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Plainsfox rolled 9 10-sided dice:
5, 3, 1, 3, 5, 6, 7, 5, 8
Total: 43 (9-90)
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 Posted: Sun Jan 01, 2012 3:24 pm
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Posted: Sun Jan 01, 2012 4:11 pm
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The Hare stared for a moment, and then sheathed his katana, sighing and looking Iwao over carefully.
"I'm not sure whether to think you take your kindness too far... or are simply a better man than I. Perhaps you were right about him. Today, however, I've seen one of them nearly kill Kagae whilst he was bound, one murder peasant's to lure me in and then laugh of it, and one of these men execute the magistrate after Kuemon left her too wounded to hold her blade and walked away."
The Hare frowned, and looked at the ground.
"...either way, corrupting or enabling or simply threatening and leading astray, as I see it Kuemon is the reason they, the magistrate, and those peasants are dead today. Now that we have Kagae's daisho this is outside our duties... but I should like to see an end to him, before he can cause any more death. I hope we are in agreement there."
With a sigh, he started slowly back toward the burnt building- the last place he had seen Kuemon.
"Perhaps I should follow your example. The Crab have a noble purpose, but while you defend the Empire from enemies without, we have been given the purpose of ferreting out those within it that have turned to treason or maho, enemies with our faces. These men... do not cross that line, but they blur it. And maybe I am simply too ready to see my enemy's face."
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Posted: Sun Jan 01, 2012 4:35 pm
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@ Kojiro:
As you leave Kagae to his anti-social fate, you quickly find a set of tracks that surely must be Kuemon's! From what you remember and have been told, he was the only one that had been in that area, so they must be his!
Following the tracks, Kojiro disappears once more into the field!
((As a note, Psychofish pointed out to me that Perception is the skill to use to find/follow tracks, as per the errata (one that I had missed in my corrections). You can continue to use Intelligence for the rest of the chapter as per the book, but starting next, it will be Perception only.))
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@ Denbe:
"Oh? Are my tactics too distasteful for you?"
Stepping forth from the shadows, right hand holding his katana, left hand gripping Miyako's upper arm forcefully, he would position her between himself and them.
"If it eases your conscience any, I had to do all the work on those two peasants in that hut. A pity, really. I didn't want to harm any of my future workforce, but at the rate things were going, sacrifices needed to be made to make a point."
Gesturing forward with his sword, from his positioning outside of anyone's reasonable charging range, he would lower his menacing gaze.
"Now, throw your weapons away, unless you'd like me to use this woman I found to demonstrate a nasty little move I learned from the Moto, called Shinsei's Smile."
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Posted: Tue Jan 03, 2012 9:57 am
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Psychofish rolled 4 10-sided dice:
7, 7, 3, 1
Total: 18 (4-40)
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Posted: Tue Jan 03, 2012 11:00 am
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Posted: Tue Jan 03, 2012 1:11 pm
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@ Denbe, Miyako:
24 to resist Denbe's Etiquette
"Are you an idiot, or does her life mean nothing to you? I said to throw them away, not leave them at your feet." Looking to Iwao/Sanzo and back to Denbe, he would bring his blade up to the underside of Miyako's chin. "Do it. Including your wakizashi, samurai."
Miyako, I'm going to ask for an Agility/Sleight of Hand to conceal the fact that you are readying a weapon.
"After that's done, what I want is simple and twofold; I want Sanzo in exchange for the woman, and I want all of you to leave quietly. My forces are decimated, so I can't hold this village; not on my own, at least. Revenge is all the compensation I ask for in exchange for my retreat."
I don't know about you, Denbe, but Iwao/Bayushi Sanzo is disarming and throwing his weapons to the side, including the bow and arrows. He turned his gaze silently to Denbe, waiting to see what he would do.
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Tei Kae rolled 5 10-sided dice:
9, 8, 2, 5, 2
Total: 26 (5-50)
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Posted: Tue Jan 03, 2012 3:04 pm
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Posted: Tue Jan 03, 2012 5:59 pm
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Damn. The man might have come right out and said plenty, but he wasn't getting carried away in the conversation, instead urging them to continue. Face drawn tight, the Hare took a step toward his weapons so he could put a foot on them, kicking them even further beyond reach, before tossing his wakazashi off with the rest of them.
For a moment, Denbe stood tense, looking first to Iwao, then to his weapons, then back to Iwao, and around the land behind Kuemon.
Only one thought came to him in all of that, and it made the Hare frown sharply.
