The next day the group comes to the gate of the city. Couriers are waiting with several letters. One is for Khzuro to come to the temple of the Earth Dragon. Another is for everyone to report to the shogun later the same night. One is for Sei to attend tea with Yoshi tomorrow when the sun reaches its zenith.
Khzuro takes the letter, reads it, a nod. He lets the others know where he's going, before going to head to the temple of the earth dragon. While he doesn't explicitly invite the others to come with him, he doesn't object if they do. Though he does look to Samo and Furi with a pause.
Furi nods, “I will come. Samo will have reports to make.”
Khzuro nods aside to Furi, then heads to the Temple of the earth dragon. Still, if the others decide to come, he makes no objections. After all the more snuggle buddies the better. Drasta decides to follow along.
The three go to the temple of the Earth Dragon on the east side of the city. It has a monastery within and there is a lot of obvious earth magic around. Giant stones floating in the gardens and such. The monks practice a heavy-handed style of kung-fu as you enter the temple proper.
As they approach the main altar Khzuro sees Ibexis’czar in her human form. Everyone else sees a tall 5'9 woman of elegance and beauty talking to the high priest and it seems the high priest is doing his best to be very polite to her. He even has a vase that he pours a drink into her cup occasionally while they speak. It’s obvious the high priest is being somewhat subservient to the woman.
Khzuro doesn't break his cover but remains silent and waits to be called forward. Furi looks very intrigued by the show. Drasta gives a gentle bow to them both and stands a bit behind.
The high priest swings his arm gently in the group’s direction. "They are here, your eminence. She walks up to the group without making a sound with her Geta (hard to do being they are wood shoes.) "Greetings Khzuro and companions. Furi looks to the high priest and then to her and bows deeply.
Khzuro bows to them "Greetings. This one got a letter asking for this one to arrive here. So here this one is. It seems you already know of this one. What should this one call you?"
Her mouth twists in a half-smile. "I am lady Ibex. I have heard of your ventures of late from the people of Renkyu. It seems I have the right Kami."
Khzuro resists any urges they might have to give snuggles or beg for head pats. Khzuro doesn't seem to point out the oddities, instead, remains polite "This one is pleased to meet you, lady Ibex. How may this one be of assistance?"
"Priest Ai. Is there a prayer room where we may speak in private?" The priest takes everyone to a private prayer room. The lady walks to the window and looks outside for several minutes before turning back to the group."
Khzuro looks to see if she wants to speak with just himself or with Drasta and Furi present as well.
Both Drasta and Furi are there. Furi takes on a passive stance listening intently and gaging the woman in front of her most carefully. Drasta is a few steps back away from the others watching curiously. Khzuro then continues to wait patiently, impassively, perhaps wondering what will come next here.
"Those to whom I would call my masters and mistresses are very concerned. Time throughout Kura-tur.........in fact time in all Toril seems to be stopping for a few moments every so often in the last months. We do not know the cause. I cannot feel this shift. but those above me can along with all the wu-jen of the lands. They seem to be unaffected but have noticed."
Khzuro furrows his brow, listening. Drasta perks her ears a bit.
"All court wu-jen have been called to a meeting by the emperor. I wish for you to be there in one month’s time. Your group, though having some difficulties along your travels is one marked by those above me to find out the truth of this matter. I do not know why. But we all have masters and mistresses and have work for the greater good of the lands to do. Thus, I call upon you and your companions to seek this mystery out."
"There is something this one has been witnessing lately that might be involved..." Khzuro describes his encounters with that Balor and the hourglass.
As he ends the description, time stops again. Khzuro quickly casts protection from evil. The Balor walks right through the goddess bearing his hourglass. He stands in front of the kobold a phantom image. The crystals in the glass run very fast through the device. It may not be an hourglass. (Perhaps a minute or two glass.) Khzuro is not sure.
He backs away and casts spider climb. The demon speaks, “I await our confrontation.”
Khzuro screams out, "If you have something clear to speak, say it or stop this nonsense!” As he ends his exclamation the last of the crystals fall. The demon disappears.
Khzuro pulls his crossbows out but loosens his grip slightly as the apparition disappears. He slides on in his holster to cast detect magic. And speaks up. “If you have any divinations or wards, cast them now. It just happened again."
Everyone else notices that Khzuro has just blinked to the side and has one of his crossbows out. The goddess looks at Khzuro strangely and somewhat angerly being the Balor was in front of her. He sighs, putting the crossbow away. “Guessing none of you saw the demon apparition this time either?" Looks to Furi and Drasta. He looks around the room which is filled with the same kind of signature magic aura. Strange and alien.
He then coughs, “This whole room is filled with that same magic... Don't know what it is. If... anyone here has a spell or something that can identify it, it might help with this whole... time stopping issue."
The woman whispers an incantation and looks about the room. "I see it but its fading............ it is strange. nothing like I have ever seen before."
Drasta shakes her head. “Nothing that I can think of will help.”
"Have seen the same aura three times before now. This time was the longest sensation. Can tell it was like you said, time was stopped, but this one was able to move about freely while the rest of you were frozen in time."
Khzuro insists, “Have seen the same aura three times before now. This time was the longest sensation. Can tell it was like you said, time was stopped, but this one was able to move about freely while the rest of you were frozen in time."
"What else have you seen?" Lady Ibex asks?
Khzuro describes fully the other times the Balor apparition appeared before him in full detail and, the meeting with that strange elf near the temple... "Every time this happened this one was the only one who noticed."
The woman then says, "Then I would suggest you find the elf and find a way into this meeting. I will see if I may get you and your companions an invitation to the imperial court.”
Khzuro bows, “This one gives thanks. Will do their best to attempt to find them and find out more."
Lady Ibex smiles, “There will be one last thing. consider it a gift." Two monks come in with a trunk and set it in front of Khzuro and set it down.”
The woman says, "Now that I have imparted my message to you. I must leave on the business of my masters. Be at peace Khzuro and companions."
Drasta gives a bow as she leaves. This time a bit deeper. Khzuro says, “May the Eight Million be with you, lady Ibex" Gives a bow. Then goes to look over at the trunk. He finds stuff in the trunk. Kobold sized stuff.
Both Furi and Drasta watch curiously as Khzuro takes things out of it and appraises the items. The first thing he finds is a +3 sorcerers robe that is 10/slashing. Next is a scholarly hat that is +1char/+1 int and has +2 second and +2 third level sorcerer spells per day. He finds an amulet that is +3 protection, +3 fortitude saving throw.
Khzuro’s eyes widen at the bounty of magic stuffs but keeps looking. He finds a tessen that is +3 protection, +2 to hit and each rib is made of iron with an iron bead at the end. (1-4 + 2-8 bludgeoning damage.) The last thing he finds is a ring of magic resistance 16.
Khzuro goes to get the stuff and gets himself equipped. And looking totally snazzy and huggable from the hat. No +2 DEX belt, oh well A sigh, looking to the others as he gets himself ready "Well, guess once we're done here, we have quite an important matter to tend to. One other thing... the demon said to this one they look forward to our confrontation. It's likely a battle is inevitable."
Furi says, "Ok that was probably not the weirdest conversation I’ve ever had but it’s up there."
Drasta chuckles, “Likely perhaps in my own top 5.”
Furi bows, “I have to catch up to Sei.”
The Kozakura Campaign
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Winterhawk99
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Winterhawk99
- Posts: 2332
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Re: The Kozakura Campaign
Sei as all this is going on goes straight back home. His apprentice Kinu is at the door waiting. Sei bows to her, “Ah, good seeing you.”
She bows to you first. She's kept the aviary well maintained and the hawks happy. She takes the blood hawk from you and places them in a spare cage then tries to jump on you and kiss you once she feels no one is watching. Sei hugs her, then just shakes his head with a soft smile in response to the peck.
After a couple of hours there is a knock on the aviary door. Sei opens the door to find Furi standing at attention. She bows to him just before he recognizes her. She asks, “May I come in Sei?”
He backs to the inside to give her room, “Of course.”
Furi takes off her shoes and comes in. "I wished to speak with you about what happened at the lake. If you do not mind."
Sei bows to Furi and nods "Do step in and make yourself comfortable" before seating himself across from Furi "Did you have questions you wished to lead with or were you more seeking an... explanation for why I went with making a deal instead of trying to go for the siege angle?"
She sits down, "More an explanation on why you made your choices. From all my notes and from my observations you are a good man and thoughtful. You are a representative of your shogun. The reason is there should always be one not bound to the code of bushido to add their perspective and represent the people at large for the shogun. So, I would like to see into your thoughts on the yakuza and the reasoning behind your choices?"
"Ah. Well, the kernel of my logic is simple: those who made the mess should be held responsible for cleaning it up, and if we were to crush them in a bloody raid, they wouldn't be in any state to be held responsible for the cleanup. Kind of like the folly of knee-capping a debtor when you'd rather they be in working shape so that they can pay their debts to begin with. Or in short: 'polluter pays.'"
"Why did you take his word at face value?"
"There's nothing in that agreement that prohibits me from following up to see if they cleaned it up acceptably. Besides, they now know they were the cause of the lake god's wrath, and that would be a force weighing against them breaking their word, no?"
She mulls it over a long time "What about the mayor, his family, and the opium they are manufacturing?”
"That...is not a problem the law can solve on its own."
She thinks a bit more, "The mayor in my opinion got what he deserved. Kyo would have his head after our reports at any rate and most likely his family too. The opium is a problem and now Kyo is bound by your deal. However, I have found your words somewhat satisfactory. You must hone them Sei before meeting with your Shogun. You must convince him of a path to take that does not break the bounds of your contract with this group. You need to have the answers on what to do next."
"I warned them that I cannot bind others to a deal without it being in writing."
She nods, "Yet you have given your word in Kyo's name. Where does this opium go after its manufactured?”
"That I do not know."
"A thought then. If said product would leave the country for another. Say an enemy of the empire. Said illicit business could be legitimized of course a certain group would have to disavow all illegal activities and have all signs upon flesh burned off. then perhaps a new merchant clan could arise from the region under the careful guidance of several provincial samurai appointed as regions in the village. It is of course just a thought.”
"That is a thought, indeed, worth remembering as a proposal."
“I have another thought.”
“Go on.” Sie says nodding.
"The Barasume clan has gained much influence over the decade. The emperor.... and his court grows increasingly concerned. Soon his son will be of marrying age. If his son were to marry a woman from another major clan..........Well it would mean greater influence perhaps threatening the balance of the empire in the south. Could you see that concern rising within the imperial court. However, if Hideo was to marry within the clan........well it helps the emperor’s concerns a great deal, wouldn't it?"
"That would do so indeed."
"I hear you have some influence with Lady Yoshie. I hope sound advice will meet her ears sometime in the near future."
"Aye, I hope so as well." Furi bows slightly. Sei bows back "Do fare well."
She gets up. Kinu gets her shoes as she reaches the threshold. and Furi leaves quietly for the palace. Kinu stares at him. "Be careful, master. The ways of nobles are devious."
She bows to you first. She's kept the aviary well maintained and the hawks happy. She takes the blood hawk from you and places them in a spare cage then tries to jump on you and kiss you once she feels no one is watching. Sei hugs her, then just shakes his head with a soft smile in response to the peck.
After a couple of hours there is a knock on the aviary door. Sei opens the door to find Furi standing at attention. She bows to him just before he recognizes her. She asks, “May I come in Sei?”
He backs to the inside to give her room, “Of course.”
Furi takes off her shoes and comes in. "I wished to speak with you about what happened at the lake. If you do not mind."
Sei bows to Furi and nods "Do step in and make yourself comfortable" before seating himself across from Furi "Did you have questions you wished to lead with or were you more seeking an... explanation for why I went with making a deal instead of trying to go for the siege angle?"
She sits down, "More an explanation on why you made your choices. From all my notes and from my observations you are a good man and thoughtful. You are a representative of your shogun. The reason is there should always be one not bound to the code of bushido to add their perspective and represent the people at large for the shogun. So, I would like to see into your thoughts on the yakuza and the reasoning behind your choices?"
"Ah. Well, the kernel of my logic is simple: those who made the mess should be held responsible for cleaning it up, and if we were to crush them in a bloody raid, they wouldn't be in any state to be held responsible for the cleanup. Kind of like the folly of knee-capping a debtor when you'd rather they be in working shape so that they can pay their debts to begin with. Or in short: 'polluter pays.'"
"Why did you take his word at face value?"
"There's nothing in that agreement that prohibits me from following up to see if they cleaned it up acceptably. Besides, they now know they were the cause of the lake god's wrath, and that would be a force weighing against them breaking their word, no?"
She mulls it over a long time "What about the mayor, his family, and the opium they are manufacturing?”
"That...is not a problem the law can solve on its own."
She thinks a bit more, "The mayor in my opinion got what he deserved. Kyo would have his head after our reports at any rate and most likely his family too. The opium is a problem and now Kyo is bound by your deal. However, I have found your words somewhat satisfactory. You must hone them Sei before meeting with your Shogun. You must convince him of a path to take that does not break the bounds of your contract with this group. You need to have the answers on what to do next."
"I warned them that I cannot bind others to a deal without it being in writing."
She nods, "Yet you have given your word in Kyo's name. Where does this opium go after its manufactured?”
"That I do not know."
"A thought then. If said product would leave the country for another. Say an enemy of the empire. Said illicit business could be legitimized of course a certain group would have to disavow all illegal activities and have all signs upon flesh burned off. then perhaps a new merchant clan could arise from the region under the careful guidance of several provincial samurai appointed as regions in the village. It is of course just a thought.”
"That is a thought, indeed, worth remembering as a proposal."
“I have another thought.”
“Go on.” Sie says nodding.
