Oriental Adventures (Restart)

[Rapscallion]

Chion

"I look forward to seeing your land Vrishma. This should be quite the journey."

Chion will say in between bites.


((The statues behind Genki in the vison. Samurai, Monk, Wu-Jen, these are percieved by Chion to be the dragons.))

[Cyrus112]

((Any more interaction or shall I move the story along?))

[Ozzy_G]

(Since we've ascertained that we're all going, I'm happy to move along.)

[Rapscallion]

((Move em out...))

[Cyrus112]

Genki rises with the rest of the group after the meal ends.

"I'll be escorting you all to the borders of my little domain here. There is something...off somewhere close by, and I feel whatever it is is no friend to us. I will make sure you all get safely on your way. The Kusatte Iru must not be reawakened."

[The_Shaman]

No place safe is, I think, whenever we there be. Well, let us go, I say. He rises and breathes in slowly. Right now, most worried I am about the outcomes, should the sacred jade removed be. Wise Genki, would our taking the jade not weaken the defense of the lands where it is, I ask?

[Ozzy_G]

Masaya gets up, and fetches his backpack.

[Rapscallion]

Chion

Chion will reach down and pickup up his backpack and put it up to his shoulder. He will rest his naginata in the crook of his arm.

[tonberryking]

The is a moment of deep reflection in Masumi's pause to answer. However she does give an answer to Masaya.

"I suppose one way to appraise the situation is that were these yokai, these demons to spread their filth over Rokugan, someone with my skills would have more demand, even considering who I am. I thought about that this morning, and yet... I wish to truck nothing with their likes for though I'm not human... or rather, AS human as the most of you, I am a being of honor, moreso than anything the Shadowlands could ever hope to imitate. It wouldn't look good then if I didn't at least offer to help."


Masumi flicks one of her plaits idly.

"Besides, another way to appraise all of this is that if the hellspawn stir up enough destruction there won't be anyont left to teach my style. And I can't have that, certainly."

[Ozzy_G]

Masaya says nothing, only nods.

[androgial]

Ikeira

"Then again masumi, if you didnt come with us you wouldnt have a chance to knock me senseless on a daily basis.Something im sure your looking forward to given the bamboo you picked out for the bokken.Shall we get moving then?"

Ikeira also retireves his pack and is ready to leave.

[Rapscallion]

Chion

Chion will nod and smile at Masumi's words. Then he will cast his gaze towards Masaya.

[Ozzy_G]

Is everyone ready? Shall we leave now?

[The_Shaman]

After getting an answer, or realizing there will be none, Vrishma nods and goes to pick up his backpack, chuckling likely. And yet something tells me you less than unwilling to bear those wounds are, Ikeira, it does.

[androgial]

(it took me a second and a third reading of that sentence to realize what was said and then find it is gramaticaly perfect for that particular mode of speech lol)

[Cyrus112]

((Apologies for not posting sooner. I am home right now so I won't be posting as often as normal. I'll be back end of the week))

Genki nods and leads you all out of the temple. Nobutada goes off on his own and takes off at a fast gallop.

"May the Spirits protect him on his long journey," Genki says as he mounts a horse quite agilely for an old man. Your horses are all waiting for you, looking well fed and well rested. Genki starts off to the North, keeping a wary eye out.

[Ozzy_G]

Masaya goes and relieves himself in the snow, and then clumsily gets on his horse. Everyone ready?

[The_Shaman]

Vrishma looks at the horses appraisingly, but turns his head at Masaya's question. He nods as if agreeing, but puts out his palm and heads quickly to the stairs down.

((He will go fetch his animal companion, and perform other personal rituals of hygiene before coming back up.))

[Rapscallion]

Chion

Chion will approach his horse and run his hand down the horse's neck while whispering soothing noises and checks the hooves for rocks. Chion will then mount up and brab the reigns and let his horse follow Genki's.

[Cyrus112]

You all follow Genki North along a different path than the one you took to get to the temple in the first place. Genki's face is troubled as you all travel along and his expression becomes wary as you stop in front of an old woman next to a carriage. Her horse is dead.

"Excuse me, young masters, would any of you happen to be able to help me out? My poor old horse died and it's a half days journey back to my village."

Genki dismounts and heads back to the rest of the group.

