Rokugan In the Shadows - Islands of the Mantis

[Doxkid]

Yhrashnal

Yhrashnal's form swells and stretches to accommodate, among other things, the sheer heft of his newly acquired Heavenly form and the massive wings necessary to bear this bird aloft. Without much care for the comfort of his prey the massive bird grasps the youth's leg in one of its clawed feet and flutters in preparation for takeoff. "Will you be using those? Mine is good raw material. Young. Moldable. Noble.

Shall I lend you flight? Or carry you myself?"

Spoiler: OoC

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HP: 92/92 (78 Hp +5 Fast Healing)
--
AC: 20(-3 con damage)
--
Aura of Despair (melee range enemies): Will save DC 16 or -2 penalties as per Crushing Despair.
--
Mad hunger: 2 more rounds: (Take 30% extra damage, +20 speed, 2 extra attacks on full attack.
--
Yhrashnal transforms into his Heavenly (Greater Cormorant) form. Large size (which increases his carrying capacity) with a Fly speed of 70(poor), land speed of 15, swim speed of 45. 1 Peck attack, 2 claw attacks.

[Anachronity]

Did they still need to live to find the serenity? Perhaps dead was better, where the rush of blood did not deafen their ears and the 'need' to survive did not domineer their minds.

"I would see them delivered to the care of the depths..."
Donovan looks pointedly towards the harbor.
"In this I will accept any assistance you wish to offer."

In spite of his rationale; he does take a brief moment to see if one of them may be spared. If he watched closely, perhaps a difference could be noticed in how the serenity surrounds and hopefully permeates those near death and those freshly dead.

Spoiler: Mechanics

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Rolling heal in the OOC thread to try to save one. - got a 14

[Tjallen]

Apparently being ignore, Erus shrugs before hauling one of the survivors up and freezing him in a cocoon of ice, still breathing and frozen on the brink of death.
Quickly writing a note directly in the ice before leaving, lazily waving at the two others.

Spoiler: Inscription

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Make amends or face the wrath of Winter.

Spoiler: Actions

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Using winter inspiration to use Flower Wither Away, turning him into a flawless ice sculpture until the ice melts, leaving him stabilized at -9.

[Doxkid]

Yhrashnal

"So be it."

Yhrashnal takes a few seconds to break the hold earth has over this man Donovan is treating, using scraps of magic he scrounged together from his very limited pool of raw power. The man, who is already without impetus thanks to the severe injuries he sustained in battle, takes only the slightest effort to lift and shift about.

"Any others?"

Spoiler: OoC

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HP: 92/92
--
AC: 20(-3 con damage)
--
Aura of Despair (melee range enemies): Will save DC 16 or -2 penalties as per Crushing Despair.
--
Mad hunger: 2 more rounds: (Take 30% extra damage, +20 speed, 2 extra attacks on full attack.
--
Standard: Levitate SLA on the first person Donovan tried to save.

[~Corvus~]

Kyuden Gotei - holding cells near docks

The shortest Huguma brother crosses off the last line of the ledger. To Kyorlin he suggests "If you want to make this really simple...we start with the lesser crimes. We know that Grand Theft involves stealing a ship, and bribery is pretty clearly trying to pay someone to look the other way, right?" He turns to Kistue. "Did you return the ship?"

Something about the Huguma brother's manner convinces her to tell what seems to be the truth. <<Well...not really. The ship got abducted by pirates and they bribed an official who was caught...the official was killed for treason, but the pirates kept the ship.>>

"So you're a scapegoat?"

<<Well, the ship has a black mark regardless. They've marked it for re-capture.>>

"Okay, so we have a person here to took an Imperial Battleship and blundered it into the hands of Pirates and also revealed a corrupt official. Justice for losing a military asset of that size seems decent." The brother looks up and nods to her. "Well done."

<<B-wha-thanks?>>

"Now your cell mate...attempted treason? What went wrong?"

The Okawa person remains silent, skeptically eyeing him and Kyorlin.

"Okay, suit yourselves. I'd like to point out that an attempt to stay silent can, at the discretion of a Magistrate with Inquisitive powers--"
<<This one doesn't have those powers!>>
"Ah, mister Okawa assumes incorrectly! This magistrate was given authority through the servants to dispense inspections or make judgements. Therefore, He--"
Another of the Huguma brothers cuts in: {{A lack of cooperation can be seen as resisting justice but is ONLY a crime punished by torture in the Scorpion and Dragon lands.}}
"So tell us what you FAILED to do!"
<<I failed to do it. Does it matter?>>
"Well, that seems like enough of a point."
<<Thank you.>>

"Now, the Yohokama sisters...well, on behalf of this Emerald Magistrate, we'll consider lessening the guilt of your sentences if you best the other in armed combat." He nicks one of the blades from the tray and tosses it into the cell. The two sisters look at each other, terrified, and breathe heavily for a time. Then Samora picks up the blade and begins to slash Ebin across the chest and arms. Hands and arms soon slick with blood, Ebin holds the blade just above the hilt and tries to plunge the blade into her sister's chest. Samora grabs Ebin's hair, yanks her back, and tries to flick the blade...