"The Barasume clan has gained much influence over the decade. The emperor.... and his court grows increasingly concerned. Soon his son will be of marrying age. If his son were to marry a woman from another major clan..........Well it would mean greater influence perhaps threatening the balance of the empire in the south. Could you see that concern rising within the imperial court. However, if Hideo was to marry within the clan........well it helps the emperor’s concerns a great deal, wouldn't it?"
"That would do so indeed."
"I hear you have some influence with Lady Yoshie. I hope sound advice will meet her ears sometime in the near future."
"Aye, I hope so as well." Furi bows slightly. Sei bows back "Do fare well."
She gets up. Kinu gets her shoes as she reaches the threshold. and Furi leaves quietly for the palace. Kinu stares at him. "Be careful, master. The ways of nobles are devious."
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Winterhawk99
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Re: The Kozakura Campaign
Drasta and Khzuro leave the temple of the Earth Dragon. Drasta begins to ask around if there is a temple of Selune around by chance. Renkyu, being a port city of about 100,000 people, has many temples. As she asks, wandering toward the docks she finds out there is a small shrine by the shore.
As they stroll, Khzuro looks to her aside, “Well apparently, we're being sent after a time-manipulating demon. This sounds like something absurdly dangerous, but also necessary. Cannot let such a thing run rampant. Though why it has chosen this one as a nemesis? Or target to taunt? Does not make sense. Then again, demons..." A huff.
Drasta answers, “I will tell you in all the demons I have met...They have reasons though not seen some would wish to manipulate or take control.”
"Let’s head back to the others. Figure we'll need to brief them on this."
“I need to see if I can find my goddess temple then I will join you...”
As she’s working her way through the docks she notices a huge modern western style merchant ship there. The name on the bow is "Ava." The ship is a 3-mast schooner 150x36 beam and looks sleek and fast belaying her size. Khzuro sees it too. It’s the biggest in the docks not the highest but definitely the biggest by tonnage (about 400 tons empty)
Khzuro gives up. “Probably shouldn't be alone at the moment, will come with... though do let this one know if you run into any demon apparitions there that this one doesn't see. Won't think you insane for it." And follows Drasta...
The shrine of Selune is very small here with but a priestess and two acolytes there is also an old elf there speaking with the priestess. He’s wearing a Mulhorandi merchant uniform. Drasta notices he’s a moon elf with bluish skin and green eyes. He’s very old pushing 500. He’s wearing a commander’s hat, and his feather pin is split with the symbols of chaplain of Selune and pilot. He’s also wearing a blue dress uniform of seal skins the inner lining is white the outside is cerulean blue. He is quietly speaking with the priestess.
Khzuro blinks seeing it’s the same elf he met on the demon’s second visit. Drasta pulls her hood back and gives a gentle elven courtesy. Khzuro whispers to her. “Drasta that's the one this one saw before, with the same kind of magic aura." But then quiets down and stands behind but near Drasta. He hangs back letting Drasta take the lead here but keeps in sight.
The old elf and the priestess look at the two of you strangely. The priestess asks may "May I help you?"
Drasta speaks up, “I have come to pray to my goddess.”
the priestess nods. “Your way to the alter is free young woman.”
Drasta looks at the old elf. “Are you here to pray elder.”
He piers at you with well-lined eyes. “I'm here to take up council with a fellow follower of my sect.”
She nods, “And what do you seek?”
"I must say you are an odd couple an..........elven and kobold.”
Drasta chuckles, “Oddities make proper company.”
Khzuro blinks confusedly, unable to comprehend what the old man is implying. Ohhh my... Khzuro raises an eye ridge, then shrugs.
The old elf finally answers her question. “Answers. Something is going on and I believe it’s my responsibility to find out what it is."
Khzuro looks up to Drasta then to the old elf. Drasta says, “Perhaps we ask her for answers or discuss this.” She gestures to the shrine.”
The priestess speaks, “Unfortunately I have no answers for the commander. His answers may be in the imperial city. I am not sure.”
She gives a bow to the priestess. “Perhaps I mis-spoke on who. I talk of the goddess.”
The commander shrugs, “The great navigator remains silent. Which means it is up to mortals to solve."
Khzuro looks to the old elf, but keeps quiet, letting Drasta handle it for now. She looks to the alter. “Of what is it you are seeking to find?”
“A long-ago sunken ship and a grave, I believe. She would die there and have her scuttled. It was her greatest treasure. The old elf considers, "However the ship was in the narrow sea not here. That is what is so strange that the center is here not there. At any rate I believe I must go to Dojyu to find the answers I need.”
She nods, “As you wish.”
He starts to limp off back to his ship. As he does, he checks the time, taking out a gnomish pocket watch. Khzuro stops him. "Sssk, before you go, this one would ask you something, if you had time."
The kobold finally speaks up, looking to the old elf.
He turns around slowly. “Yes?” Drasta gestures from the kobold to the elf.
"Have you ah... seen any strange apparitions or illusions recently?"
He smiles "No, I have not, however I have felt and seen her magic stopping time. Not bad for someone who has been dead these last 3700 years. Which means someone else has found the ship."
Drasta looks between them both curiously.
"Ah, curious. This one has had time stop around him as well. Usually accompanied by an apparition of a demon taunting this one.... how frequently have you observed it?"
"A demon? Ummm. Things are worse than I thought. I have observed it for over half a year now. Thats when I set sail to find the center."
"I see... that is most worrying. Any idea what kind of magic is involved with it? Is... not something this one recognized or was familiar with."
“My old captain. My first captain was a white necromancer. She specialized in energy magic. When we found ourselves in a much different place, she steeped herself in chronomancy to get us back home. She completed much of the Chronomancer’s work and did get us back home only 200 years too early. Her signature magic is unique it has both necromancy and chronomancy fused together along with Netheril techniques.”
The kobold tries to listen along, but he's clearly a bit lost, still he tries to understand. What the commander says he cannot follow and its completely above Drasta’s head. Drasta does say. “Stopping time is curious I have seen it used before, but I know nothing of it.”
The commander tips his hat. “The night guide you both.”
Drasta completes the blessing. “As the moon gives you path.”
He wanders off. As he does Khzuro shouts out, “Eight million be with you.”
Drasta looks back to the priestess and gives a bow. “If it acceptable I would like to talk with her for a moment.”
The priestess steps aside of the alter and asks, “How may I help you, child?” Khzuro steps off to the side.
“I wish to say a prayer to Selune. It perhaps may not take long.” The priestess nods.
Dips her head gently to the priestess and takes a place in front of the shrine giving a sylvan prayer then speaking (in sylvan) “Perhaps I am lacking your guidance.... It has been some time since I have spoken with you and for that I ask forgiveness... I ask you perhaps for some guidance in the coming hours I do not know how this court will go nor what will come after.” She goes into a low bow on her knees in front of the shrine. “I hope my words find you in the night, I hope you can hear me this far from home.” Drasta sits a moment in quiet contemplating.
The priestess being human and not knowing sylvan cannot council on the prayer. Drasta stands and gives a bow to her. “Perhaps we shall be on our way, Khzuro.”
He responds, “Of course.”
As they stroll, Khzuro looks to her aside, “Well apparently, we're being sent after a time-manipulating demon. This sounds like something absurdly dangerous, but also necessary. Cannot let such a thing run rampant. Though why it has chosen this one as a nemesis? Or target to taunt? Does not make sense. Then again, demons..." A huff.
Drasta answers, “I will tell you in all the demons I have met...They have reasons though not seen some would wish to manipulate or take control.”
"Let’s head back to the others. Figure we'll need to brief them on this."
“I need to see if I can find my goddess temple then I will join you...”
As she’s working her way through the docks she notices a huge modern western style merchant ship there. The name on the bow is "Ava." The ship is a 3-mast schooner 150x36 beam and looks sleek and fast belaying her size. Khzuro sees it too. It’s the biggest in the docks not the highest but definitely the biggest by tonnage (about 400 tons empty)
Khzuro gives up. “Probably shouldn't be alone at the moment, will come with... though do let this one know if you run into any demon apparitions there that this one doesn't see. Won't think you insane for it." And follows Drasta...
The shrine of Selune is very small here with but a priestess and two acolytes there is also an old elf there speaking with the priestess. He’s wearing a Mulhorandi merchant uniform. Drasta notices he’s a moon elf with bluish skin and green eyes. He’s very old pushing 500. He’s wearing a commander’s hat, and his feather pin is split with the symbols of chaplain of Selune and pilot. He’s also wearing a blue dress uniform of seal skins the inner lining is white the outside is cerulean blue. He is quietly speaking with the priestess.
Khzuro blinks seeing it’s the same elf he met on the demon’s second visit. Drasta pulls her hood back and gives a gentle elven courtesy. Khzuro whispers to her. “Drasta that's the one this one saw before, with the same kind of magic aura." But then quiets down and stands behind but near Drasta. He hangs back letting Drasta take the lead here but keeps in sight.
The old elf and the priestess look at the two of you strangely. The priestess asks may "May I help you?"
Drasta speaks up, “I have come to pray to my goddess.”
the priestess nods. “Your way to the alter is free young woman.”
Drasta looks at the old elf. “Are you here to pray elder.”
He piers at you with well-lined eyes. “I'm here to take up council with a fellow follower of my sect.”
She nods, “And what do you seek?”
"I must say you are an odd couple an..........elven and kobold.”
Drasta chuckles, “Oddities make proper company.”
Khzuro blinks confusedly, unable to comprehend what the old man is implying. Ohhh my... Khzuro raises an eye ridge, then shrugs.
The old elf finally answers her question. “Answers. Something is going on and I believe it’s my responsibility to find out what it is."
Khzuro looks up to Drasta then to the old elf. Drasta says, “Perhaps we ask her for answers or discuss this.” She gestures to the shrine.”
The priestess speaks, “Unfortunately I have no answers for the commander. His answers may be in the imperial city. I am not sure.”
She gives a bow to the priestess. “Perhaps I mis-spoke on who. I talk of the goddess.”
The commander shrugs, “The great navigator remains silent. Which means it is up to mortals to solve."
Khzuro looks to the old elf, but keeps quiet, letting Drasta handle it for now. She looks to the alter. “Of what is it you are seeking to find?”
“A long-ago sunken ship and a grave, I believe. She would die there and have her scuttled. It was her greatest treasure. The old elf considers, "However the ship was in the narrow sea not here. That is what is so strange that the center is here not there. At any rate I believe I must go to Dojyu to find the answers I need.”
She nods, “As you wish.”
He starts to limp off back to his ship. As he does, he checks the time, taking out a gnomish pocket watch. Khzuro stops him. "Sssk, before you go, this one would ask you something, if you had time."
The kobold finally speaks up, looking to the old elf.
He turns around slowly. “Yes?” Drasta gestures from the kobold to the elf.
"Have you ah... seen any strange apparitions or illusions recently?"
He smiles "No, I have not, however I have felt and seen her magic stopping time. Not bad for someone who has been dead these last 3700 years. Which means someone else has found the ship."
Drasta looks between them both curiously.
"Ah, curious. This one has had time stop around him as well. Usually accompanied by an apparition of a demon taunting this one.... how frequently have you observed it?"
"A demon? Ummm. Things are worse than I thought. I have observed it for over half a year now. Thats when I set sail to find the center."
"I see... that is most worrying. Any idea what kind of magic is involved with it? Is... not something this one recognized or was familiar with."
“My old captain. My first captain was a white necromancer. She specialized in energy magic. When we found ourselves in a much different place, she steeped herself in chronomancy to get us back home. She completed much of the Chronomancer’s work and did get us back home only 200 years too early. Her signature magic is unique it has both necromancy and chronomancy fused together along with Netheril techniques.”
The kobold tries to listen along, but he's clearly a bit lost, still he tries to understand. What the commander says he cannot follow and its completely above Drasta’s head. Drasta does say. “Stopping time is curious I have seen it used before, but I know nothing of it.”
The commander tips his hat. “The night guide you both.”
Drasta completes the blessing. “As the moon gives you path.”
He wanders off. As he does Khzuro shouts out, “Eight million be with you.”
Drasta looks back to the priestess and gives a bow. “If it acceptable I would like to talk with her for a moment.”
The priestess steps aside of the alter and asks, “How may I help you, child?” Khzuro steps off to the side.
“I wish to say a prayer to Selune. It perhaps may not take long.” The priestess nods.
Dips her head gently to the priestess and takes a place in front of the shrine giving a sylvan prayer then speaking (in sylvan) “Perhaps I am lacking your guidance.... It has been some time since I have spoken with you and for that I ask forgiveness... I ask you perhaps for some guidance in the coming hours I do not know how this court will go nor what will come after.” She goes into a low bow on her knees in front of the shrine. “I hope my words find you in the night, I hope you can hear me this far from home.” Drasta sits a moment in quiet contemplating.
The priestess being human and not knowing sylvan cannot council on the prayer. Drasta stands and gives a bow to her. “Perhaps we shall be on our way, Khzuro.”
He responds, “Of course.”
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Winterhawk99
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Re: The Kozakura Campaign
Drasta finally makes her way to the barracks. Haru is waiting for her. The old besshikime immediately puts her to attention before she steps into the home. “After the shogun sees you. You and I are going to have a long talk about your room young lady! Get some sleep!”
Drasta sighs gently then goes to sit on her bed. She had drawn magic Fey and Sylvan symbols all about her room for protection. They are all gone now. Drasta sits on her bed meditating to Selune.
The room has been cleaned up of all weird symbols. Even if the walls had to be replaced.
Khzuro has been directed to a small room within the palace itself. He goes where directed getting all of the snuggles and head pats that he can but tries to keep to himself and quiet. While Khzuro is working his way to the small room in the palace that was prepared for him, He tries to gage the general mood of the palace before spending time alone. and of course seeking out head pats.
