Arc 6, Session 28, L5R

Official Records, Crystal Magistrate’s Office

October 20^th, 1119

The samurai of the Crystal Office returned after a prolonged absence. It is unclear what kept them so long in Shinomen Mori, but what details they have shared indicate their mission was generally a success. Would that there were time to get a full recounting. For now, we can only record that they entered Shinomen Mori on June 3^rd, & exited ton October 16^th.

 

It was difficult securing a force of ashigaru based on my suspicions, even one this small. If we cannot produce solid evidence within the next few days we will be forced to release them to their original standing orders.

 

Our research suggests that a forward party of the looming Yokai army may have taken up residence in Rengai Mura. We leave this day to confirm the existence of the threat.

 

October 21^st, 1119

The village seemed unusually quiet as we approached. No heimin were seen, despite the day’s clear weather. Opening the door to one of the farmer’s homes revealed that we were unfortunately right in our suspicions.

 

A mass of people, covered in scratches & bruises, came barreling out in a rage. Their eyes were fevered & yellow: if they retained any of their mind, we could not tell. A strange, simian beast compelled them into battle. An Enko, I believe. As the Yokai’s howls rang out, more mobs of possessed heimin came streaming from the surrounding area. Each was driven by another simian beast.

 

We marshalled our forces to draw them in. Some ways into the battle, it became clear that fire signals were being communicated from both the Governor’s holding & a temple in the nearby forest of Kokoro Nezuban Mori. Our army pushed to capture the Governor’s buildings atop a small plateau.

 

Our attempts were unsuccessful, but the monsters seemed unprepared for an assault by trained forces. Two of the Yokai were slain. The others- along with their heimin- retreated towards the temple.

 

We searched the houses while Lady Amaterasu made ready to sleep. Thankfully, a large chunk of the villagers proved both alive & unaffected by the Yokai madness. They were able to explain that the monkeys had arrived just under a week prior. Most of the heimin we faced today arrived alongside them, meaning they had already attacked elsewhere.

 

The survivors let us know that one Yokai in particular seemed to command the others: a Sarugami. True to the myths, the cretin had brought all of the village’s young women to the temple to serve as his larder.

 

Here, we had two objectives. One of the slain Yokai needed to be brought back to the capital to secure further lease on the ashigaru- & reinforcements. We also could not leave the village under these beasts’ sway. As such, a small group would head South-East with all speed, while the remainder would put an end to the Sarugami & his ilk.

 

Shosuro Kiyuki, Ikoma Choshi, & Otomo Kuni left with the corpse of an Iju. Kasuga Hayata was left with command of the ashigaru forces, to be supported by Hida Yudai, Ikoma Takeshi, & Utaku Megumi.

 

October 22^nd, 1119

As expected, the Yokai sallied forth from the forest to again assault the village. Our forces had spent the waning daylight the day prior preparing defenses with the residents’ aid. This was of great use as the maddened bodies began to filter in.

 

Kasuga Hayata arranged for his forces to hold ground far from the temple. Once all of the Yokai’s forces had begun battering his fortification’s walls, the bushi were released. Utaku Megumi & Hida Yudai gathered the focus of the beasts while also cutting them down. This left Ikoma Takeshi’s cohort free to circle around to the temple.

 

There is one thing to be grateful for about the Sarugami: they kill solely for food, not sport. Though the ape had kidnapped all of the village’s young women, only a few had been killed thus far. Ikoma Takeshi engaged the Yokai in single combat & proved its better. One Yokai remained outside of Kasuga Hayata’s defenses. It & its heimin were suddenly killed by a flurry of Wasp arrows. The arrival of Wasp samurai was aid unlooked for.

 

Shosuro Kiyuki & Otomo Kuni returned around this point. In tow, they brought more ashigaru as reinforcements, along with parties from other clans. Daidoji Hansha brought with him troops well-trained in taking & defending fortifications. Kakita Maru led a group of fiery warriors. Usagi Taiko came with a contingent focused heavily on support. These groups set about turning Rengai Mura into a staging ground for our coming maneuvers. Tsuruchi Shiko & her Wasp samurai camped instead a ways outside of the village.

 

The samurai gathered for both dinner & a war council. No representative attended from the Wasp: Hida Yudai relayed that Tsuruchi Shiko had explained her forces were to head North-West at dawn. Her stated orders were to seek out & destroy the Yokai forces.