Slowly, he walked up to Iwao, in cautious steps, until he'd be close enough to reach out and grab ahold of the Crab- not so much to restrain him, but as if in a sign of control. Like he was getting ready to walk the man over to Kuemon for an exchange. He'd look him calmly in the eyes in the meanwhile, hoping that Iwao wasn't going to resist this. Because if he went along with it quietly, Denbe would start to walk Iwao closer- counting the distance between himself and Kuemon, trying to estimate how close he'd need to be to be able to get to Miyako in an instant, hoping the hostage in tow on each side would make Kuemon allow him to approach for now.
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Posted: Tue Jan 03, 2012 7:38 pm
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@ Kagae:
Around this time, the peasants saw that you were becoming a blubbering mess and they weren't getting any guidance out of you. They began to move on to their own tasks, moving back to their own homes reluctantly and nervously, some of them grabbing farming implements to bring with them just in case.
You are now free to act.
@ Kojiro:
WEEEEE! SOLO ADVENTURE!
@ Denbe & Miyako:
Miyako, you are uncertain whether or not Kuemon notices your motions - you aren't really in an 'observing position', so to speak.
Though, after exchanging a glance with you, Iwao/Sanzo does turn his head slightly, speaking softly to Denbe. "Shosuro-san will be all right. Don't worry about me, I go into this with eyes wide open."
Iwao/Sanzo does not resist being led forward, though Kuemon does pause for a moment, re-adjusting his katana when he sees Denbe approaching as well - albeit, unarmed.
He seems to think better of it for a moment, his eyes on the two of them, before glancing along the length of his sword.
And begins to move forward as well, Miyako before him.
If there's anything fancy anyone wants to do, now is the time. Mind you, you don't HAVE to do anything fancy.
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Psychofish rolled 5 10-sided dice:
4, 1, 9, 2, 10
Total: 26 (5-50)
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Posted: Tue Jan 03, 2012 9:00 pm
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Psychofish rolled 2 10-sided dice:
2, 10
Total: 12 (2-20)
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Posted: Tue Jan 03, 2012 9:03 pm
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Posted: Tue Jan 03, 2012 9:14 pm
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Posted: Wed Jan 04, 2012 5:52 am
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Posted: Wed Jan 04, 2012 12:47 pm
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Denbe paused in position- halting for a moment to look at Kuemon... with a look growing confused. And then, he glanced at Iwao, and for a moment let his words run through his head. Frustration and concern still crossing his face, the Hare looked back and then nodded, before continuing to walk forward with Iwao. He didn't want to do this. Even with all his uncertainty about Iwao, he seemed mostly a good man, and the Hare even had growing respect for him. But Kuemon had been a great threat, and the blade was so close to her neck, that when the Hare looked at him and saw no tell of lies or deceit...
"I'm sorry I can find no other way. I must put her safety first."
He didn't like having to do such. And he didn't enjoy having to give up either. But Miyako was sent by the magistrates he served, and showed only honor and a likely future. Iwao... was still at great risk of finding himself put to execution once this was all over.
He'd stop just shortly away from Kuemon, and release Iwao, leaving him to step forward on his own.
"Let her go now," he said, watching carefully despite his belief that the bandit planned to honor his deal.
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Posted: Wed Jan 04, 2012 1:14 pm
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@ Kagae:
Kagae has no difficulty getting back to where they camped and retrieving the medicine kit.
@ Kojiro:
Kojiro falls Kuemon's(?) tracks, and find that they finally come out in a clearing! A clearing that looks eerily familiar...
Wait, wasn't this where you rescued Kagae earlier?
...
...
...
@ Denbe & Miyako:
((For posterity's sake: Miyako gives the go-ahead to post))
"Hmph," Kuemon would say, lowering his gaze at Denbe and Iwao/Sanzo. The latter would begin approaching of his own accord, and when he was confident of his range, he would move his right arm aside, blade and all, and shove Miyako unceremoniously forward with his other, to send her stumbling into Denbe.
"For weeks, I've dreamed of this opportunity," Kuemon would announce, shifting into a dueling stance, of all things.
"If this is what it takes for you to retreat, then I have done my duty to my Clan. I have won today, Kuemon, not you."
"..." Kuemon would grit his teeth angrily, before letting out a brief sigh. "You Scorpions make no sense. The empire will be stronger with one less of you."
Denbe, Miyako; whatever you wish to do at the immediate moment, it will be too late to prevent the SLICE! that pierces the dawn, as Iwao, or perhaps Bayushi Sanzo, falls to his knees, then forward to the dirt ground.
If you take no actions that bring you closer to Kuemon, he turns and darts away in the opposite direction.
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