The people he talks to or sees seem to be in a normal mood. Some happy, some upset depending upon how their day went. He does pick up a rumor that the castle is beginning to get more and more worried about Furi’s extended stay and her involvement in Barasume affairs. He takes a mental note of it and idles around for a while before going to his room. Seeking out all of the head pats and snuggles a kobold can of course.
Late at night, Khzuro wakes up suddenly. The demon walks through the wall and stares at him. He says, “After all, is not life only a struggle for power over others?” The last of the crystals fall out of the top of the hourglass. The demon disappears again.
Khzuro looks at the demon, narrowing his eyes, a grimace, before looking around, and trying to listen to hear if there is anything else going on at the hour. It’s 3am in the morning. The only thing he hears is the guards doing their rounds. Khzuro casts detect magic just to be sure there aren’t any other surprises and gets another reading. He sees the same fading magic in the room. He sighs and tries to go back to bed.
Sei also has a disturbance tonight. It is a dream.
He dreams of a ranger in the mountains a female. She is a Kozakurian. She is walking a trap line down the mountain and picking up her catches. She reaches the base and there is a large field between her and the next mountain. Something glitters 200 yards out in the field.
There is still snow on the ground so it must be the far north of the main island.
She walks up to it and finds a strange white crystal. It’s about the size of a milk carton. She picks it up. Suddenly the wind picks up and a mist seems to come to her then into her. Her eyes turn from deep brown to a brilliant copper.
The next thing that happens is she speaks in some kind of language Sei does not know. She raises her other hand while doing this and a black misty like vapor forms around it. She then switches the crystal to that hand. The crystal crumbles to dust. She looks back to Sei’s viewpoint then changes direction and starts walking up the saddle of the two mountains.
Everyone is called to court in the afternoon the next day. Before that happens, Sei calls on Furi and Khzuro and Drasta for his own little meeting. Sei explains to them his dream.
Furi furrows her brows and doesn’t say anything. Khzuro tries to consider any religious or iconographic significance of the gestures of the dream figure. He doesn’t get much but does seem something within the dream. It seemed the ranger used by description an arcane necromantic spell to destroy the crystal. Though what spell he does not know.
Khzuro says, “Curious, what you’re describing is some kind of necromancy magic. But am not sure what, exactly.”
Sei shakes his head. “That does make sense given what I saw in the dream...but at the same time, it's strange that a ranger would wield such."
Drasta races to her memory to study what Sei said. Khzuro says, “Think the crystal in your vision might be... alive? In a sense."
Sei thinks and says, “Even stranger then."
Drasta finally speaks. “I think when the ranger picked up the crystal, she became possessed. There are very few races with brilliant copper eyes on toril, but I do know one. Some sun elves have this type of eye color.”
Sei shrugs, “Anyway, I think we file that aside for later though, no?”
Khzuro nods, “Of course.”
Khzuro gets himself ready for their meeting with the shogun, mentally. Though getting head pats and snuggles in quantity always helps.
Sei looks to Drasta. “Stranger yet. Anyway… beyond my ken, it seems.”
They all walk together toward the courtroom.
Drasta sighs gently then goes to sit on her bed. She had drawn magic Fey and Sylvan symbols all about her room for protection. They are all gone now. Drasta sits on her bed meditating to Selune.
The room has been cleaned up of all weird symbols. Even if the walls had to be replaced.
Khzuro has been directed to a small room within the palace itself. He goes where directed getting all of the snuggles and head pats that he can but tries to keep to himself and quiet. While Khzuro is working his way to the small room in the palace that was prepared for him, He tries to gage the general mood of the palace before spending time alone. and of course seeking out head pats.
The people he talks to or sees seem to be in a normal mood. Some happy, some upset depending upon how their day went. He does pick up a rumor that the castle is beginning to get more and more worried about Furi’s extended stay and her involvement in Barasume affairs. He takes a mental note of it and idles around for a while before going to his room. Seeking out all of the head pats and snuggles a kobold can of course.
Late at night, Khzuro wakes up suddenly. The demon walks through the wall and stares at him. He says, “After all, is not life only a struggle for power over others?” The last of the crystals fall out of the top of the hourglass. The demon disappears again.
Khzuro looks at the demon, narrowing his eyes, a grimace, before looking around, and trying to listen to hear if there is anything else going on at the hour. It’s 3am in the morning. The only thing he hears is the guards doing their rounds. Khzuro casts detect magic just to be sure there aren’t any other surprises and gets another reading. He sees the same fading magic in the room. He sighs and tries to go back to bed.
Sei also has a disturbance tonight. It is a dream.
He dreams of a ranger in the mountains a female. She is a Kozakurian. She is walking a trap line down the mountain and picking up her catches. She reaches the base and there is a large field between her and the next mountain. Something glitters 200 yards out in the field.
There is still snow on the ground so it must be the far north of the main island.
She walks up to it and finds a strange white crystal. It’s about the size of a milk carton. She picks it up. Suddenly the wind picks up and a mist seems to come to her then into her. Her eyes turn from deep brown to a brilliant copper.
The next thing that happens is she speaks in some kind of language Sei does not know. She raises her other hand while doing this and a black misty like vapor forms around it. She then switches the crystal to that hand. The crystal crumbles to dust. She looks back to Sei’s viewpoint then changes direction and starts walking up the saddle of the two mountains.
Everyone is called to court in the afternoon the next day. Before that happens, Sei calls on Furi and Khzuro and Drasta for his own little meeting. Sei explains to them his dream.
Furi furrows her brows and doesn’t say anything. Khzuro tries to consider any religious or iconographic significance of the gestures of the dream figure. He doesn’t get much but does seem something within the dream. It seemed the ranger used by description an arcane necromantic spell to destroy the crystal. Though what spell he does not know.
Khzuro says, “Curious, what you’re describing is some kind of necromancy magic. But am not sure what, exactly.”
Sei shakes his head. “That does make sense given what I saw in the dream...but at the same time, it's strange that a ranger would wield such."
Drasta races to her memory to study what Sei said. Khzuro says, “Think the crystal in your vision might be... alive? In a sense."
Sei thinks and says, “Even stranger then."
Drasta finally speaks. “I think when the ranger picked up the crystal, she became possessed. There are very few races with brilliant copper eyes on toril, but I do know one. Some sun elves have this type of eye color.”
Sei shrugs, “Anyway, I think we file that aside for later though, no?”
Khzuro nods, “Of course.”
Khzuro gets himself ready for their meeting with the shogun, mentally. Though getting head pats and snuggles in quantity always helps.
Sei looks to Drasta. “Stranger yet. Anyway… beyond my ken, it seems.”
They all walk together toward the courtroom.
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Winterhawk99
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Re: The Kozakura Campaign
At the appointed hour everyone goes to court. There are few people here today. Kyo sits majestically in his chair. Yoshie and Eri are to his left on mats with their heads down listening to everything like they always do. Hideo is off to the side beside a guard. He is in heavy calvary armor. He occasionally looks up to the samurai beside him. Every time he does the warrior slaps the back of his head enough for him to almost stumble. The court magician, Ogano is also there and seems quite agitated along with two generals.
The mats are arranged with two in the front: for Sei and Samo, Bunka beside Samon and Drasta to her right, Furi to the left of Sei and Khzuro to her left. Khzuro quietly takes his place. Drasta takes her place with a formal deep bow. Sei bows and seats himself after honorifics. “Did you wish me to address the matter of my mission first, or is the wu-jen issue a first priority?” He glances at the angry looking court wu-jen.
Kyo sighs and speaks. “I have listened to the reports of my samurai and onna-bugeisha. I would like to hear your report of the affair at the lake, master Lei. Especially the missing part where my samurai could not be involved in?”
“Ah. We were able to make the yakuza… come to the table less more blood of theirs were to be shed without addressing the source of the lake god’s anger. With the deal made there, he and his people will be responsible for restoring the lake, in addition to not polluting it further. He even gave something rather valuable as consideration for it, even, and showed no sign of ambush or other dishonor during negotiations.
After some further discussion and thought, it might even perhaps be possible to use some of his… product against foes from afar and give him a path to renouncing the yakuza in the process.”
The shogun looks slightly angry. “You believe the words of this Yakuza lord?”
“If we were simply to levy total war against him, we’d have been left holding the cleanup bag for his mess. This way, putting the responsibility squarely on his shoulders, with full knowledge that his tainting of the lake was the sour of the lake god’s anger. The polluter pays.”
“Was this lake god satisfied by your efforts?”
“The work of Khzuro and the priestess Sango had appeased the lake god for the time being. Let us pray that the lake god returns to a pleasant surprise.”
Kyo grunts out, “How big is this operation?”
“It is of some size. Enough to have its own force of armed guards and commandeer a whole floor of a dyestuff-works for its use.”
"You have put me in a bad position Sei; however, I find your reasoning somewhat sound. Those who destroy the sacred area of a god should be the ones that pay for the restoration of such. Still, you know you are gambling on the goodwill of an organization that is directly opposed to my government. Next time I send you out I expect this to be a lesson."
“Aye; and I have my ways of keeping track of if they keep their word or not.”
Lord Barasume looks down on the group with hardened eyes. “I will not sit here and do nothing, Scribe!” A small man with quill and ink comes bringing a table and sets up to the side.
Kyo continues. "I order two high ranking samurai volunteers to go to the village of the lake and take over the government. A letter will be sent to the head of the textile plant. For them to continue to operate they will mend the damage they have done. Furthermore, they are to cease and desist all illegal activities until such time as we can evaluate if their organization is recoverable. All tattoos and paraphernalia denoting yakuza will be destroyed or removed. The leader and owner of the textile plant will present themselves to me for negotiations to become a proper and legal organization operating in my lands. If these demands are not met, my castle will bear the heads of their organization." He nods to the scribe. The man finishes and leaves with his small table.
Time suddenly stops for Khzuro. The demon walks from the back of the hall through Yoshie’s body and stops in front of him. He says, “I have the advantage, Khzuro.” Time again restarts itself. The demon disappears. Organo the court’s wu-jen walks up to the shogun and whispers in his ear.
Khzuro furrows his brow, then looks over to Yoshie, but he doesn’t freak out or panic visibly then to the wizard.
The Shogun nods. and looks at everyone. “Is there anything else I should know about this incident involving the lake god?"
Kyo waits. Drasta looks to Khzuro. After an awkward silence, he speaks up. “Should mention, there are /two/ lake gods there. One was trapped. This one and Sango saw to freeing the trapped one. This is what has led to the calming of the Lake gods... for now. This one expects that if the lake continues to be polluted then the gods will grow angry once again."
The shogun takes it in. “Between whatever Sei has planned and my samurai and my own insistence, I have no doubt these ‘merchants’ will do what is necessary. I will demand a report, master Lei, on what your plans are to keep tabs on these merchants. You will also attend tea tomorrow with the lady Yoshie, Sei. You and your team have another mission, very soon. Organo will be in attendance with you." His eyes turn to Drasta. "Trainee on your knees and bow your head to the floor."
Drasta does so immediately. Lord Barasume stands and nearly grows at her. "My castle is not some practice ground for fey magic and my walls are not there for someone to draw twisted graffiti all over. Haru will speak to you about this. See that it never happens again. You are trying my patience young lady. You are here to study and learn to do a very important job. learn it quickly and put these strange magics away. Your trials will be after this future mission. Haru will accompany you. Do we have an understanding?"
Drasta gives a slight nod calmly knowing they don’t understand. “As it is asked.”
“One more incident from you and I will try you myself like I did your matron! Only this time I’ll order a dozen samurai to try to kill you every day for a dozen days instead of 5 samurai for 5 days. It’s not a trial that you would like!”
Drasta meekly states, “I understand.”
Kyo looks around one last time. “This court is adjourned!”
Khzuro blinks at the mention of killing Drasta multiple days… Kyo gets up, bows slightly and walks out. His wives are next then the samurai, generals and Hideo leave. Samo stands up and looks around. “Well, that was hard, but no one lost their heads today. The shogun is not happy.”
Furi stands and nods, “I need a drink too.”
Khzuro stands up and follows the others in the group, keeping quiet. Drasta keeps her mouth shut and looks at everyone. Samo decides to lead everyone to the closest inn for a drink. Sei retires for the eve as well.
Entering the inn, Drasta finds a table in the back quiet and places 3 bottles on the table. Khzuro decides to follow Samo but decides to refrain from drinking. Lest he start licking everyone’s face.
Drasta hands a bottle to Samo and a cup to Khzuro. Samo drinks heavily, he is off duty and in a dower mood. He looks at Drasta. “You need to put everything away except the job.”
She looks at him for a moment then looks over her bottle. “It was a safety measure for everyone but myself.”
Samo looks down and smiles, “Well, we have our lucky Kami charm with us.” He rubs Khzuro’s head vigorously.”
Drasta smirks lightly then looks back down with a bit of irrational anger and sadness. Khzuro happily enjoys all the head pats and rubs closes his eyes, seemingly ok with it for now if only to help keep Samo’s morale up. Furi drinks lightly and watches everyone and their interactions.
Drasta watches Furi but keeps her head down mostly. “No one understands….” She drinks off her bottle looking at Samo and how his bottle he downed is settling. Samo is a big man. He takes it well enough.
The group talks until the lanterns are lit. They split up and depart shortly after.
The mats are arranged with two in the front: for Sei and Samo, Bunka beside Samon and Drasta to her right, Furi to the left of Sei and Khzuro to her left. Khzuro quietly takes his place. Drasta takes her place with a formal deep bow. Sei bows and seats himself after honorifics. “Did you wish me to address the matter of my mission first, or is the wu-jen issue a first priority?” He glances at the angry looking court wu-jen.
Kyo sighs and speaks. “I have listened to the reports of my samurai and onna-bugeisha. I would like to hear your report of the affair at the lake, master Lei. Especially the missing part where my samurai could not be involved in?”