 

Otomo Kuni went over everything her research had revealed. In ages past, a Jorogumo attempted to take over Rokugan with an army of fellow Yokai. Details were difficult to find of exactly how she was defeated, but it seemed that she had been sealed away in some manner near Fire Tooth Castle. How she had gotten free now was unknown. It is reasonable to assume it is in some way related to the recent issues the Dragon have been experiencing with their heimin.

 

We will take a day or two to recover & prepare before setting out. Otomo Kuni is certain the bulk of the Yokai’s forces are hiding within the Dragon mountains. The library at Fire Tooth Castle is the most likely place to contain more detailed records of how the Jorogumo was banished before. Given both of these considerations, our forces are planning to visit the Agasha lands accordingly.

 

The war council closed with each samurai having agreed to this plan. Those present retired for the evening, save Ikoma Takeshi. He believed further discussion with the Wasp may lead to them joining our plans. Surely, we can be more effective if we work together. We will see what he reports in the morning. Kasuga Hayata has suggested that, should the Wasp leave on their own, we send a few scouts to track their movements. 

Hopefully Ikoma Takeshi’s visit will convince Tsuruchi Shiko of our merits & there will be no need to do so.

The Night of October 22nd, 1119: Following the Wasp by the Stinger

(The following is from an RP thread between Takeshi's player & Tsuruchi Shiko. Italicized portions were written by the GM. Non-italicized portions were written by the player of Ikoma Takeshi.)

True to her words, Tsuruchi Shiko begins leading her brethren away from the outskirts of Red Brick Village. The samurai do not even take the time to gather the tents they had prepared, carrying only the weapons, armor, & packs they already bear. Their pace is a full march.

 

None of the Wasps make any move to prevent Takeshi from trailing them. At their fore, the bounty hunter sets the path North-West. It certainly appears they’re aiming for Dragon Lands: the Drowned Merchant River lies roughly a week’s standard travel from here.

 

Bearing no pack or provisions, Takeshi is traveling light indeed. Lord Moon is high overhead, with midnight not far off. What would you like to do?

 

Takeshi considers his options even as his feet carry him away faster than his thoughts initially can process. The Wasp is a threat, that is certain, whether it be through dark magics, foolish arrogance, or cold rage. He could still fall back, report to Otomo Kuni and the others, and let the scouts do their job. That would be wiser.

 

And yet, his feet still carried him onward.

 

Stopping for only a moment and allowing the Wasps to march forward, Takeshi's fingers grasp his wakazashi and draw steel only to quickly sheath it in the shallow mud of the rice paddy. He leaves it there as he marches on, somewhat obscured from the path but not hidden well from trained -- or seeking -- eyes.

 

"My companions will follow us, I am certain. Right now, a party of scouts is moving to follow you, as we had planned."

 

Takeshi speaks calmly despite the long jog he had to take to catch up. He falls into an ordered march a blade's length to the right of the bounty hunter, quietly focusing much of his mental resources on the meditative techniques he's using to keep up the illusion of vigor -- vigor a day of battle has already sapped away.

 

"It is good, then. You will not lack witnesses. It would be a shame for such a glorious suicide to be forgotten. I am myself honored to bear witness for you, honorable samurai-ko."

 

”I would caution you not to put much faith in those four,” she replies in a cold tone. “They are a coterie of liars & fools, with no honor amongst them. Their ancestors’ eyes turn away in shame.” Though she is speaking to Takeshi, the Wasp continues to face forwards.

 

“It matters not who follows us. You, them, or any other. I will continue to lead my men as ordered. If you are expecting to meet a glorious end at our side, it shall not be granted to you. Nor us.”

 

Tsuruchi Shiko says nothing for several minutes. The only sound Takeshi can make out besides the cohort’s footsteps is his heart, beating rapidly.

 

“My orders expressly forbade killing those in the Crystal office, though they all deserve it,” she eventually continues. “As do you, if you name them as allies. I will not strike you down, but I offer you no grace. We will not slow for you. Your scouts are welcome to find our trail in the daylight, & you in our wake. Unless you stand alongside the Yokai. Then, my master’s commands are clear.”