The screaming, emotional and dirty-fighting melee continues for a minute, until Ebin sticks the blade into her sister's throat. Her smile of triumph gives way to wailing and despair.

The Huguma brother, in this meantime, has been making adjustments to the ledger. He hands it back to Kyorlin and makes his conclusions.

Spoiler: Ledger for reference

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Cl #1 - (2) names unknown; indecent public worship, unacceptable godly wrath - Disturbing public peace
Cl#4 - Kitsue Oano; Grand Theft & bribery | Okawa Togi; attempted treason & believes failure forgives intent. Guilty.
Cl #6 - Yohokama Samora; Theft & treason | Yohokama Ebin; Arson, & treason, murder of kin

Cl #8 - Brothers (5) Hugama; Money-laundering, bribery, fraud, insolvency

Cl #9 - Ohawahiga, Shoto; Sodomy, rape, forgery & deception

"You see here, Magistrate, that the two worshipers have uncovered either a terrible truth or invoked the wrath of Kami that caused them to be stripped of their titles and means, and that's caused unrest. This can be written as Disturbing public peace, and is punished in any land by jail as a minimum sentence. Worse can be death.

Second, we have Miss Kitsue who's admitted to losing a valuable asset in a time of war, which could result in a charge of treason. Her fate is sealed when she tried to bribe the pirates, and when they accepted her bribe--"
<<What?!?>>
He speaks over her. "TURNED over her mis-deeds to the official. She's screwed over everyone who's crossed her path and spread chaos in her wake. Torture and death."
<<Now just a minute-->>
"OKAWA TOGI has admitted their belief that failure to commit treason forgives intent, which is not at all true, and punishable by death."
{{Just a second--}}
"THE LIVING YOKOHAMA SISTER! She just committed murder of kin, and looks as if she's suffered terribly for it. Death would be a mercy for her.
"Last but not least, the two elder Brothers Huguma have decided they'd rather die than be committed to a life of service under a Magistrate. I, personally, cannot think of anything more compelling or exciting. Therefore, your royal Magistrate, you have six other people whom you can kill readily and satisfy your masters without any guilt.

...And that concludes my verdict. What do you say, O magistrate?"

[WarHunter]

Kyorlin

Tilts his head to the side Deflecting are we? I asked you of your crimes and you analyze everyone else's.
Tsk tsk.

Not to mentioned you messesd with my toys. points towards the sobbing woman.

[Anachronity]

"One of the newly dead... for comparison, then we should depart."

Donovan grabs one of the freshly deceased soldiers, then braces to be pulled into the air by the shapeshifter.

[~Corvus~]

Kyuden Gotei - near the Barracks.

It is dusk, and with the fading light so goes the activity of the city. The streets are empty save the few birds that have continued their songs into the evening. Tonight no one sells their wares at the markets on the streets leading to the bank; there's a few sounds coming from either of the docks--There's some wailing and screaming from the northern docks, but it's very likely some women told that their sons had just perished in an Oni attack--but those aside, the city's quiet. A wind passes by; Yrashnal gets the whiff of human sweat. It's fresh, from the north-west of him, towards Tenshukaku.

The cobbled stones near the barracks absorb the blood well; it passes through the porous stone, and will likely seep into the ground before the start of the next day.


Kyuden Gotei SW - holding cells near Docks.
The youngest Huguma brother seems earnest enough. "When I was given the means to look at the ledger, I took the initiative to question them; this job should be beneath a magistrate. Well, I can certainly show you that I've managed to gather the information from them, right? As for myself and my brothers...

I have little to tell you other than what I already told you! We're a well-known family, the Huguma--changed from Haguma, of the Ox clan--and now work in the Imperial City. We five worked undercover, here in Kyuden Gotei, to uncover why shipments seem to have discrepancies in the shipment amounts. They were small, at first, but over time they've added up. When we came to Kyuden Gotei to investigate, we discovered there's a criminal organization. They're grafting supplies and then also selling poisons to the buyers. They get extra payment, somehow, for these poisons and they also keep the supplies.

When we reported this to Dignitary Hokoma, he demanded we supply him with the balance of these ledgers. It's a little over twenty thousand gold accrued over ten years. We had the paperwork, turned it over to him, but he burnt the papers, told us if we couldn't pay we'd be insolvent, and then declared that we were in charge of this criminal organization!

...Like I said before, we worked as middleman to gather evidence for our "supposed" contact here, who's apparently in on the whole thing. So he's had us drawn up for money-laundering, fraud, and insolvency....but the real thing that's happening is the House of Five Leaves is a racketeering franchise. I beg of you, on the honor of your office, you must believe me!!"