"Be careful while we deal with her. I sense she may be the off feeling I've been sensing. If things here go poorly, head along this road until you come to a four way intersection with a giant stone head of a statue sitting in the middle of it. take the left fork and you will eventually come to Vrishma's land."

He turns around and heads back towards the lady, but maintains a good distance.

"How did your horse die?"

"Heh...oh, he was just old. I shouldn't have brought him on this journey in the first place."

"Where were you heading? There's nothing around for miles."

The old lady's gaze rests on the group.

"Ah, they look like strapping young men that can help a poor old woman like myself."

[tonberryking]

Masumi coughs indignantly.

However she doesn't seem to get along well with horses much, to no one's real surprise as she dismounts from her own ride to look closer at the old woman. Maybe it's akin to the old addage "it takes one to know one" but the ronin feels something suspicious about this.

Spoiler

Show

Sense Motive (1d20+4=9)

You travel about in a carriage all by yourself? In these hills?

[Rapscallion]

Chion

Chion will dismount and go over to inspect the dead or dying horse. He will look it over while pacing the length of it. He will look to woman several times as he walks. "What can we do ?".

[androgial]

Ikeira

Ikeira also dismounts but instead of moving foreward he merely takes up masumi's reins and walks the horse back to his own before remounting, and making sure his pipe is lit.

[Ozzy_G]

Masaya gets off his horse, but makes no move to help, and does not speak.

One can never be too careful... what was the name of it. Dokafu? Something like that. A giant spider oni that disguises itself in the guise of an old woman.

[The_Shaman]

Vrishma dismounts, and looks down at his companion. What do you think, my friend, does this human smell right to you, I ask? he says to it in his own language, his voice in a concerned his sing-song manner.

Looking back at the woman, he studies her face for a moment before looking at the carrieage. He goes forward, slowly, and will stop a few feet away from the horse as he looks at the dead animal - then its owner.

((Heal check: determine cause of death and ideally age of the animal: 16))

Indeed, quite the pity, I say. But right my fried is to ask, I think - in such weather what makes you travel, old goodwife?

[Cyrus112]

The old woman smiles, and you see mostly black, rotting teeth.

"I'm in search of something."

Vrishma, Shimikawa is emitting a low growl and not taking (is it a he or she? I don't remember) its eyes off of the old woman.

Vrishma, as far as you can tell, the horse wasn't that old, and there are two large puncture wounds in its neck.

Genki speaks up.

"All of you, get on your horses and continue down the road. I'll catch up when I can."

The old woman hisses.

"They will be my gift to Shu Leng!"

She shimmers and wavers and in her place is standing a rather large spider (I don't remember if the size category is large or huge).

Genki yells. "Flee! Get to the lands of the Vanarans! I will hold this monster off as best I can!"

He then leaps off of his horse and flips onto the back of the spider and sends a fist crashing into its head. The spider makes a squeal of pain but throws Genki off and charges at him.

"Run!" he says as he engages again with the spider.

((Those with the tattoos will notice that they are pulsing and achy right now))

[tonberryking]

(I KNEW it. Reading the Rokugan monster manual when i was bored paid off)

Masumi seems incensed over this ploy, possibly because she didn't realize the trick herself (apparently in some cases it doesn't take one to know one.) to this extent and nearly leaps back on her horse before something stops her. Namely that their patron is taking on a gargantuan gastropod and she's been advised to flee.

"We can't just LEAVE you!!"

[androgial]

Ikeira

"ride!"

ikeira casts a spell after dropping masumi's reins terra cotta warrior and sends his horse moving at a gallop down the road calling out behind him " Terra cotta warrior, assist genki with the spider!"

[Ozzy_G]

Yes we can! shouts Masaya at Masumi. He runs and jumps up onto his horse with perfect motion, kicking it into action. Ride like the wind! The Empire's at stake!

(Out of interest, was I right? Was it called a Dokafu? I haven't read that entry for like a year, so... also, Masaya's not acting very honourably, what with the leaving the old man to die tactic, it's not very samurai-like.)

[Rapscallion]

Chion

((OOC:No Masaya is following the third discipline of the Samurai, GIRI- or Duty. He is placing the welfare of the Empire before that of the Sage he just met. Easy descion on his part.))

Chion will in single motion leap back to his horse and swings himself onto the saddle. "Hai," He sill then turn his mount and give the horse the tethers as he turns in saddle to watch the battle.