“Ah. We were able to make the yakuza… come to the table less more blood of theirs were to be shed without addressing the source of the lake god’s anger. With the deal made there, he and his people will be responsible for restoring the lake, in addition to not polluting it further. He even gave something rather valuable as consideration for it, even, and showed no sign of ambush or other dishonor during negotiations.
After some further discussion and thought, it might even perhaps be possible to use some of his… product against foes from afar and give him a path to renouncing the yakuza in the process.”
The shogun looks slightly angry. “You believe the words of this Yakuza lord?”
“If we were simply to levy total war against him, we’d have been left holding the cleanup bag for his mess. This way, putting the responsibility squarely on his shoulders, with full knowledge that his tainting of the lake was the sour of the lake god’s anger. The polluter pays.”
“Was this lake god satisfied by your efforts?”
“The work of Khzuro and the priestess Sango had appeased the lake god for the time being. Let us pray that the lake god returns to a pleasant surprise.”
Kyo grunts out, “How big is this operation?”
“It is of some size. Enough to have its own force of armed guards and commandeer a whole floor of a dyestuff-works for its use.”
"You have put me in a bad position Sei; however, I find your reasoning somewhat sound. Those who destroy the sacred area of a god should be the ones that pay for the restoration of such. Still, you know you are gambling on the goodwill of an organization that is directly opposed to my government. Next time I send you out I expect this to be a lesson."
“Aye; and I have my ways of keeping track of if they keep their word or not.”
Lord Barasume looks down on the group with hardened eyes. “I will not sit here and do nothing, Scribe!” A small man with quill and ink comes bringing a table and sets up to the side.
Kyo continues. "I order two high ranking samurai volunteers to go to the village of the lake and take over the government. A letter will be sent to the head of the textile plant. For them to continue to operate they will mend the damage they have done. Furthermore, they are to cease and desist all illegal activities until such time as we can evaluate if their organization is recoverable. All tattoos and paraphernalia denoting yakuza will be destroyed or removed. The leader and owner of the textile plant will present themselves to me for negotiations to become a proper and legal organization operating in my lands. If these demands are not met, my castle will bear the heads of their organization." He nods to the scribe. The man finishes and leaves with his small table.
Time suddenly stops for Khzuro. The demon walks from the back of the hall through Yoshie’s body and stops in front of him. He says, “I have the advantage, Khzuro.” Time again restarts itself. The demon disappears. Organo the court’s wu-jen walks up to the shogun and whispers in his ear.
Khzuro furrows his brow, then looks over to Yoshie, but he doesn’t freak out or panic visibly then to the wizard.
The Shogun nods. and looks at everyone. “Is there anything else I should know about this incident involving the lake god?"
Kyo waits. Drasta looks to Khzuro. After an awkward silence, he speaks up. “Should mention, there are /two/ lake gods there. One was trapped. This one and Sango saw to freeing the trapped one. This is what has led to the calming of the Lake gods... for now. This one expects that if the lake continues to be polluted then the gods will grow angry once again."
The shogun takes it in. “Between whatever Sei has planned and my samurai and my own insistence, I have no doubt these ‘merchants’ will do what is necessary. I will demand a report, master Lei, on what your plans are to keep tabs on these merchants. You will also attend tea tomorrow with the lady Yoshie, Sei. You and your team have another mission, very soon. Organo will be in attendance with you." His eyes turn to Drasta. "Trainee on your knees and bow your head to the floor."
Drasta does so immediately. Lord Barasume stands and nearly grows at her. "My castle is not some practice ground for fey magic and my walls are not there for someone to draw twisted graffiti all over. Haru will speak to you about this. See that it never happens again. You are trying my patience young lady. You are here to study and learn to do a very important job. learn it quickly and put these strange magics away. Your trials will be after this future mission. Haru will accompany you. Do we have an understanding?"
Drasta gives a slight nod calmly knowing they don’t understand. “As it is asked.”
“One more incident from you and I will try you myself like I did your matron! Only this time I’ll order a dozen samurai to try to kill you every day for a dozen days instead of 5 samurai for 5 days. It’s not a trial that you would like!”
Drasta meekly states, “I understand.”
Kyo looks around one last time. “This court is adjourned!”
Khzuro blinks at the mention of killing Drasta multiple days… Kyo gets up, bows slightly and walks out. His wives are next then the samurai, generals and Hideo leave. Samo stands up and looks around. “Well, that was hard, but no one lost their heads today. The shogun is not happy.”
Furi stands and nods, “I need a drink too.”
Khzuro stands up and follows the others in the group, keeping quiet. Drasta keeps her mouth shut and looks at everyone. Samo decides to lead everyone to the closest inn for a drink. Sei retires for the eve as well.
Entering the inn, Drasta finds a table in the back quiet and places 3 bottles on the table. Khzuro decides to follow Samo but decides to refrain from drinking. Lest he start licking everyone’s face.
Drasta hands a bottle to Samo and a cup to Khzuro. Samo drinks heavily, he is off duty and in a dower mood. He looks at Drasta. “You need to put everything away except the job.”
She looks at him for a moment then looks over her bottle. “It was a safety measure for everyone but myself.”
Samo looks down and smiles, “Well, we have our lucky Kami charm with us.” He rubs Khzuro’s head vigorously.”
Drasta smirks lightly then looks back down with a bit of irrational anger and sadness. Khzuro happily enjoys all the head pats and rubs closes his eyes, seemingly ok with it for now if only to help keep Samo’s morale up. Furi drinks lightly and watches everyone and their interactions.
Drasta watches Furi but keeps her head down mostly. “No one understands….” She drinks off her bottle looking at Samo and how his bottle he downed is settling. Samo is a big man. He takes it well enough.
The group talks until the lanterns are lit. They split up and depart shortly after.
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Winterhawk99
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Re: The Kozakura Campaign
Khzuro wanders back to his room in the palace after attending the inn. He didn’t drink. He mostly consoled Samo after the court meeting with Shogun Barasume. He is about to lay down for the night when something happens.
The demon comes through the wall and stands before him bearing his hourglass. He says, “Bear in mind, I already know your plans.”
The next morning Haru calls Drasta into her office. Drasta doesn’t linger and appears to her. Haru stands. Drasta bows in respect and Haru in turn recognizes her. They sit down. Haru flips through some papers. “According to Samo and Bunka’s reports you did much better this time.”
Drasta nods, “It has taken time to adjust.”
“What did you find at the lake? Not what everyone else said. What you saw?”
“An unease amongst the people in two parts. One being the anger of the water god. The other being the yakuza in the town.”
Haru thinks for a long time. “How did the conversation between Sei and this leader go? What was the true disposition of this yakuza?”
“The conversation was short they spoke of a compromise involving where their clan would clean the lake and how he did not know of the tainting of the water. pauses a moment They seemed to have made a truce for the time being and explained their product was shipped far away from Barasume territory.” She continues to tell every detail of the conversation then says, “There however is still uncertainty of this but time will see how much truth he spoke though i did not get feeling he would stray.”
Haru thinks this over, again a long time then says, “Alright. There is the other affair of your… artwork. Let us not see that anymore.” Drasta dips her head. Haru continues. “This is not the west. We are separate and each has their ways. You are not here to teach us yours. You have come here to learn ours.”
Drasta dips her head. “It was not my intention, I apologize.”
Haru nods. As she does Kei comes in and sneers at the elven but bows to Haru. “There are armed men at the door, mistress commander.”
Haru sighs, "Well, let us see what is so important. get my naginata just in case.” Kei leaves and Haru tells Drasta to follow her.
Drasta obediently does follow her. As she gets to the main room Kei hands Haru her weapon and she goes out the door. Outside there are over a dozen samurai. Two look familiar to Drasta. She remembers them from the docks when she first came to the city. They are all pointing spears at the two women. Haru goes into a guard position and asks, “What is the meaning of this?” Drasta makes herself ready without touching any weapons.
The head samurai takes a letter from his armor. "We have come here to arrest Drasta Ras... Ras... Rasputin.... Raspurtal.... I can’t understand these foreign words!"
Haru looks back at Drasta and back to the overwhelming force in front of her. “On what grounds!”
"She is to be taken to city hall to be questioned. There are serious rumors she’s an evil hengeyokai bat disguising herself as an elf. Children have been bled to nothing since she arrived. There are witnesses saying that she has climbed.......Ummm flown through windows to seduce men and make them her slaves. She’s an abomination to all that is life. Thus, she must be questioned by the city. In fact, just a few days ago three people have been shriveled to death by her evil dealings. If this is true, she must be cut into itsy bitsy pieces and buried alive."
A bunch of the other men start nodding and her. They hear several HAI! G\Hai’s among the crowd of warriors. One says "Evil western hengeyokai, Hai! look at those ears. Has to be a bat."
Haru raises an eyebrow. "You do realize she’s been away for several weeks dealing with a problem of the lands."
The leader says, "She’s a teleporting bat that blinks back to the city while her companions are sleeping!"
Drasta has a ‘Are you fucking kidding me’ expression on her face looking at Haru.
The commander reads the letter and looks at them suspiciously. "You understand she is a charge of the castle not the city. This is not legal."
The leader puffs out his chest. "I am a samurai in service to the lord mayor. You're only a besshikime. Stand down! Now! She is to be questioned at city hall!"
"Then I will go with her as her commander and listen to this questioning."
"No, you will not! The mayor wants answers for all that have been killed, seduced or have become her unknowing slaves. Yes, she has several men under her spell! I should have blindfolded mine to keep her from staring them into obedience!"
Haru shifts her eyes back to Drasta then the lead samurai. "Then I request Samo lead samurai in protecting the heir come with you. as Drasta's second. She needs to make formation in two days for training."
The lead samurai looks surprised. He turns to his men and the huddle together whispering. He then turns around. "Samo is well known and has a sharp sword. That is acceptable."
"Well wait then. CHO! COME HERE!" Cho comes and bows to her. "Retrieve Samo for me."
She leaves. Haru turns around and signs to Drasta, "They are up to something. find out." Drasta nods in an ‘Of course way’.
Samo comes and Haru hands him the orders. "I want you to be Drasta's second just in case.”
He reads it and looks at the lead samurai. "Alright."
The crowd of samurai point their spears at Samo and Drasta leading them into the center of the city where city hall is. As they go in, they lead the pair to the basement. There, things all of the sudden change. The samurai smile and start to shout, DRASTA! DRASTA!” Samo looks around and frowns while Drasta sighs.
They take them down to the basement cheering Drasta’s name. There the pair see a little guy about 4ft 8 inches sitting by a still. He smiles and raises his hands, “Drasta!”
Samo says rather flatly, “That’s the mayor.” Drasta nods to him.
The mayor stands, walks over and hugs Drasta then points to the huge pile of sugar cane in the corner. He then walks over and slightly taps the still with a tanto, “ting! Ting!”
She looks over at Samo, “Were you in on this?”
He looks around confused. “No. You make Sake?”
Then she remembers and thinks to herself. ‘Selune! That group at the docks that confiscated my rum for ‘taxes’! That was forever ago! She chuckles, “No not Sake.”
Samo shrugs, “Well he’s the mayor. What are you going to do, Drasta?”
She gives him a side nod and looks around. The still is in the middle of the room. The two samurai who were at the docks pat her on the back and say, “Drasta!”
She gets to work. The two she knows help her make her rum. They help shovel sugarcane into the mash and bring her different spices. Drasta shakes her head slightly in a ‘Children calm down.’ Type of way and gets to work teaching them. While she starts an old man comes in and bows to the mayor. They seem like old friends and talk while she makes her rum. They are speaking in low shou so Drasta cannot understand them.
The samurai come with bowls with every spice she can think of coriander, cinnamon, red pepper dust, curry, peppermint, anything she can think of. She hands a pouch of black pepper to one along with a mortar and pestle without explaining. He vigorously and happily grinds it to powder.
she takes the cinnamon; black pepper then waits for the sugar cane to turn to a dark molasses and starts mixing small batches putting them into the still slowly keeping an eye on the process checking on the others to make sure they notice or don't what is going on then takes a small pouch of gold dust and places a few pinches into it.
They all look like they are ready to party, including the mayor. She finishes mixing everything together and everyone waits. Drasta takes a deep breath. After an hour they tap it. The mayor and the two samurai take a drink.
They don’t spit it out, but they discuss it amongst themselves. The mayor comes up and says to her in high shou. “This not right. Try again.” They pour the still out and fill it with water and yeast again.
Drasta protests, “If you give it a week or two to age it will be better.”
Samo looks at her. “Try again Drasta.”
Drasta repeats the whole process being more careful in her measurements and timing. When it is finished the two samurai from the docks taste it along with the mayor. They sip it and nod to each other. then salute her.
The party starts in earnest with everyone getting their mugs out. Everyone drinks and gives her and Samo drinks. You party several hours until almost passed out. Mats are placed by women for everyone to sit on. One of the samurai holds up a mug. “Drasta.......Masta!”
Some raise their mugs, but some don’t.
Another raises his mug. Drasta!......Kasta! Again, some agree, and some don’t.
Drasta dips her head a little tired at this and enjoys a drink with them thinking. Another raises his mug. Drasta… Rasta! Again, there are cheers and jeers.
Another raises his mug, “DRASTA! SHASTA!”
She whispers to Samo at some point. “Perhaps we shouldn’t speak much of this.”
This time the most cheer. They look at the mayor. The mayor nods and raises his.... DRASTA SHASTA! They all start cheering the name and one gives her another bowl. The party goes on through most of the night until the early hours of morning. Most finally pass out including Samo and Drasta.
Drasta is deep in dream when someone throws a bucket of ice water on her face. She rouses a bit irritated and hungover trying to focus on the person.