[Tjallen]

Deciding that being discovered so soon is a terrible idea, Erus disguises himself. Just enough to merely look like a well off merchant.
Having changed his look enough he wanders around, striking up conversation with anyone he meets to find a decent tavern.

Spoiler: actions

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Disguise (1d20+20)[32]

Gather information (1d20+11)[18]

Going in and out of stance to cycle extra effects, no more freezing people on touch.

[Doxkid]

Yhrashnal

After a few moments of pondering Yhrashnal eventually comes to the conclusion that taking flight while burdened in this way is not feasible with the current positioning of his cargo; his massive form simply cannot take off from a standstill as one would when flying under magical power.

As such he makes a few simple adjustments: two arms that bare suspicious similarity to those of Yhrashnal's natural form sprout from the massive bird's chest, one of which wraps around both unconscious enemies while the other takes hold of Donovan and the dead man.

It is not an especially dignified way to carry his own comrade or a fallen warrior or an honorable combatant, but it is an effective method all the same; it requires a few heavy steps to build up a bit of speed but Yhrashnal eventually manages to spring into the air carrying this load, taking off at top speed toward toward water.

<The harbor or the island?>[Donovan]

Spoiler: OoC

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HP: 92/92
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AC: 20(-3 con damage)
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Aura of Despair (melee range enemies): Will save DC 16 or -2 penalties as per Crushing Despair.
--
Mad hunger: Ends (I had a copy-paste error in the last message that stated Mad HUnger had 2 rounds remaining for two rounds in a row.
--
Undefined Essence to grow Yhrashnal's natural arms, which he'll use to carry everything.

Fly speed (poor maneuverability) of 70, Carry capacity of 800 in this form.

[WarHunter]

Kyorlin

Unlocks the cell, You are freed, all of you, find me tomorrow at Maiden's tickle if you wish to work with me. If you are caught between then and now then you are of no worth to me. writes what he thinks will be an official magistrate pardon signs it Naerth and stamps his signet ring on it, 5 in total.
Here you, I may be there at any point tomorrow so if you are not there then i assume you fleed or ended back here or are dead. waves them off.

[~Corvus~]

Kyuden Gotei - holding cell near the Docks
The five Huguma brothers look at each other, incredulously. The shortest brother bows and says, "O-of course, sir! We'll be at the Maiden's tickle tonight and tomorrow, sir, as it's the closest inn!"

Kyuden Gotei - North of Barracks to Heaven's Bank

Erus wanders the area near the Barracks, but there's little for him to discover in the empty streets. From the Barracks, he can see store houses to the North. All of them have emptied, but he looks at the massive structure of Heaven's Bank and notices there are archers on its rooftop. As he goes onto the ramp, he's urged to go into the bank by anxious-looking guards. "We're told the city should be locked down. Please make your way inside, citizen. It's not safe on the streets."


Kyuden Gotei - ramp to Dignitary Quarters, Tenshukaku

Yrashnal builds up speed while floating the mortally injured prisoners towards the southern docks. The air swirls around him, parting as he moves the many bodies up the slope. He crests it, waiting for Donovan to join him.

[Tjallen]

Looking appropriately startled at the announcement, Erus makes his way into the bank.
"Do you know what the cause of the lock-down is? I hope it's nothing too serious." He asks the guard as he passes.

[Anachronity]

"The island is quite distant; the harbor will do, or else the waters beyond.

He did not doubt that the islanders possessed some means of reaching him in the harbor. However it did not yet seem likely they would spend the resources to try, knowing as little as they did.

[Doxkid]

Yhrashnal

Relatively speaking Yhrashnal flutters slow and low as he makes his way over to the pier, effectively wading through the air just above the buildings of the city under the weight of his burden. Even so he is traveling as the cormorant flies at a speed a shade faster than than trekking across land; a net gain, even if he must spend a little extra effort in the process.

Spoiler: OoC

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HP: 92/92
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AC: 20(-3 con damage)
--
Aura of Despair (melee range enemies): Will save DC 16 or -2 penalties as per Crushing Despair.
--
Swift action: Mad hunger
+2 Iterative Attacks, takes 30% extra damage, gains 20 speed.
--
Fly speed (poor maneuverability) of 90, Carry capacity of 800 in this form. As per the Corvus discord ruling {6-10-19, 10:37 PM} he's basically pushing/dragging the levitating body while flying to his destination, halving his effective speed to 45. Taking a straight path over buildings combined with flight should get him where he's going fairly quickly.

[WarHunter]

Kyorlin

With the people gone, he turns to thoughs that are left. Giving them a glare that promises a most painful experience

Spoiler: skill rolls

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intimidation(1d20+13)[24]

[~Corvus~]

Kyuden Gotei - Heaven's Bank.
The guard's eyes roam the walls and the rooftop of the bank as he ushers Erus inside. "Several Oni attacked the barracks! We had an attack like this a few months ago, but it was a distraction elsewhere in the city. We'll be ready this time." As he walks Erus inside, he salutes his superior. "Sir!"
Report.
"This civilian chanced to wander here. He appears unarmed, but his clothes are a little messy."
The guard's superior dismisses the guard and addresses Erus, "Civilian, did you see any of the conflict at the barracks? Did you see any other oni than the three spotted there?"

