaster, Yoko. Of the staff, only she & Kou had been working here before the wedding. Kasuga Hayata could not fail to notice the smell of spirits on her breath.

Subtly using his status, he managed to take a quick look around the storeroom. For some reason, this clearly set Yoko on edge. As a gift- or a distraction- she quickly offered up a drink to the samurai. His moderation allowed him to keep his wits, while she was quickly shedding hers.

In the community room, Yudai approached Kakita Nisobu’s back. They exchanged greetings, & he could tell that there was something off in her responses. As solid as the Kaiu Wall, he walked around to sit facing her. The bard did her best to conceal how this affected her nerves as the conversation continued.

As they talked, he noticed that Kakita Nisobu was wearing quite a lot of make-up. Up until now, she had worn barely any at the wedding. On top of that, her biwa playing seemed slightly less skilled than it had days prior. He continued to press her with his words, slowly but surely.

By now, Yoko was quite drunk. The mention of Kou sent her into a tirade that mirrored the chef’s. Inside a small pantry, she showed Kasuga Hayata her surprisingly organized scrolls of inventory records. When the Tortoise leaned further on the topic of the food spoiling, Yoko insisted that it was simply a growing rat problem.

Strangely though, Kasuga Hayata could see absolutely no evidence of a rat infestation. No hair, tracks, droppings, or even traps. Yoko continued to insist she was taking care of the issue, & began to lead her guest to the exit. Walking out the door caused the samurai to bump into a servant who had been walking by, sending her to the ground. She rose to her feet & bowed in apology. Smiling, she lifted her head to meet his gaze- revealing the face of Kakita Nisobu.

Our other allies wandered the gardens as the artistic events continued. From behind them, Usagi Oda called out a greeting. His face looked wan, & his shoulders were set in a stiff line. Entreating them for a moment of privacy, he led them to a small sitting area within the garden.

Politely, he explained that Utaku Megumi & Shosuro Kiyuki were the only two samurai he had felt a bond with thus far. Given that, he felt it prudent to warn them: periodically, he would wake in the early hours of the morning. To help his mind circle back towards dream, he would take a short walk outside.

Last evening, his stroll took him towards the Temple to Kisshōten. Imagine his surprise to find himself not alone upon arriving. In the darkness, he could see a figure dressed in tattered blue robes, covered in matted hair. The Hare & his clan were preeminent hunters of corrupt magics. It was his fear that some such specter was now haunting the castle, & the wedding. He mentioned that his plan was to speak to the host regarding the matter. Thus, a night-time vigil on the Temple could be put into effect for everyone’s safety.

The two women managed to convince him that there was no need for him to do so: Shosuro Kiyuki cited the already-increased guard patrols as evidence that actions were already being taken. Seemingly satisfied, the Daimyo thanked them for their time, & took his leave.

Kakita Nisobu continued to play simple tunes on her biwa, affecting disinterest in Yudai’s questions. She maintained that façade, even as Yudai summoned one of Ruko’s men, asking him to fetch his commander.

Yet, by the storerooms, Kakita Nisobu grinned cheekily at Kasuga Hayata.

The Tortoise demanded to know what she was doing dressed as a servant. A wink was the only thing missing from her elusive replies. Though she had no real reason to do so, she agreed to follow Kasuga Hayata at his demand.

Soon the pair had found Ruko, standing guard over Otomo Sorai at the Painting displays. He was amongst the crowd watching Mirumoto Hino create a beautiful painting of her homeland’s mountains. A hushed conversation later, Ruko had called upon another guard to take his place.

While he & the Tortoise led Kakita Nisobu away for private interrogation, another one of the Imperial guards came running up. Ruko flashed a wry smile, as he quickly changed directions. To nearly everyone’s shock, a motley group now stood together in one of the community rooms: Ruko, Yudai, Kasuga Hayata, & two Kakita Nisobus.

Ruko ordered the women to explain the situation. The Kakita Nisobu dressed as a servant flippantly sat next to the other, throwing her arm over her shoulders. The women in Kakita Nisobu’s attire wiped her makeup away, revealing a different face beneath.

Kakita Nisobu insisted that no blame should fall on the actress, Warai, who had been found by Yudai. The Crane had paid her to wear her clothing, & drift around the day’s events at a distance. As explanation for why she had done so, the bard insisted that the best place to overhear “stories” was in places most didn’t look- something she accused the Tortoise of doing as well.

Kasuga Hayata countered by stating that, though he had been wool-gathering amongst the servants, he had done so as himself. Kakita Nisobu was instead doing so under false pretenses. Arguments began to fly back & forth between the Crab, Crane, & Tortoise.

Interestingly, the bard indicated that she had noticed all of us had been working together on some secret task. Ruko & Warai observed in silence for some time, until the guard slammed the butt of his spear on the floor.

“Your reasons notwithstanding, you have yet to say anything to convince me you should not be locked up for further questioning.” Seeing that things were getting a bit more serious than she had intended, the bard began to hint that perhaps the actress was to fault after all. Kakita Nisobu had only paid her to wear her clothes, not lie to noble samurai…

Under the suggestion of Kasuga Hayata & Yudai, Ruko summoned another guard to hold Warai in another room. With that bargaining chip gone, the Crane appeared ready to concede defeat. Unless, that was, she had something in her quarters that might be of interest to Ruko. Warily, the three men followed her up to her room, hands on their weapons.

Surveying her room, the group saw nothing of suspicion. While they did so, the bard gathered up a notebook. Opening it revealed extensive notes in a ciphered format. Ruko stepped across the room with her for a whispered conversation- though he made sure to give Yudai his spear as a precaution.

Whatever passed between the two was enough to convince Ruko to leave. Now playing the put-upon damsel, Kakita Nisobu insisted the other men leave her room, lest a rumor spread. Before parting, she bandied words with Kasuga Hayata once again. Impressed, she offered him a bit of information as a gift: pick any of the samurai in attendance, & the Crane would share some secrets she had learned of them.

Weighing the dangers of such an offer, the Tortoise asked what she knew of Shosuro Kiyuki. She recounted nothing he hadn’t known already…though she somehow knew the Scorpion had snuck out of the castle multiple times. Odder still, she claimed her sources did not know to where Shosuro Kiyuki absconded to.

With a nod, the cartographer left her to her room. Downstairs, Yudai & Kasuga Hayata caught up to Ruko. There was little the guard could share of what the Crane had said. All he could tell them was that she had some compromising information about Otomo Sorai. An oath to keep that information hidden meant she would not be arrested- yet.

At dinner, everyone in our party seemed slightly out of sorts. Utaku Megumi was surprised to see that Monsho no Rumiko did not make an appearance, forcing her to eat with the Badger alone. When the meal concluded, we returned to our villa once more.

With everyone updated on the day’s events, we began to speak of the night to come. I am sitting, recording these notes, as the rest of our group prepare. There is a risk our erstwhile intruder might pay another visit to seek out Shosuro Kiyuki. Let us make sure it will be a risk to they as well.