It’s Haru. She’s standing over you with Cho and Mana beside you. Drasta is covered in coins all around her. and on her about 2,000 Ryo. They clink as some on top fall to the ground as she sits up.
Haru says, "I thought it would be something like this. Come on You have duty!" Mana goes over and pours a cold bucket of water on Samo. He wakes up and quickly stands, "THIS! OUCH! this never happened."
Drasta chuckles at Samo and bows to Haru then quickly scraps the coin into a pouch as best she can “Apologies.”
Haru curtly says, “Come on then! We run 10 miles today."
Drasta sighs and quickly follows her commander.”
The demon comes through the wall and stands before him bearing his hourglass. He says, “Bear in mind, I already know your plans.”
The next morning Haru calls Drasta into her office. Drasta doesn’t linger and appears to her. Haru stands. Drasta bows in respect and Haru in turn recognizes her. They sit down. Haru flips through some papers. “According to Samo and Bunka’s reports you did much better this time.”
Drasta nods, “It has taken time to adjust.”
“What did you find at the lake? Not what everyone else said. What you saw?”
“An unease amongst the people in two parts. One being the anger of the water god. The other being the yakuza in the town.”
Haru thinks for a long time. “How did the conversation between Sei and this leader go? What was the true disposition of this yakuza?”
“The conversation was short they spoke of a compromise involving where their clan would clean the lake and how he did not know of the tainting of the water. pauses a moment They seemed to have made a truce for the time being and explained their product was shipped far away from Barasume territory.” She continues to tell every detail of the conversation then says, “There however is still uncertainty of this but time will see how much truth he spoke though i did not get feeling he would stray.”
Haru thinks this over, again a long time then says, “Alright. There is the other affair of your… artwork. Let us not see that anymore.” Drasta dips her head. Haru continues. “This is not the west. We are separate and each has their ways. You are not here to teach us yours. You have come here to learn ours.”
Drasta dips her head. “It was not my intention, I apologize.”
Haru nods. As she does Kei comes in and sneers at the elven but bows to Haru. “There are armed men at the door, mistress commander.”
Haru sighs, "Well, let us see what is so important. get my naginata just in case.” Kei leaves and Haru tells Drasta to follow her.
Drasta obediently does follow her. As she gets to the main room Kei hands Haru her weapon and she goes out the door. Outside there are over a dozen samurai. Two look familiar to Drasta. She remembers them from the docks when she first came to the city. They are all pointing spears at the two women. Haru goes into a guard position and asks, “What is the meaning of this?” Drasta makes herself ready without touching any weapons.
The head samurai takes a letter from his armor. "We have come here to arrest Drasta Ras... Ras... Rasputin.... Raspurtal.... I can’t understand these foreign words!"
Haru looks back at Drasta and back to the overwhelming force in front of her. “On what grounds!”
"She is to be taken to city hall to be questioned. There are serious rumors she’s an evil hengeyokai bat disguising herself as an elf. Children have been bled to nothing since she arrived. There are witnesses saying that she has climbed.......Ummm flown through windows to seduce men and make them her slaves. She’s an abomination to all that is life. Thus, she must be questioned by the city. In fact, just a few days ago three people have been shriveled to death by her evil dealings. If this is true, she must be cut into itsy bitsy pieces and buried alive."
A bunch of the other men start nodding and her. They hear several HAI! G\Hai’s among the crowd of warriors. One says "Evil western hengeyokai, Hai! look at those ears. Has to be a bat."
Haru raises an eyebrow. "You do realize she’s been away for several weeks dealing with a problem of the lands."
The leader says, "She’s a teleporting bat that blinks back to the city while her companions are sleeping!"
Drasta has a ‘Are you fucking kidding me’ expression on her face looking at Haru.
The commander reads the letter and looks at them suspiciously. "You understand she is a charge of the castle not the city. This is not legal."
The leader puffs out his chest. "I am a samurai in service to the lord mayor. You're only a besshikime. Stand down! Now! She is to be questioned at city hall!"
"Then I will go with her as her commander and listen to this questioning."
"No, you will not! The mayor wants answers for all that have been killed, seduced or have become her unknowing slaves. Yes, she has several men under her spell! I should have blindfolded mine to keep her from staring them into obedience!"
Haru shifts her eyes back to Drasta then the lead samurai. "Then I request Samo lead samurai in protecting the heir come with you. as Drasta's second. She needs to make formation in two days for training."
The lead samurai looks surprised. He turns to his men and the huddle together whispering. He then turns around. "Samo is well known and has a sharp sword. That is acceptable."
"Well wait then. CHO! COME HERE!" Cho comes and bows to her. "Retrieve Samo for me."
She leaves. Haru turns around and signs to Drasta, "They are up to something. find out." Drasta nods in an ‘Of course way’.
Samo comes and Haru hands him the orders. "I want you to be Drasta's second just in case.”
He reads it and looks at the lead samurai. "Alright."
The crowd of samurai point their spears at Samo and Drasta leading them into the center of the city where city hall is. As they go in, they lead the pair to the basement. There, things all of the sudden change. The samurai smile and start to shout, DRASTA! DRASTA!” Samo looks around and frowns while Drasta sighs.
They take them down to the basement cheering Drasta’s name. There the pair see a little guy about 4ft 8 inches sitting by a still. He smiles and raises his hands, “Drasta!”
Samo says rather flatly, “That’s the mayor.” Drasta nods to him.
The mayor stands, walks over and hugs Drasta then points to the huge pile of sugar cane in the corner. He then walks over and slightly taps the still with a tanto, “ting! Ting!”
She looks over at Samo, “Were you in on this?”
He looks around confused. “No. You make Sake?”
Then she remembers and thinks to herself. ‘Selune! That group at the docks that confiscated my rum for ‘taxes’! That was forever ago! She chuckles, “No not Sake.”
Samo shrugs, “Well he’s the mayor. What are you going to do, Drasta?”
She gives him a side nod and looks around. The still is in the middle of the room. The two samurai who were at the docks pat her on the back and say, “Drasta!”
She gets to work. The two she knows help her make her rum. They help shovel sugarcane into the mash and bring her different spices. Drasta shakes her head slightly in a ‘Children calm down.’ Type of way and gets to work teaching them. While she starts an old man comes in and bows to the mayor. They seem like old friends and talk while she makes her rum. They are speaking in low shou so Drasta cannot understand them.
The samurai come with bowls with every spice she can think of coriander, cinnamon, red pepper dust, curry, peppermint, anything she can think of. She hands a pouch of black pepper to one along with a mortar and pestle without explaining. He vigorously and happily grinds it to powder.
she takes the cinnamon; black pepper then waits for the sugar cane to turn to a dark molasses and starts mixing small batches putting them into the still slowly keeping an eye on the process checking on the others to make sure they notice or don't what is going on then takes a small pouch of gold dust and places a few pinches into it.
They all look like they are ready to party, including the mayor. She finishes mixing everything together and everyone waits. Drasta takes a deep breath. After an hour they tap it. The mayor and the two samurai take a drink.
They don’t spit it out, but they discuss it amongst themselves. The mayor comes up and says to her in high shou. “This not right. Try again.” They pour the still out and fill it with water and yeast again.
Drasta protests, “If you give it a week or two to age it will be better.”
Samo looks at her. “Try again Drasta.”
Drasta repeats the whole process being more careful in her measurements and timing. When it is finished the two samurai from the docks taste it along with the mayor. They sip it and nod to each other. then salute her.
The party starts in earnest with everyone getting their mugs out. Everyone drinks and gives her and Samo drinks. You party several hours until almost passed out. Mats are placed by women for everyone to sit on. One of the samurai holds up a mug. “Drasta.......Masta!”
Some raise their mugs, but some don’t.
Another raises his mug. Drasta!......Kasta! Again, some agree, and some don’t.
Drasta dips her head a little tired at this and enjoys a drink with them thinking. Another raises his mug. Drasta… Rasta! Again, there are cheers and jeers.
Another raises his mug, “DRASTA! SHASTA!”
She whispers to Samo at some point. “Perhaps we shouldn’t speak much of this.”
This time the most cheer. They look at the mayor. The mayor nods and raises his.... DRASTA SHASTA! They all start cheering the name and one gives her another bowl. The party goes on through most of the night until the early hours of morning. Most finally pass out including Samo and Drasta.
Drasta is deep in dream when someone throws a bucket of ice water on her face. She rouses a bit irritated and hungover trying to focus on the person.
It’s Haru. She’s standing over you with Cho and Mana beside you. Drasta is covered in coins all around her. and on her about 2,000 Ryo. They clink as some on top fall to the ground as she sits up.
Haru says, "I thought it would be something like this. Come on You have duty!" Mana goes over and pours a cold bucket of water on Samo. He wakes up and quickly stands, "THIS! OUCH! this never happened."
Drasta chuckles at Samo and bows to Haru then quickly scraps the coin into a pouch as best she can “Apologies.”
Haru curtly says, “Come on then! We run 10 miles today."
Drasta sighs and quickly follows her commander.”
-
Winterhawk99
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Re: The Kozakura Campaign
The following day after Drasta was rudely awakened by Haru, Khzuro gets up determined to gather more information in regard to their mission. But just how to do that? He wanders the palace complex trying to pick up rumors, particularly if there’s demon sightings or other strange phenomenon like a bat hengeyokai feasting on the souls of those she enslaves.
There seems to be no reported demons, at least currently nothing substantial. He does here that Ogano the court wizard has become very upset in the last few weeks. More than a few people are worried about the elderly wizard. Khzuro tries to see if he can go check on him, or at least if he can’t speak with the court wu-jen hear what’s going on with them.
The kobold goes to Ogano’s office in the palace. There are several people waiting outside the room. The door is closed. Khzuro stands at the back and listens to the gossip. They all seem to be waiting for him to come out with advice, divinations, potions and other fetishes. The current gossip is the usual affair. Nothing of import except maybe about the heir and how he is being treated now. Some seem to think that Kyo will disown him soon if he doesn’t show promise in short order. Some see Khzuro and rub his head making wishes. Khzuro lets them because he wants all the head pats because he doesn’t want to make a scene and it helps him blend in.
Ogano opens the door and calls for someone, they bow to him, “Here is your potion Kasaki.” He clears his throat. “It will make sure your lady gives you a standing ovation.” He then looks around the room spotting the small kami. “Khzuro the kobold. Why are you here?”
He looks up at Ogano. “This one was hoping for a consultation with you, if you had time. On sssk, strange magic related matters."
Ogano frowns, “What kind of strange magic related matters?"
Khzuro looks around to see if they are alone then realizing he’s in a room full of people. “Well…” He looks around, then motions to the room, trying to get to somewhere he can quietly whisper something to Ogano.
The old wu-jen sighs, “Just whisper your need.”
"This one wanted to discuss someone who ah... barged in on the meeting with the Shogun, and this one suspects you and I are the only ones to have noticed." Khzuro remembers the demon appearing to him during the meeting with the Shogun... and recalls Ogano was there.
He whispers back. “I saw something but no one barging into the meeting. I saw time stop for 2 minutes. Is this what you are talking about?”
Khzuro nods to him in affirmation.
Ogano looks around the room, “I AM TIRED FROM THE DAYS MAGIC. MY HOURS ARE NOW CLOSED! COME BACK TOMORROW!" Then he nearly drags the kobold into his office. He goes over and sits down at the table and looks at Khzuro, "Do you know something about these time stoppages over the last few weeks?"
Khzuro squeaks! But gets dragged on, then a nod to Ogano "Less than this one would like, but, yes, this one does know of them. Each time it happens, a demon appears to this one and taunts him..." He describes his encounters with the demon when time was stopped.
"It's been five times it has appeared to this one, one of those times was when we were in the presence of the Shogun. Like last time, only this one, and this time, you, noticed. Seems that the priests don't notice when it appears either."
Ogano looks confused. "No one has seen a demon but every mage in the realm has noticed time stopping each time for exactly 2 minutes."
"How many times has this happened? And did you notice the demon that appeared when we were with the Shogun?"
"I saw no demon Khzuro. The realms mages are the only ones that seem to notice time stopping maybe 7 or 8 times. Every one of my colleagues noticed it or perhaps missed the first few times but we are alert to it now. This is very dangerous for everyone. Even the emperor has been made aware and there is a gathering of mages at the imperial palace in a few weeks. What has this demon said to you so far?”
"From what this one can tell though, there definitely is an intelligence behind it. And a purpose, but one this one hasn't figured out. As for the times it's appeared... The first time is 'I must get this to work!', each time they had an hourglass. Possibly some artifact they're causing this phenomenon with. Anyways…” Khzuro tells Ogano about all of his experiences with the demon and what it said each time.
‘I must get this to work.’
‘I’ll endeavor to make it interesting.’
‘I Await our confrontation.’
‘After all, is not life only a struggle for power over others?’
‘I have the advantage, Khzuro.’
‘Bear in mind I already know your plans.’
“For some reason it has singled this one out as a target, or perhaps rival? Am not sure why."
Ogano smooths out his beard. "Umm whatever this thing is trying to tell you it’s garbled somewhat. or something. Have you seen or heard any other strange goings on?"
"Besides the demon and their strange portents? Actually, did come across an outlander elf. The second time this one saw the demon, they were nearby and had similar magic on them... met them again a second time..." Khzuro describes the meetings that he had with that old elf."
"What was the device?"
"The elf had this... watch with the same kind of magic.”
Ogano stands. “I've heard enough for now. We need to go to the library."
"Also seemed to be investigating the phenomenon, but this one had thought that they might also be involved. Not certain if they are though. Need more information." He nods to the old wizard, stands and starts to follow him.