Erus becomes aware of the tense atmosphere in the bank. It's three quarters full, and a people in fine, comfortable robes mingle with the less-well-dressed artisans and shopkeepers and even well-dressed citizens. Here and there the naginata-and-kama armed soldiers examine the windows with equal vigor as the walls, as if the massive marble veins on would allow oni to enter just as easily as their fenestral counterparts. People only talk in whisper, and they focus on the soldiers with a mixture of hope and trepidation.


Kyuden Gotei, South-West

Yrashnal makes his way towards the docks. He has the opportunity to admire the scenery and the the cobbled streets. They are nice, certainly, with the rough marble and porous rock grouting, but nicer still are the buildings. Each wall of the dignitary quarters is a single marble slab with veins of green an gold, three stories tall and half again as wide. It's a statement to both the ability and wealth of the Mantis to afford the expense of such an undertaking. Even the walls of the shops here bear the mark of exceptionally skilled artisans; the stones are soft and pale green and the simple signs on the few places this side of the city bear characters embossed on mahogany. His appreciation of the city, though, ends with a twang.

Spoiler: Attacks!

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Surprise round! Attacker is invisible. Arrows are +2 Ghost Touch arrows with Jade tips (the Jade does little to you)

3+1+1 (5) attacks with Manyshot & Haste. +40 to hit, -6 Manyshot, -2 Haste; no range Increment penalty. Hits Ethereal without penalty.
(1d20+32)[38] & (2d100)[25][49](74) (rolling for odds) | (1d8+10)[17] piercing damage
+ Death Attack! DC 22 Fort save or Die; Add (6d6)[26] on successful save.

(1d20+32)[36] & (2d100)[63][46](109) (rolling for odds) | (1d8+10)[17] piercing damage
+ Death Attack! DC 22 Fort save or Die; Add (6d6)[19] on successful save.

(1d20+32)[41] & (2d100)[78][54](132) (rolling for odds) | (1d8+10)[14] piercing damage
+ Death Attack! DC 22 Fort save or Die; Add (6d6)[23] on successful save.

(1d20+32)[33] & (2d100)[3][43](46) (rolling for odds) | (1d8+10)[15] piercing damage
+ Death Attack! DC 22 Fort save or Die; Add (6d6)[16] on successful save.

(1d20+32)[52] & (2d100)[44][95](139) (rolling for odds) | (1d8+10)[14] piercing damage
+ Death Attack! DC 22 Fort save or Die; Add (6d6)[20] on successful save.

Five translucent arrows streak through the air to towards Yrashnal. The Archer stands ready on the rooftop of the Steam House, the last marble structure before the wall of the city give way to the docks. He was invisible until his attack, and he call out in powerful voice, "I must thank you, Oni, he calls. Although many students found their deaths, many more escaped with their lives. The feeling of being hopeless as they listened to their friends die will burn in them for as long as they live.

With a sixth arrow in hand, he holds it aloft. Yrashnal feels nothing else after this first attack, but the Archer asks, "Last words?"


Kyuden Gotei SW - holding cells near Docks.
Each of the remaining prisoners pray to the spirits, asking them to care for their families. The feeling of dread and resignation about there deaths leaves little trace of anything but certainty of their own mortality.

[WarHunter]

Kyuden Gotei - holding cells near North docks.

Starting with the prisoners that asked for a paper and quill, he asks to see whag has been written. I would like you to read this while i hold this guilt crystal to you.

[Doxkid]

Yhrashnal

The hiss of an arrow leaving its bow would probably be enough to forewarn a slightly more seasoned warrior of the incoming danger but, for all of Yhrashnal's burgeoning skill in combat, his appreciation for the dangers of the mortal world have never been particularly high. It makes sense in a way. Yhrashnal, the first and true Yhrashnal, faced dangers far beyond those of this realm and Yhrashnal, this young beast from that first hound's lineage, possesses a strange collage memories inherited from his most powerful ancestor.

The first malefic arrow passing through his stomach provokes an immediate, almost involuntary, reaction from Yhrashnal to project himself onto the ethereal plane and thereby drop his cargo onto the roof he was passing over it. As his mind catches up to the situation (and his body purges the pulse of magic attempting to snuff out his lifeforce entirely) Yhrashnal is then hit so hard by the second arrow that he is snapped back onto the material plane clutching the newly acquired hole in his neck; all of a sudden he is on the rooftop as well, half kneeling as he tries to bring himself to his feet in his natural form. Long trails of his tainted ichor creep toward his body for a second before falling inert on the walls and streets behind him.