 

"I have only known those samurai, my compatriots, since I met them at the winter court of Kaiu Asano this past year. I came into the service of the Crystal Magistrate there by way of a well-intentioned but green magistrate named Otomo Kuni. I felt that I could help this new office, so I joined her service."

 

"They have told me of you, enough that I know you have reasons not to trust them, but you describe them as if they were a new breed of Yokai loosed upon the Empire. What have they done to earn such a deep hatred?"

 

Takeshi speaks with an interest, or even an analytical intent that he makes no attempt to hide. Perhaps he has yet to render a final judgement on his new allies.

 

The Wasp wastes no time in responding.

 

“I wonder how much they told you, & how much was truth. My grievances from our past encounter are many, but are as drops of rain when held against their failure to repay the debt they incurred. I am a proud samurai. My clan is small, & has struggled since birth to survive. It is not in my nature, nor any of my brethren, to request aid. Let alone from those affiliated with the Lion or Scorpion.” Tsuruchi Shiko spares a second to glance at Takeshi to punctuate this point.

 

“Yet, when I discovered a threat lurking in our lands, I sent a letter to those ‘allies’, she says bitterly. “Called upon them to make amends for the dishonor they had laid upon me & my people by aiding us in our moment of need.”

 

She is silent for a few beats.

 

“They did not come to our aid. They did not even deign to respond. And now, the Wasp has suffered greatly as a result. The only small measure of relief I carry in my breast is from knowing my lord & his retinue have not joined the rest of us in our shame.”

 

Those words hang in the air for a moment before Takeshi speaks with a gentle conviction, "I was with them by then, and I read your letter. We had many tasks put to us by our lady, the magistrate, and had only the time to settle one. But...you are just in your anger." Takeshi's eyes turn from the road ahead to the mud below.

 

An internal conflict plays out behind Takeshi's eyes as he processes her words and remembers back to the heated debate earlier that year, the anger and passion that he had displayed for the peasants, the sting of disappointment he felt in his companions. A pang of guilt fills him. He knows that if the debate had gone his way he would have been just as guilty as they are now, and that this young samurai-ko and her clan would still have befallen whatever fate they have.

 

Yet the life of samurai is full of such shameful decisions like that one, and the suffering that the Wasp have endured. He has not been afraid to make such decisions, not for many years. Not since Kokoro. Not since Fate Gorge. It is not the unfairness of it that he feels rising up in his chest like bile. It is not seeing the cost of it written in the dead eyes of the 'samurai' that walk behind them. It is the words of the Unicorn:

 

"The death of samurai matter more to the empire than the death of peasants," she said, "It doesn't feel great, but I must recognize duty for what it is."

 

"I will not insult your honor further by justifying our decision. Every one of us argued in favor of the other crises." Takeshi says abruptly, pushing the feeling back down deep below. He pauses for a moment, his eyes turning back to the path ahead in a hardened glare, "All except for Hida Yudai. He alone remembered his honor when the time came."

 

When Tsuruchi Shiko responds, her voice does not sound softer; rather, more alive in some way.

 

“I too, know how Rokugan commands samurai to rise & kneel at the same time,” she says. “There is always a crisis. Always a thousand looming threats. One blade appears to have small providence on its own. But we both know that even a single strike in the right place can change the path of history.”

 

“Perhaps the fortunes had a reason to keep the Crystal Magistrate away from my lands. Perhaps, to eyes far enough removed, the coins have fallen as they were meant. And perhaps you & the Crab possess more merit than I have claimed.”

 

For a second, one second only, the Wasp & her ilk hesitate in their steps. This close to her, Takeshi can easily see as Tsuruchi Shiko’s eyes flash momentarily red. A breath. Her companions begin marching again, at double speed.

 

In a supreme act of will, the bounty hunter freezes. Her body trembles with one leg half-way through a step. Slowly, painfully, her head turns that she may look Takeshi in the eyes.

 

 “If you see my Lord…ensure he knows that it is not on his neck my clan’s fall should lay.” Even as she speaks, Takeshi can see her body fighting to continue onwards. “And if you see my master…do what I cannot.”

 

 Even a will as strong as hers has its limits. Even the strongest blade must eventually bend. And thus, Tsuruchi Shiko jogs after her fallen family, disappearing into the blackness of the night.

 

END INTERLUDE