Ogano gets a coat, and the odd pair walk into the city. Several peasants and shop keepers stare at them for a long time but they get there in a couple of hours. Once inside Ogano shows a key to the librarian. She walks the two of you behind the main room and down a flight of stairs. Ogano asks her to call his friends in the city. He unlocks the door, and they go in.
Inside is another library about half the size. It is filled with ancient lore, magical books, books on magic items, the hierarchy of nobles of the nations and their families. These are all the books that are not released to the public. There are even many western books.
Khzuro looks at all the books, wondering if one of them might have a clue then looks up to Ogano. He says, “This a special library and meeting place for the high wizards and wizardess’s of Renkyu and surrounding territories. It has all the information we’ve been able to collect for two thousand years or so."
Khzuro nods "Hoping the answer to these strange phenomena are in here, then?"
He nods, “This is why I brought you here so you may peruse and meet the others. Perhaps we can put together something that makes sense."
“Is as good a plan as any.”
Ogano leaves for the entrance waiting for his associates and leaves Khzuro to find anything that might help in this. The kobold goes tome delving for any hints that might provide some insight. He looks for books on time and books on demons. The books about demons are aplenty. He finds them all over. He only finds 2 books on time magic. He looks through the books on time magic first as a priority.
The first book he finds is a general book on chronomancy. It’s an extremely rare and dangerous magic that few can follow. A mage that can perform anything more than the general time stop needs to have extremely high aptitude in mathematics and........engineering skills. The most famous of these was the Chronomancer of Netheril who died some 4 or 5 thousand years ago. The book was written 2 centuries ago and says there are only 5 people in the past few centuries that have been known to be able to cast time magic.
He studies the names and descriptions of which 5 people are or were capable, or at least were to have known to have done it. He finds three were human, one was an elf, and another had dragon blood. Only one of the humans was female the rest were male.
As he is reading the demon walks through the wall. He looks at Khzuro then the book in his hands and says, “Does it really matter at all?” The crystals fall within the hourglass, and he disappears. Khzuro looks up to the demon, then just goes back to reading and trying to find out more.
Khzuro gets a general idea about this type of magic from the book but that is all he gets out of it. He begins panning through the second. At first the pages look blank but as he studies it, words start to appear to him. The book talks about a myth of sorts.
it talks about a woman who seemed to complete many of the Chronomancer’s work 400 years or so after his death. Her name was stricken from the spell weaver records. (The spell weavers were the major arcanist guild of the empire of Netheril.
Her notes were never found but there is rumor that she took her magic seriously, so seriously in fact that she wrote them in over 8 different languages including Netheresse, low shou, Mulhorandi, elven and several other unrecognizable languages. (the book is over a thousand years old)
It mentions she was also a brilliant engineer that fixed a magic shield for a city of halflings in old Netheril and was involved in several other instances in the old empire. It also mentions she was highly adept at white necromancy from her home guild in Mulhorand. (The house of life)
That’s all he finds. The rest of the pages seems to be written in gibberish. Khzuro casts a read magic to try to make sense of it. After that the book still doesn’t make sense. Ther letters show magic, but it seems to be formulas. They are garbled and mixed up in several languages. It may be an excerpt from the mages notes that may have been found somewhere, he thinks to himself.
He cross references with the other book, looking in more detail about the one female human who could manipulate time magic. It still doesn’t add up. The female from the other book was from the Moonshea not from Mulhorand. He sighs, looking around, trying to see how long he’s spent on his research so far, and wonders where Ogano is.
He is surprised. There are several people in the room now. All seem to be human. There are 5 older gentleman and 2 older females. Ogano walks down at last saying, “I believe Daiki had another engagement. Ladies and gentlemen, this is Khzuro a hedge sorcerer and kobold that may shed some light on our dilemma.
Khzuro perks up, dipping his head to them. Ogano continues. “Khzuro these are my colleagues. Hachiro enchanter, Katsu general mage and professor at the university of nobility in Renkyu, Masahiko general mage of the navy of Renkyu, Domore protector of peasants in the region that falls under Barasume law. (Domore appears very lanky and angular somewhat not human) Takume the evoker specialist in battle magic, Yoshicazu sorcerer of renown, Asami regional professor of horticulture (also does not look quite human) and finally the beautiful Kazuko she is a diviner and spiritualist living in the slum district. They all recognize him, some more eloquently than others.
Kazuko is the first to ask, “So, what information do you have Khzuro? And what have you found?”
"Was looking at the books, found these two. Was unable to fully read one of them but it does seem pertinent. Tome itself has magic in it. Not surprising, but you may find more out than this one would." Khzuro motions to the time-magic tome that he had trouble reading fully.
"Suppose you probably want a briefing as well on what this one witnessed, regarding the demon that keeps coming to taunt this one while time is stopped. Or what looks like a demon at least."
Yoshicazu says, "No one else has seen a demon. Are you sure it’s not just some dream of the subconscious? A way to deal with circumstances that you don’t quite understand?”
"Am quite certain of it. Have considered the possibility of it being an illusion instead of a real demon but am sure there is some kind of presence in it. Each time it happened I've cast a detect magic spell to find out more, always leaves a magic aura I can sense but not quite identify. It even appeared to this one while he was here. At least, couldn't identify before. Am sure it's chronomancy now."
Kazuko says, "There hasn’t been a Chronomancer in several hundred years at least by our limited knowledge."
Takume retorts "Its chronomancy it can be related to the here and now. This magic could have come from far in the future or far in the past. it could come from any time period the world will ever know."
Khzuro looks around the room, listening to the discussion, waiting to see if any try to read the book, and if they have any questions for him.
Kazuko comes over to the book that you could not finish reading. She quickly reads the first legible part after the letters appear then concentrates on the last page. She tries placing a spell upon it.
The room grows dark suddenly. everyone sees what looks a ghost appearing. It looks like a northern Kozakurian in a winter outfit. The strange thing are her brilliant copper eyes. The ghostly apparition says two words. The first in low shou, the second in another language. "NO! ARKHDRAUTH!" The book catches flames and burns too cinders. The ghost disappears and the oil lamps catch flame again.
Kazuko frowns deeply, "That was not a ghost, but someone possessed by one. I felt it."
Khzuro looks quite bewildered, looking around. So does everyone else except Kazuko. He says, “Who was possessed?”
Kazuko says, "The ghost we saw was not a ghost but a woman on the border ethereal. That woman was alive but the consciousness that spoke to us was someone long dead, a ghost. A ghost is possessing the woman. I'm sure of it."
Katsu smiles. That word, Arkhdrauth, it must have been a magical trigger hidden in the book or in whatever was written that we could not decipher. Does anyone know what that word is?"
Khzuro shakes his head. Asami thinks. “I believe it is elven, however I only know a few words, but it does seem elven to me. Does anyone know the language?"
They all shake their heads. Ogano looks over at Khzuro. “Would your friend know this word? The besshikime trainee?”
“Drasta? Probably. If it is elven or sylvan that is.”
“Could you go ask her? We can wait. it’s very important Khzuro.”
"Will try to find her, but before that though, do any of you have magic that can contact her and ask her to find us here?"
Mashiko chuckles. "She would most likely not be allowed in here. This is a special place. So, it is up to you to go ask her and come back. He goes over to a corner and gets a small box. He comes back. "Welcome to the Kabal of Renkyu, Khzuro. You are now our newest member and cannot bring anyone here at least for now." He gives a box to him. Inside is a key.
Khzuro nods in turn, taking the box with the key, before securing it away "Understood. Will go find the Drasta then. Unless you need anything else from this one before he goes?"
Khzuro finds Drasta, He looks around to make sure they are alone, then motions her aside. She nods to him and approaches.
"This might sound odd, but it is important.” He pauses to make sure no one is looking around. “Do you know what the word ‘Arkdrauth’ means?"
“It has many meanings. Where did you hear this word?”
"The exact phrasing this one had of it was someone shouting "No, Arkdrauth!" ... What do you mean by it having many meanings? And what language is it from?"
She thinks for a moment. “It is elven and can mean Willful, Wanton, Care for nothing, and Self-destruction.... Perhaps depending on its context, you would be able to decipher its meaning with what it was contained in meaning of.”
"Is it the kind of thing someone would exclaim if someone was seeking dangerous knowledge?"
“In some cases, perhaps it could be used in a sense containing to danger, but I would not think that may be the case unless they were being careless.”
"What would be more likely then? ... Is the word more hostile?" He lets out a sigh. "To explain a bit of context, have been looking into the strange phenomenon regarding that demon that keeps showing up and taunting me. Found a book that might have had a lead. Then a ghost showed up screaming ‘No! Arkdrauth!’ then the book burned to nothing."
She shakes her head. “I see... So, it was used as a trigger for a spell it would seem for a form of destruction.”
"Could have been, is... not sure of all of what happened." A sigh, shaking his head "Is all so very strange..."
She smirks, “As strange as the time spent where I had to leave some belongings no?
Though... A ghost who spoke elven in this land is curious...”
... "Point... ghost wanted to protect what it thought was their charge... wouldn't let it out of their sight"
She nods, “It would seem that way.”
"Point... seems obvious that whatever it is that this particular ghost wanted, they wanted to keep what was in that book hidden. dark secret...?"
“Perhaps if you ask the ghost it may answer.” She chuckles.
"What do you think is the likely context for proper meaning of the word Arkdrauth?"
... "Hold on... the ghost... looked like one that Sei described from their dream. The eyes...."
I would assume with the tome self-destructing it is... That is curious.... She ponders a moment thinking about it a bit more thoroughly tapping her finger on her lips in a trying to place things a bit better. “Perhaps it was once the ghost’s possession which they did not want another to have knowledge of.”
"Possible..." Khzuro considers, "One other thing, that old elf we met at the temple, what did you think of them?"
“What he spoke of about the sunken ship is curious. Perhaps, that has more meaning than we understand at this time. Though he was hiding something I am sure of it.”
Khzuro nods again. The two separate and the lanterns are lit. Khzuro decides to hold off on going back to the library. He goes to his room to think.
Deep in the night he gets another visitation. The demon comes through the wall and says, “How can this be.” Khzuro’s rest is troubled the rest of the night.
There seems to be no reported demons, at least currently nothing substantial. He does here that Ogano the court wizard has become very upset in the last few weeks. More than a few people are worried about the elderly wizard. Khzuro tries to see if he can go check on him, or at least if he can’t speak with the court wu-jen hear what’s going on with them.
The kobold goes to Ogano’s office in the palace. There are several people waiting outside the room. The door is closed. Khzuro stands at the back and listens to the gossip. They all seem to be waiting for him to come out with advice, divinations, potions and other fetishes. The current gossip is the usual affair. Nothing of import except maybe about the heir and how he is being treated now. Some seem to think that Kyo will disown him soon if he doesn’t show promise in short order. Some see Khzuro and rub his head making wishes. Khzuro lets them because he wants all the head pats because he doesn’t want to make a scene and it helps him blend in.
Ogano opens the door and calls for someone, they bow to him, “Here is your potion Kasaki.” He clears his throat. “It will make sure your lady gives you a standing ovation.” He then looks around the room spotting the small kami. “Khzuro the kobold. Why are you here?”
He looks up at Ogano. “This one was hoping for a consultation with you, if you had time. On sssk, strange magic related matters."
Ogano frowns, “What kind of strange magic related matters?"
Khzuro looks around to see if they are alone then realizing he’s in a room full of people. “Well…” He looks around, then motions to the room, trying to get to somewhere he can quietly whisper something to Ogano.
The old wu-jen sighs, “Just whisper your need.”
"This one wanted to discuss someone who ah... barged in on the meeting with the Shogun, and this one suspects you and I are the only ones to have noticed." Khzuro remembers the demon appearing to him during the meeting with the Shogun... and recalls Ogano was there.
He whispers back. “I saw something but no one barging into the meeting. I saw time stop for 2 minutes. Is this what you are talking about?”
Khzuro nods to him in affirmation.
Ogano looks around the room, “I AM TIRED FROM THE DAYS MAGIC. MY HOURS ARE NOW CLOSED! COME BACK TOMORROW!" Then he nearly drags the kobold into his office. He goes over and sits down at the table and looks at Khzuro, "Do you know something about these time stoppages over the last few weeks?"
Khzuro squeaks! But gets dragged on, then a nod to Ogano "Less than this one would like, but, yes, this one does know of them. Each time it happens, a demon appears to this one and taunts him..." He describes his encounters with the demon when time was stopped.
"It's been five times it has appeared to this one, one of those times was when we were in the presence of the Shogun. Like last time, only this one, and this time, you, noticed. Seems that the priests don't notice when it appears either."
Ogano looks confused. "No one has seen a demon but every mage in the realm has noticed time stopping each time for exactly 2 minutes."
"How many times has this happened? And did you notice the demon that appeared when we were with the Shogun?"
"I saw no demon Khzuro. The realms mages are the only ones that seem to notice time stopping maybe 7 or 8 times. Every one of my colleagues noticed it or perhaps missed the first few times but we are alert to it now. This is very dangerous for everyone. Even the emperor has been made aware and there is a gathering of mages at the imperial palace in a few weeks. What has this demon said to you so far?”
"From what this one can tell though, there definitely is an intelligence behind it. And a purpose, but one this one hasn't figured out. As for the times it's appeared... The first time is 'I must get this to work!', each time they had an hourglass. Possibly some artifact they're causing this phenomenon with. Anyways…” Khzuro tells Ogano about all of his experiences with the demon and what it said each time.
‘I must get this to work.’
‘I’ll endeavor to make it interesting.’
‘I Await our confrontation.’
‘After all, is not life only a struggle for power over others?’
‘I have the advantage, Khzuro.’
‘Bear in mind I already know your plans.’
“For some reason it has singled this one out as a target, or perhaps rival? Am not sure why."