Yhrashnal is a moment away from trying to determine the means by which this mortal returned him to his natural form and forced him back upon this plane when the coldness creeping through his body startles the thought away. He knows this feeling, this weakness, this nothingness. Death. He's dying again. His shapeshifting requires just a tiny bit of power; just a slight bit of his focus; just the faintest trace of vital energy. It's a negligible amount for even the lowliest and weakest of creatures...but a dead beast has nothing with which it could fuel and maintain a transformation.

The third arrow punches a hole the size of a fist through the center of Yhrashnal's destabilizing chest. He doesn't even feel the pain.

"You..." Even so, this isn't over yet. Yhrashnal has fallen once, yes, but since then he has mastered amazing strength the likes of which no mortal will ever possess and learned a great deal about his role in this world. From deep within Yhrashnal summons his slumbering arcane power, he summons the spark of divinity innate to all fiends, he summons the power of Rage, he summons the power of HATRED.

"...you..." Unbeing disperses that spark of magic as he chains it to his will, but he does not allow that to stop him. The tiny seed of divine power within him wilts, but pure focus brings it back to stability. His rage is a fire that will not be snuffed out! The hatred within his heart will never yield to the hungry nothingness that seeps through him! He is RUIN! HE BEGETS DESPAIR!

"...w-will..." Yhrashnal stimulates his natural healing to the limits of his ability and, in a small stroke of luck, the fourth arrow only skims his side as it misses him. He fosters that fragment of divinity, using it to support his failing body as he tries to find a way around this situation; his magic, his HATRED, his strength, his insights, his sense of self...everything goes into keeping that tiny little seed of power alive. As his hold over these things grow weak he strives to imitate that divinity with his power over the unnatural, with his command over finality, with his ability to consume creatures to excise from the domain of death. When both sparks of divinity begin to fail he cobbles them together again as one. That fails and he strives to bring them apart as many individual fragments. That fails and he tries to align the most alike portions. That fails and he tries to use some fragments as fuel to power others. That fails and...

"...r-...r-regr-" The fifth strikes directly through his heart and shreds the muscle as Yhrashnal would shred the flesh of a man. Of course... of course... he was already failing and falling and dying, so of course he didn't give much thought to where he was trying to nurture this last drop of power. The force of the arrow... he can't even feel where the last spark once was...

The Beast goes silent, involuntarily genuflecting towards the archer.

Spoiler: OoC

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HP: -83/92 (92 -150 damage*1.3 Mad Hunger +20 Damage Reduction)
--
AC: 20(-3 con damage)
--
Aura of Despair (melee range enemies): Will save DC 16 or -2 penalties as per Crushing Despair.
--
Mad Hunger: 1 round remaining.
--
Immediate action (during archer's attack): Ghostly to become Ethereal after the first arrow.
Cooldown: (1d4+1)[4].
--
Fly speed (poor maneuverability) of 90, Carry capacity of 800 in this form. As per the Corvus discord ruling {6-10-19, 10:37 PM} he's basically pushing/dragging the levitating body while flying to his destination, halving his effective speed to 45. Taking a straight path over buildings combined with flight should get him where he's going fairly quickly.
--
Fullround action: Yhrashnal dies.

[Tjallen]

Shaking his head in denial, Erus starts defusing the situation, playing up the competence of the guards and downplaying the danger of his new acquaintances. As he speaks he shifts his tone so it carries through the room without being any louder: "I am afraid I only saw two Oni before I left, I did not realize it was this serious. But, surely, with your preparations this is nothing to worry about?"
Lowering his voice it to a more private tone as he asks the superior about the previous encounter: "Could you tell me more about these three Oni, I thought they were mostly hiding in the shadowlands?"

Spoiler: Actions!

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(1d20+21)[40] Bluff, avoiding the question by using half truths.

(1d20+21)[34] Diplomacy? to ease out the tension, dunno what is applicable, if none of the social skills but a cha check it's 10 lower.

[~Corvus~]

Kyuden Gotei SW - holding cell near Docks
The unidentified man that had borrowed pages gives them to Kyorlin almost as if he's in a haze. The script is mostly full of glyphs that Kyorlin understands as celestial runes, but they make no sense in Celestial. Whatever he's written, he'll have to unscramble it later. The man says, "I don't even know what I write...Curses! I know this Dark Voice will contact me again, to bring me to a new worthiness. Now that I am...worthless...I seek its powers that I, too, may become useful again. "

The others watch Kyorlin and remain silent, except for the kin-slaying sister; she weeps, distraught over her actions.

Some shouting comes from outside. It sounds like a man with a powerful voice, a warrior of sorts.


Kyuden Gotei NE - Heaven's Bank
The guard-captain leans in and whispers to Erus, "The first one is a shapeshifter. Any creatures when Tainted badly enough, have unstable forms. Sometimes, the most corrupted ones can't be killed by normal weapons. The next is one that's quiet, and makes many people sick...somehow. The last one...well the last one manipulates the cold spirits to freeze the ground and armor, and has terrible white hair, and probably comes from the far reaches of the Shadowlands. They've traveled far. But why they're here is anyone's best guess.


Kyuden Gotei - near Southern Docks.

The Archer holds his arrow aloft, waiting to see what the bodies do. They've fallen to the ground along with Donovan who dares not stir from his position lest he, too, be shot. Incidentally, he is well-positioned to see what comes next, if from a slanted view. The wall nearest to you all, the stone itself...swirls and man-sized being exits from it. It wears long black robes that obscure any chance of seeing its form, even its face. Donovan sees the archer's hand sweep downwards, and level the arrow into his bow. "Oni, you, too, shall die this day!" A rapid attack, and a blur of motion...and five arrows sprout from the robed one's chest. It does not fall over. Instead it crouches over the bodies of the soldiers. Five arrows materialize from the air; three pierce its head, and another its neck. Blood spatters over Donovan, the ground, the bodies of the soldiers.

It continues its search unfazed. Five more arrows from the Archer pierce its chest; Six more arrows seem to appear right before all six slam into its left shoulder, and yet it continues to walk. A voice like the rippling of a thousand waves washes through Donovan's head, and from the look of it, also the Archer's. What plagues the sleep of Tsuruchi Kento? Have there been terrible head-pains even when the Void is brought to bear? Have there been thoughts of drowning? Perhaps...a feeling you, too, shall die in that great ocean?

I have come for the memories of a Yrashnal..

Although the archer--this man from the Tsuruchi clan--speaks with authority, he's clearly taken back, and can't help himself from asking the question. "Oni speak in lies! Wha--what is a Yarashnal?"

I am a seeker of-- The mental projection cuts away as five more arrows--without the Archer shooting--appear just before they pass through where the human brain would be from the black-robed figure. Blood sprays again, and the falls over, but it soon gets up as if nothing has happened. --of knowledge. The Yrashnal are powerful spirits, but most are not Tainted. It finds the arrow-riddled corpse of Yrashnal, and its cloth-covered appendages lift the body as if it were a weightless box.

"And this one, Seeker? Is this..Yarashan..al... is it Oni, like you?"

I used it for my ends, just as I will destroy its form to take its memories. A flash of blue energy transitions into a jet black, a radiant emanation of negative-darkness that envelops Yrashnal's form. As the negative-light shrinks, the beast's body crinkles and folds, as if the body were paper and is drawn into the singularity of light. With a diminutive blue ball of energy focused, the two remains of Yrashnal, the bone-katana and some sort of shorter sword, fall to the ground.

I have looked into the memories of your students, too, Tsuruchi, although I you leave their bodies. Now that all three of those lesser Oni are mine-- This time, the body takes ten arrows, half from the Archer, half from elsewhere, and it falls down. The body slides down all thirty-one arrows embedded into it, leaving bloody shafts to project from its back-facing sides. The other men catch this newest spray of blood, and the body ends its travel face-down near Donovan.

The body jerks awake as if it had only passed out, not been killed. It first whispers to the Drowned, "Brother Voice-called, escape. Take this blessing..." It uses Donovan's body to stand, and with his touch, the Drowned feels its body slipping into the ground. "Do not worry, Tsuruchi. This terrible Oni attack ends with my passing.

Spoiler: Effects

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Donovan gains the effects of Earth Glide for 17 minutes:

He has the ability to glide through earth and stone as easily as an earth elemental does (30' move)
He can glide through stone, dirt, or almost any other sort of earth except metal as easily as a fish swims through water.
His burrowing leaves behind no tunnel or hole, nor does it create any ripple or other signs of its presence.
A move earth spell cast on an area containing the affected creature flings the creature back 30 feet and stuns the creature for 1 round unless it succeeds on a DC 15 Fortitude save.

The creature opens its arms wide, facing the archer, and his body, already riddled with arrows, falls to the ground. Fifty more arrows riddle the body in the span of the next minute. Donovan can hear its mental cackling fade as he slides into the ground...

[Anachronity]

"I owe you much..."

Donovan abandons his charade and rises, dashing for the nearest substance through which this newcomer's spell would allow him to escape.

Already he ponders how he might aid this helpful creature. He has almost nothing to offer in the immediate situation, and in the longer term he is still lost in how he could possibly communicate the serenity's form to others. Already he had failed to assist so many. Okuno, who had gifted him means to better pursue the serenity's revelation to the world. Even Ahab, whom had actually trusted in that aid and volunteered his life. Now he would also never have the opportunity to introduce the... Yhrashnal? to the serenity's existence, and may very well never be able to do so for this newcomer either.

Something else finds purchase upon the undead's heart as he flees, even with it worn so smooth by decades of the serenity's tide consuming all other meaning. He feels a hateful frustration at his inability to make the serenity's presence known, and that emotion only feeds into itself when its unwanted existence causes the serenity to feel distant from Donovan as well. More distant than it has ever felt in the length of his new existence.