Ogano smooths out his beard. "Umm whatever this thing is trying to tell you it’s garbled somewhat. or something. Have you seen or heard any other strange goings on?"
"Besides the demon and their strange portents? Actually, did come across an outlander elf. The second time this one saw the demon, they were nearby and had similar magic on them... met them again a second time..." Khzuro describes the meetings that he had with that old elf."
"What was the device?"
"The elf had this... watch with the same kind of magic.”
Ogano stands. “I've heard enough for now. We need to go to the library."
"Also seemed to be investigating the phenomenon, but this one had thought that they might also be involved. Not certain if they are though. Need more information." He nods to the old wizard, stands and starts to follow him.
Ogano gets a coat, and the odd pair walk into the city. Several peasants and shop keepers stare at them for a long time but they get there in a couple of hours. Once inside Ogano shows a key to the librarian. She walks the two of you behind the main room and down a flight of stairs. Ogano asks her to call his friends in the city. He unlocks the door, and they go in.
Inside is another library about half the size. It is filled with ancient lore, magical books, books on magic items, the hierarchy of nobles of the nations and their families. These are all the books that are not released to the public. There are even many western books.
Khzuro looks at all the books, wondering if one of them might have a clue then looks up to Ogano. He says, “This a special library and meeting place for the high wizards and wizardess’s of Renkyu and surrounding territories. It has all the information we’ve been able to collect for two thousand years or so."
Khzuro nods "Hoping the answer to these strange phenomena are in here, then?"
He nods, “This is why I brought you here so you may peruse and meet the others. Perhaps we can put together something that makes sense."
“Is as good a plan as any.”
Ogano leaves for the entrance waiting for his associates and leaves Khzuro to find anything that might help in this. The kobold goes tome delving for any hints that might provide some insight. He looks for books on time and books on demons. The books about demons are aplenty. He finds them all over. He only finds 2 books on time magic. He looks through the books on time magic first as a priority.
The first book he finds is a general book on chronomancy. It’s an extremely rare and dangerous magic that few can follow. A mage that can perform anything more than the general time stop needs to have extremely high aptitude in mathematics and........engineering skills. The most famous of these was the Chronomancer of Netheril who died some 4 or 5 thousand years ago. The book was written 2 centuries ago and says there are only 5 people in the past few centuries that have been known to be able to cast time magic.
He studies the names and descriptions of which 5 people are or were capable, or at least were to have known to have done it. He finds three were human, one was an elf, and another had dragon blood. Only one of the humans was female the rest were male.
As he is reading the demon walks through the wall. He looks at Khzuro then the book in his hands and says, “Does it really matter at all?” The crystals fall within the hourglass, and he disappears. Khzuro looks up to the demon, then just goes back to reading and trying to find out more.
Khzuro gets a general idea about this type of magic from the book but that is all he gets out of it. He begins panning through the second. At first the pages look blank but as he studies it, words start to appear to him. The book talks about a myth of sorts.
it talks about a woman who seemed to complete many of the Chronomancer’s work 400 years or so after his death. Her name was stricken from the spell weaver records. (The spell weavers were the major arcanist guild of the empire of Netheril.
Her notes were never found but there is rumor that she took her magic seriously, so seriously in fact that she wrote them in over 8 different languages including Netheresse, low shou, Mulhorandi, elven and several other unrecognizable languages. (the book is over a thousand years old)
It mentions she was also a brilliant engineer that fixed a magic shield for a city of halflings in old Netheril and was involved in several other instances in the old empire. It also mentions she was highly adept at white necromancy from her home guild in Mulhorand. (The house of life)
That’s all he finds. The rest of the pages seems to be written in gibberish. Khzuro casts a read magic to try to make sense of it. After that the book still doesn’t make sense. Ther letters show magic, but it seems to be formulas. They are garbled and mixed up in several languages. It may be an excerpt from the mages notes that may have been found somewhere, he thinks to himself.
He cross references with the other book, looking in more detail about the one female human who could manipulate time magic. It still doesn’t add up. The female from the other book was from the Moonshea not from Mulhorand. He sighs, looking around, trying to see how long he’s spent on his research so far, and wonders where Ogano is.
He is surprised. There are several people in the room now. All seem to be human. There are 5 older gentleman and 2 older females. Ogano walks down at last saying, “I believe Daiki had another engagement. Ladies and gentlemen, this is Khzuro a hedge sorcerer and kobold that may shed some light on our dilemma.
Khzuro perks up, dipping his head to them. Ogano continues. “Khzuro these are my colleagues. Hachiro enchanter, Katsu general mage and professor at the university of nobility in Renkyu, Masahiko general mage of the navy of Renkyu, Domore protector of peasants in the region that falls under Barasume law. (Domore appears very lanky and angular somewhat not human) Takume the evoker specialist in battle magic, Yoshicazu sorcerer of renown, Asami regional professor of horticulture (also does not look quite human) and finally the beautiful Kazuko she is a diviner and spiritualist living in the slum district. They all recognize him, some more eloquently than others.
Kazuko is the first to ask, “So, what information do you have Khzuro? And what have you found?”
"Was looking at the books, found these two. Was unable to fully read one of them but it does seem pertinent. Tome itself has magic in it. Not surprising, but you may find more out than this one would." Khzuro motions to the time-magic tome that he had trouble reading fully.
"Suppose you probably want a briefing as well on what this one witnessed, regarding the demon that keeps coming to taunt this one while time is stopped. Or what looks like a demon at least."
Yoshicazu says, "No one else has seen a demon. Are you sure it’s not just some dream of the subconscious? A way to deal with circumstances that you don’t quite understand?”
"Am quite certain of it. Have considered the possibility of it being an illusion instead of a real demon but am sure there is some kind of presence in it. Each time it happened I've cast a detect magic spell to find out more, always leaves a magic aura I can sense but not quite identify. It even appeared to this one while he was here. At least, couldn't identify before. Am sure it's chronomancy now."
Kazuko says, "There hasn’t been a Chronomancer in several hundred years at least by our limited knowledge."
Takume retorts "Its chronomancy it can be related to the here and now. This magic could have come from far in the future or far in the past. it could come from any time period the world will ever know."
Khzuro looks around the room, listening to the discussion, waiting to see if any try to read the book, and if they have any questions for him.
Kazuko comes over to the book that you could not finish reading. She quickly reads the first legible part after the letters appear then concentrates on the last page. She tries placing a spell upon it.
The room grows dark suddenly. everyone sees what looks a ghost appearing. It looks like a northern Kozakurian in a winter outfit. The strange thing are her brilliant copper eyes. The ghostly apparition says two words. The first in low shou, the second in another language. "NO! ARKHDRAUTH!" The book catches flames and burns too cinders. The ghost disappears and the oil lamps catch flame again.
Kazuko frowns deeply, "That was not a ghost, but someone possessed by one. I felt it."
Khzuro looks quite bewildered, looking around. So does everyone else except Kazuko. He says, “Who was possessed?”
Kazuko says, "The ghost we saw was not a ghost but a woman on the border ethereal. That woman was alive but the consciousness that spoke to us was someone long dead, a ghost. A ghost is possessing the woman. I'm sure of it."
Katsu smiles. That word, Arkhdrauth, it must have been a magical trigger hidden in the book or in whatever was written that we could not decipher. Does anyone know what that word is?"
Khzuro shakes his head. Asami thinks. “I believe it is elven, however I only know a few words, but it does seem elven to me. Does anyone know the language?"
They all shake their heads. Ogano looks over at Khzuro. “Would your friend know this word? The besshikime trainee?”
“Drasta? Probably. If it is elven or sylvan that is.”
“Could you go ask her? We can wait. it’s very important Khzuro.”
"Will try to find her, but before that though, do any of you have magic that can contact her and ask her to find us here?"
Mashiko chuckles. "She would most likely not be allowed in here. This is a special place. So, it is up to you to go ask her and come back. He goes over to a corner and gets a small box. He comes back. "Welcome to the Kabal of Renkyu, Khzuro. You are now our newest member and cannot bring anyone here at least for now." He gives a box to him. Inside is a key.
Khzuro nods in turn, taking the box with the key, before securing it away "Understood. Will go find the Drasta then. Unless you need anything else from this one before he goes?"
Khzuro finds Drasta, He looks around to make sure they are alone, then motions her aside. She nods to him and approaches.
"This might sound odd, but it is important.” He pauses to make sure no one is looking around. “Do you know what the word ‘Arkdrauth’ means?"
“It has many meanings. Where did you hear this word?”
"The exact phrasing this one had of it was someone shouting "No, Arkdrauth!" ... What do you mean by it having many meanings? And what language is it from?"
She thinks for a moment. “It is elven and can mean Willful, Wanton, Care for nothing, and Self-destruction.... Perhaps depending on its context, you would be able to decipher its meaning with what it was contained in meaning of.”
"Is it the kind of thing someone would exclaim if someone was seeking dangerous knowledge?"
“In some cases, perhaps it could be used in a sense containing to danger, but I would not think that may be the case unless they were being careless.”
"What would be more likely then? ... Is the word more hostile?" He lets out a sigh. "To explain a bit of context, have been looking into the strange phenomenon regarding that demon that keeps showing up and taunting me. Found a book that might have had a lead. Then a ghost showed up screaming ‘No! Arkdrauth!’ then the book burned to nothing."
She shakes her head. “I see... So, it was used as a trigger for a spell it would seem for a form of destruction.”
"Could have been, is... not sure of all of what happened." A sigh, shaking his head "Is all so very strange..."
She smirks, “As strange as the time spent where I had to leave some belongings no?
Though... A ghost who spoke elven in this land is curious...”
... "Point... ghost wanted to protect what it thought was their charge... wouldn't let it out of their sight"
She nods, “It would seem that way.”
"Point... seems obvious that whatever it is that this particular ghost wanted, they wanted to keep what was in that book hidden. dark secret...?"
“Perhaps if you ask the ghost it may answer.” She chuckles.
"What do you think is the likely context for proper meaning of the word Arkdrauth?"
... "Hold on... the ghost... looked like one that Sei described from their dream. The eyes...."
I would assume with the tome self-destructing it is... That is curious.... She ponders a moment thinking about it a bit more thoroughly tapping her finger on her lips in a trying to place things a bit better. “Perhaps it was once the ghost’s possession which they did not want another to have knowledge of.”
"Possible..." Khzuro considers, "One other thing, that old elf we met at the temple, what did you think of them?"
“What he spoke of about the sunken ship is curious. Perhaps, that has more meaning than we understand at this time. Though he was hiding something I am sure of it.”
Khzuro nods again. The two separate and the lanterns are lit. Khzuro decides to hold off on going back to the library. He goes to his room to think.
Deep in the night he gets another visitation. The demon comes through the wall and says, “How can this be.” Khzuro’s rest is troubled the rest of the night.
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Winterhawk99
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Re: The Kozakura Campaign
As Sei sleeps with Kinu in his arms his dreams again turn to the far north of Kozakura. He sees the ranger woman in a mountain valley again. There is still snow on the peaks, but the ground in the valley is muddy and thawing. A light rain adds to the muddiness. The ranger walks slowly her feet sinking into the mud an inch, sometimes two inches with each footstep. She still has those copper eyes instead of the deep brown of a Kozakurian.
As she walks, she finds a black crystal on the ground. It seems to be the same in cut and size as the white one before. She picks it up and examines it, then starts an arcane chant. This time her hand starts to glow with a pure white energy instead of the necrotic black energy she used before. As her chant builds the spell is weaved. The crystal slowly crumbles to dust. The ranger moves on.
In the morning after he wakes up Sei calls Drasta and Khzuro through messenger. The two come: Drasta somewhat bleary-eyed, Khzuro bright eyed and scaly tailed. Sei explains the vision with the ranger and the black crystal this time to Khzuro and Drasta…. Same ranger, opposite senses of crystal and magic, same terrain after the spring thaw.
Before Drasta and Khzuro can even digest the information, Khzuro feels time stop. The demon walks in the door and turns to him. He says, “Yet she lives.” The crystals fall and he disappears.
Drasta referring to Sei’s dream raises and eyebrow, “This is curious…”
Khzuro cuts her off, “And the demon just sent another taunt at this one again…” he sighs. He then goes on to explain to Sei about the ghost that showed up in the library. “Think this one say the spirit of your dream, Sei.”
He responds, “That makes things very curious indeed.”
Khzuro nods, “It does at least mean that the demon that keeps taunting this one and the dreams you have are connected, somehow. Or possibly..." A sigh "This is all so very confusing..."
Drasta looks between the two. “Perhaps in some way's both are connected more deeply than it appears.”
Khzuro, more than a little disturbed by these visitations says, “Is quite likely..." A pause, thinking "Think it may be important to consult with the Shogun's court wizard."... "She still lives..., that's what it said. Could perhaps want you dead, Drasta. Or she could be someone else."
Drasta lightly chuckles, “It would not be the first demon. Though I do not think it is me that one speaks of. Perhaps the person in the dream?”
A messenger comes to Sei’s door. He answers with a bow. The messenger recognizes him, hands him a letter then asks where to find Haru, Samo, Kenshin, Khzuro, and Drasta.”
“Ah. I have been speaking with Khzuro and Drasta, is there something you need them for?"
He shuffles letters around and digs out two more handing them to Sei.” He passes the letters on to Khzuro and Drasta. They are invitations to appear in front of the imperial court… all of them.
Sei raises his eyes in surprise. “Oh boy. Seems that the emperor has taken notice of the goings-on here."
Khzuro says, “"Given what is happening, it is not surprising."
Drasta doesn’t look so happy looking over the letter and adds, “Yes, well nothing we can do but appear.”
The letters have all the names invited. They mention Ogano, Furi and all the mages and sorcerers that Khzuro has met.
Sei affirms her, “Aye, sounds like we should explain the demon situation you're dealing with the best we can."