He would heed the voice-called's advice. He would escape now, for he was not presently fit in any sense to wield the serenity's presence against those whom must be enlightened.

Spoiler: Mechanics

Show

126/126 Hp
AC 33/24t/29ff
Defensive Precognition +4; 75-ish rds remaining, depending on narrative time.

Drop psionic focus.

EDIT: move towards the nearest earth or stone which seems like it would lead to the harbor; or else at least away from the archers.

[WarHunter]

Kyorlin

Picks up his two crossbows and loads them Who goes there?

[Tjallen]

Keeping his voice low, Erus leans over towards the guard-captain as well: "What about the last time, what happened then? Is it the same three you think?"

[~Corvus~]

Kyuden Gotei SW - Near Docks

Kyorlin hears the sounds of a man's jump turn into a roll. He watches the entrance to the holding cells; not long afterwards a drawn arrow serves as a silent heralds to a man who wields his bow like an extension of himself. His muscles remain relaxed despite his scanning eyes. He faces the dual crossbows without fear, and when he's appraised the scene, checked outside again, he then spends time to look at Kyorlin's signet ring. "What old forging...those characters...northwest mountains, but there's no Toritaka clan...

He examines Kyorlin, his face especially, and finally exclaims, "The lost mountain Spritfolk! Your family must be ancient, but... well, your eyes are so young. Let me guess, it's a long and bloody tale, one of betrayal and corruption and great loss, correct? And to gain the Emperor's trust, you must have been regarded most worthy. I wish I had more to ask you, but my knowledge of the Crab's older history is poor.

His manner transitions from one of caution to warmth and gestures for him to step outside.There's something we need to discuss...without their ears. It will be but a few minutes of your time.

Once you accompany him, he leads Kyorlin to the place where Yrashnal and the...other creature were slaughtered. There's blood everywhere, broken arrows, brains and guts among bodies of battered and dead men. There's also a strange circular space where there's no blood, and even the worked marble stones below are just a tad more clean, as if a powerful energy cleansed all there away.

"I'm certain you have some measure of experience with spirits, yes? I slew an oni--ah, I mean a...Yarashanal, and a Marksman from Tenshukaku helped bring down another Oni, with terrible powers over the mind and even greater powers at regeneration. Before it died it spoke into my mind, as if it knew me, and it turned the body of the Yarashanal... He says the word as if it's unfamiliar, and even saying it is an absurdity. Into a small blue orb. We slew its form, but I doubt it's truly dead. Also the Yarashanal left behind two blades, and my men dare not touch them.

...Would sir Kyorlin be willing to investigate this matter for us?


Kyuden Gotei - Heaven's bank
The guard gives the "merchant" a hard look and when his stare is cooly returned, he turns to another guard. "Kekita!"
"Sir!"
"Take over. I must take my meal."
"Finally! We thought you'd never eat."
The guard-captain cackles good-naturedly and gestures for Erus to follow. He leads the Fey north through the bank, and gets many nods or salutes of respect: bankers, the guards and the citizens all seem to know this man and dignity he brings to his job. He is a pillar it seems, a rare man, who takes his job more than seriously. For this one, his job of protection is his life. At the far-west end of the bank, past the trading tables and the many high-reaching and thick-glassed windows of the tellers (all of which must cost a fortune in and of themselves), is a doorway in the worked marble with an elegant sign engraved on the lintel: Officers' quarters.

He leads you into a spacious room. It is a sparse space, with a wooden paneled wall on the left side, as if part of the wall could transform into a cot, and a long but squat armoire and a 4-slotted weapons rack and a hook for a quiver and arrows. There's a compound bow, a halberd, some strange antler-looking pole, and a blank space. On the right side is a simple desk with a few efficient stacks of papers and further in, two maps, one of the city and one of the bank with illegible marks across each.

At the back is a squat mahogany table with luxurious cushions. He motions for you to sit, and only a minute after you've sat down, a comely and red-silk-dressed servant comes in with a tray. She sets down cold vegetable greens, seared fish, two bowls of piping white rice, and a pot of tea that's just-hot-enough to steam.

The man smiles and says, "Welcome, merchant..." and waits for Erus to supply a name. "I am guard-captain Toro, and I welcome you to my table. Please, enjoy as we eat.

Two years ago, we heard of an attack at Haiyama Island, to the south at the end of monsoon season. We mustered forces, but the winds were so bad they blew the fleet off course. And then we heard Oni had landed on the south peninsula of our island...during a monsoon, no less!

We thought this was somewhat of a joke, and sent a small scouting party south and reinforced our garrison here, and that was a smart call. Two thousand oni arrived at our walls. We endured the attack, but our East walls were breached many times, and many civilians died. We kept most of our fleet, and burned the Oni ships, but it took a long while to cleanse the corruption they left behind.

This attack, these Oni... he pauses thoughtfully.

From the descriptions we've had, this is different. They are scouts, infiltrators sent to see how well we're defended despite how many soldiers we've levied away to other conflicts.

...What of you? What do you think they are?

[WarHunter]

Kyorlin

Puts his crossbows away Lead the way my good sir. as he hears of this Yhrashnal passing he takes some saki out of his pack Would you care for a drink to the fallen warriors, they will be missed. holding his cup he holds out one to this soldier.

Yes of course I will help in this investigation, I only wish some one would have gotten me for the pursuit. You say all of this Yhrashnal body was turned into this orb? I would like to take these swords and examined them personally.

[~Corvus~]

Kyuden Gotei SW - near Docks
The Archer smiles at the Sake and replies, "I shall have to ask that we meet another time to have a drink.

He studiously focuses on answering Kyorlin's questions. "Well no...It carried this bone-sword shaped as a Katana, but this Wakizashi is new. It's certainly not bone, but--again--I dare not touch it. Yes, We'd feel much better if a person experienced with spirit-work took them to study.

...I will meet with the Lord Yoritomo in two nights to discuss the situation. I would like to extend an invitation for Emeramd Magistrate Kyorlin to attend...Perhaps this sake you enjoy is fit to be shared? He looks expectantly at Kyorlin as he watches the larger man pick up the two swords.

[Tjallen]

At the promt, Erus supplies a fitting alias: "Erasmus Bjerg" and thanks him for the invitation, eating slowly as Toro speaks.

Thinking on what he is told, Erus slowly answers, his easy smile warping into a heavier expression:
"If this is a probing attack, they should be taking place elsewhere too. However, a direct attack on the barracks in broad daylight seems out of place for infiltrators, especially with a shapeshifter. Assassination and impersonation could get the same information, but without letting us realize we are under attack. Maybe they are renegades or getting sent here is punishment? Shapeshifters fighting seems very odd if the Oni are organized enough for infiltration. Or they have an abundance and are losing control? I hope it's a splinter group, if not war is coming and it may be won or lost based on how good we are at dealing with impostors and assassinations."

Shaking his head he rids himself of a frown and puts on another smile:
"Heavy thoughts for eating, I must admit that I do not have much of a head for strategy. What are your thoughts on the matter Sir Toro?"

[~Corvus~]

Guard-Captain Toro reacts to the given name with surprise but doesn't comment immediately.

Heavy thoughts for eating, I must admit that I do not have much of a head for strategy.

The guard chuckles at this, Certainly, for a merchant! But I must contemplate these ideas, and sometimes the perspective of an outsider can lend insights.

...I served with my family for two years on the Kaiyu Wall. It was an honor to help our fellow Crab, and it allowed me to understand some of why they see life so bluntly. We encountered many creatures, assassinations, infiltration, sudden betrayals...Something many don't know is that the Shadowlands produces creatures and people tainted by the very ground they stand on. The only certainty we had was the dedication to our country and the honesty we gave to each other.

The Shadow does not need to work in the ways of men. Many creatures that serve it have their will stripped away. They are tasked to gather a small bit of information, and they gladly seek death when they have the knowledge they've been tasked with gaining. I believe this very thing happened here: Some of the men told me that there was a tournament earlier today, and that one of the Oni--who had a beguiling presence and an uncanny means of the mind--won. There was a Monk there, too, who had a means of altering his form. This is not terribly uncommon among the monks of the Dragon or Phoenix, and so we overlooked it. But that there was both a monk and an Oni that could shapeshift? Not coincidence. It was a deliberate ploy.

When the lesser Oni die, their bodies decompose within the hour. Their memories and the knowledge of these creatures returns to Daigotsu, the Lord of Jigoku, betrayer of our people, and the guiding hand in the land's Corruption. He arms cunning servants with the knowledge he's gained, twists them with unstable, deadly power and they do the assassinations. The assassins operate with knowledge of weakened areas, whom is tired, who is not, who has a slow hand with the spear...what area is weak...You see? Here, earlier, the objective was to suss out how our training of the recruits at the barracks is going, how experienced they are, and how well we can respond to an attack now.

I believe the next attack will be to slaughter our students, or even slaughter our peasants. We will next hear about a noble and a quarter of his guards will be injured in the attack if he's lucky. He will be unfocused, distracted, and his men, otherwise experienced, will be incapable of lending aid to our city when we need it most.

Ah. If only... he cuts himself off with a grimace. My apologies, sir merchant. I am sure you've traveled very far, and your accent is barely heard. If I might guess...by your name, you are one of the few lucky Merchants to escape from Merane or Thrane and their terrible plagues.

[Tjallen]

Waving his hand at the apologies Erus simply smiles:
"No worries, my trade is kin to this kind of discussion. A morbid fascination with surprise tactics helps keep students on their toes, you see."

At the inquiry into his accent, he chuckles before answering: "My father was a Thrane, both the title and nationality. He and my mother traveled here before I was born, I do want to visit it one day, if anything is left to visit that is."