Drasta and Khzuro fill him in on the curiosities that Khzuro encountered the proceeding night. The library, the book, and the ghost.
Sei listens intently then says, “I reckon we gather up our group and head for the imperial court, that's all we really can do at this point."
Khzuro talks about consulting with Ogano and the others at the library and about what Drasta said about the word, along with Sei’s dreams and the ghost he saw seeming to be the same one Sei dreamt about. The Two leave Sei and he dresses for tea with the shogun’s first wife. Kinu helps him dress and makes sure he is presentable.
After prober honorifics the two of them sit down to tea. Yoshie’s personal besshikime are there along with Furi. Yoshie starts the conversation. "Sei, I know you are upset by the results of your negotiations. I wanted to tell you from the both of us that you did not do badly. Neither did you do well. It has been accepted though not without some heartburn. It is the way it must be, and you still have our trust. Your shogun sees great potential in you and knows you are learning. Take what happened as an experience to do better the next time. Hopefully the yakuza can be reformed. Thankfully it is a small family. If they turn their ways, it will be a great victory for you. And know you will be partially responsible for that happening in the future. So, keep in contact make sure they speak truth of mending their ways."
Sei gives her a short bob of his head. “Understood, I will indeed keep tabs on them."
She nods. "You have an imperial invitation. It is important but I must ask. Where do your true loyalties stand. Is it us above them or them above us?"
"Those who ask for integrity receive loyalty, those who ask for loyalty receive integrity."
She looks at Furi and flatly states, “It is time for you to leave this room Lady Furi." The woman gets up and leaves with a curt bow.
Yoshie turns her full attention to Sei. “We are at odds with the emperor on a subject. Do you know of this?"
“I was not aware, go on.”
"In two years, Hideo will be eligible to marry. Also, in little over two years Lady Miwa returns to the realms. If she passes her test and does not lose her head, she will also be eligible for marriage and by age still viable though she never had children with her first husband.
We have become a powerful clan, and the emperor worries that if these two are married to other clans as our wish, we will become too powerful and may have the potential to unite all of Kozakura under our banner. Thus, his wish is to marry these two to each other to keep our clan from growing in influence."
"Sounds a bit like oil and water -- Miwa is a very serious figure, while Hideo is very...unserious, and not in a good way either. Another point against marrying them to each other is that having many potential successors to choose from means that there's a greater likelihood of finding a talented and capable successor to the emperor."
She nods, “I tried to do my best to shield him when his brothers died in battle. It is my fault he is like he is. As far as Miwa, hardened by a life of torturous training has turned her to iron with no sympathy. We would like to convince the emperor of the wrongness of this pairing. We hope to leave it in your hands. It would be the most important mission you would take on, by far more important than the yakuza. Our clans’ fortunes are at stake in marriages as you know. Do you think you can attempt this?"
"I can make an argument, but I do not know if it would succeed to the emperor’s ears, power and concerns about retaining power can be quite the set of blinders."
Yoshie adds, “As shogun it is still Kyo’s decision to make in pairings but if we cannot convince him we will be at odds with the emperor and will face some form of repercussions.
Sei the imperial court is fraught with dangers far exceeding our own. I want you to be careful. and know Furi is not your ally at least in this affair. We believe she was sent to make sure that the emperor and his court's wishes in this matter are both known and enacted."
Sei nods. She looks at Ume. The two besshikime leave for a few moments and come back with several boxes and lay them now by their matron. Yoshie slides the first box to him.
He opens the box slowly to find it’s a +5-leather suit of armor of freedom.
She slides the next box over to him. It is the same size but far lighter. As he opens it, he finds Robes +4 soak 5, that also has +2 wisdom and charisma as well. As he opens more boxes and examines the gifts, he finds a +5-hand axe 2-8 sonic damage with +1 regeneration and a +4 tanto with 2-8 electric damage and +1 regeneration.
Sei dips his head to the floor, “Thank you very much.”
“Samo suggested certain gifts to you. The robes of course are a special gift from us to give you an advantage in court.” She bows politely.
The tea session wraps up and Sei goes home to his apprentice.
As she walks, she finds a black crystal on the ground. It seems to be the same in cut and size as the white one before. She picks it up and examines it, then starts an arcane chant. This time her hand starts to glow with a pure white energy instead of the necrotic black energy she used before. As her chant builds the spell is weaved. The crystal slowly crumbles to dust. The ranger moves on.
In the morning after he wakes up Sei calls Drasta and Khzuro through messenger. The two come: Drasta somewhat bleary-eyed, Khzuro bright eyed and scaly tailed. Sei explains the vision with the ranger and the black crystal this time to Khzuro and Drasta…. Same ranger, opposite senses of crystal and magic, same terrain after the spring thaw.
Before Drasta and Khzuro can even digest the information, Khzuro feels time stop. The demon walks in the door and turns to him. He says, “Yet she lives.” The crystals fall and he disappears.
Drasta referring to Sei’s dream raises and eyebrow, “This is curious…”
Khzuro cuts her off, “And the demon just sent another taunt at this one again…” he sighs. He then goes on to explain to Sei about the ghost that showed up in the library. “Think this one say the spirit of your dream, Sei.”
He responds, “That makes things very curious indeed.”
Khzuro nods, “It does at least mean that the demon that keeps taunting this one and the dreams you have are connected, somehow. Or possibly..." A sigh "This is all so very confusing..."
Drasta looks between the two. “Perhaps in some way's both are connected more deeply than it appears.”
Khzuro, more than a little disturbed by these visitations says, “Is quite likely..." A pause, thinking "Think it may be important to consult with the Shogun's court wizard."... "She still lives..., that's what it said. Could perhaps want you dead, Drasta. Or she could be someone else."
Drasta lightly chuckles, “It would not be the first demon. Though I do not think it is me that one speaks of. Perhaps the person in the dream?”
A messenger comes to Sei’s door. He answers with a bow. The messenger recognizes him, hands him a letter then asks where to find Haru, Samo, Kenshin, Khzuro, and Drasta.”
“Ah. I have been speaking with Khzuro and Drasta, is there something you need them for?"
He shuffles letters around and digs out two more handing them to Sei.” He passes the letters on to Khzuro and Drasta. They are invitations to appear in front of the imperial court… all of them.
Sei raises his eyes in surprise. “Oh boy. Seems that the emperor has taken notice of the goings-on here."
Khzuro says, “"Given what is happening, it is not surprising."
Drasta doesn’t look so happy looking over the letter and adds, “Yes, well nothing we can do but appear.”
The letters have all the names invited. They mention Ogano, Furi and all the mages and sorcerers that Khzuro has met.
Sei affirms her, “Aye, sounds like we should explain the demon situation you're dealing with the best we can."
Drasta and Khzuro fill him in on the curiosities that Khzuro encountered the proceeding night. The library, the book, and the ghost.
Sei listens intently then says, “I reckon we gather up our group and head for the imperial court, that's all we really can do at this point."
Khzuro talks about consulting with Ogano and the others at the library and about what Drasta said about the word, along with Sei’s dreams and the ghost he saw seeming to be the same one Sei dreamt about. The Two leave Sei and he dresses for tea with the shogun’s first wife. Kinu helps him dress and makes sure he is presentable.
After prober honorifics the two of them sit down to tea. Yoshie’s personal besshikime are there along with Furi. Yoshie starts the conversation. "Sei, I know you are upset by the results of your negotiations. I wanted to tell you from the both of us that you did not do badly. Neither did you do well. It has been accepted though not without some heartburn. It is the way it must be, and you still have our trust. Your shogun sees great potential in you and knows you are learning. Take what happened as an experience to do better the next time. Hopefully the yakuza can be reformed. Thankfully it is a small family. If they turn their ways, it will be a great victory for you. And know you will be partially responsible for that happening in the future. So, keep in contact make sure they speak truth of mending their ways."
Sei gives her a short bob of his head. “Understood, I will indeed keep tabs on them."
She nods. "You have an imperial invitation. It is important but I must ask. Where do your true loyalties stand. Is it us above them or them above us?"
"Those who ask for integrity receive loyalty, those who ask for loyalty receive integrity."
She looks at Furi and flatly states, “It is time for you to leave this room Lady Furi." The woman gets up and leaves with a curt bow.
Yoshie turns her full attention to Sei. “We are at odds with the emperor on a subject. Do you know of this?"
“I was not aware, go on.”
"In two years, Hideo will be eligible to marry. Also, in little over two years Lady Miwa returns to the realms. If she passes her test and does not lose her head, she will also be eligible for marriage and by age still viable though she never had children with her first husband.
We have become a powerful clan, and the emperor worries that if these two are married to other clans as our wish, we will become too powerful and may have the potential to unite all of Kozakura under our banner. Thus, his wish is to marry these two to each other to keep our clan from growing in influence."
"Sounds a bit like oil and water -- Miwa is a very serious figure, while Hideo is very...unserious, and not in a good way either. Another point against marrying them to each other is that having many potential successors to choose from means that there's a greater likelihood of finding a talented and capable successor to the emperor."
She nods, “I tried to do my best to shield him when his brothers died in battle. It is my fault he is like he is. As far as Miwa, hardened by a life of torturous training has turned her to iron with no sympathy. We would like to convince the emperor of the wrongness of this pairing. We hope to leave it in your hands. It would be the most important mission you would take on, by far more important than the yakuza. Our clans’ fortunes are at stake in marriages as you know. Do you think you can attempt this?"
"I can make an argument, but I do not know if it would succeed to the emperor’s ears, power and concerns about retaining power can be quite the set of blinders."
Yoshie adds, “As shogun it is still Kyo’s decision to make in pairings but if we cannot convince him we will be at odds with the emperor and will face some form of repercussions.
Sei the imperial court is fraught with dangers far exceeding our own. I want you to be careful. and know Furi is not your ally at least in this affair. We believe she was sent to make sure that the emperor and his court's wishes in this matter are both known and enacted."
Sei nods. She looks at Ume. The two besshikime leave for a few moments and come back with several boxes and lay them now by their matron. Yoshie slides the first box to him.
He opens the box slowly to find it’s a +5-leather suit of armor of freedom.
She slides the next box over to him. It is the same size but far lighter. As he opens it, he finds Robes +4 soak 5, that also has +2 wisdom and charisma as well. As he opens more boxes and examines the gifts, he finds a +5-hand axe 2-8 sonic damage with +1 regeneration and a +4 tanto with 2-8 electric damage and +1 regeneration.
Sei dips his head to the floor, “Thank you very much.”
“Samo suggested certain gifts to you. The robes of course are a special gift from us to give you an advantage in court.” She bows politely.
The tea session wraps up and Sei goes home to his apprentice.
-
Winterhawk99
- Posts: 2332
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Re: The Kozakura Campaign
The next night Khzuro receives another visitation. The Demon smiles at him. “Too bad she has been dead for 4,000 years.” He turns over and goes to sleep but in the morning the demon shows up yet again walking through his wall. He speaks. “Only she truly understood.”
Khzuro avoids the cabal for now. He walks the forest paths behind the palace trying to figure out what the demon is doing. Is it sending a message? Is it just taunting him. The phases seem so garbled and make no sense. He sighs and walks on trying to figure the puzzle out while walking along what seems to be an open woodland park.
Two hours after high sun he turns back from his meandering in the woods. He makes it within a few hundred yards of the palace back gates when something catches his eye. The demon is already back. He strolls up to Khzuro and says, “Only she knows.”
Khzuro goes to bed more tortured than before. Again, this night the Demon seems to find him. Khzuro suddenly wakes up as the wind stops. He sees the demon leering down at him with a crooked smile. “Is reality a myth?”
The demon goes silent for several days. Khzuro thinks that it may have decided to stop taunting him. He starts to relax. Walking down the concubine house to see Haruki all the people suddenly stop. The demon rounds the corner of the building. He looks at the hourglass and knows he cannot make it to Khzuro. He shouts out, “Is it a split in reality?” Then laughs as the last of the crystals fall and he disappears.
Khzuro says to himself, ‘That’s it I’m going to the library,’ and turns to the front gate. He goes to the town and shows the librarian his key. She takes him down to the rare books area. He finds Katsu the professor quietly reading. He looks up, “Ah, Hello there Khzuro.”
The kobold comes over to the man and dips his head slightly. “Greetings. This one got the translation that was requested.”
“Ah, yes, what did the ghost say then?”
"The word 'Arkdrauth', from the consultation this one had, while varying on context, refers to willful, wanton self-destruction. Think in similar concept to hubris, or in caring for nothing and destroying oneself in such a manner."
“So, she says a word and the book burns to cinders........A spell trigger?”
"Quite possibly, but that is what the word means in its native language. Have thought about it regarding the context. It may have been a sort of warning that pursuit of the knowledge in the book would have been a careless act of hubris and self-destruction. At least from that one's perspective."
"The question I have is. How would a simple woodwoman know a spell trigger in an ancient arcane text. That doesn’t make sense."
"Was said they were possessed? By a ghost. Something possibly four thousand years dead. Probably their acting, not that of the woodwoman's. Wonder what sort of... powers the woodwoman was consorting with, though..."
Katsu nods, “"A good question. What was the circumstance of her possession."
Khzuro asks, “Any ideas on how that information could be gleaned?"
He shakes his head." Unless the subject is here, we could not divine anything.......... perhaps a legend lore but it’s a long shot. We have nothing material to focus on."
"Would the book's ashes work as a focus?"
He thinks long and hard, "perhaps, again a long shot since it has been turned to ash. We could try."
Khzuro wants to lick Katsu’s face but tries to keep control of himself. Suppose it's a better lead than nothing."
Katsu stands up and goes to a drawer in a desk. He fishes out an amulet and a couple of rings. Then goes over to a scroll holding rack and pulls a legend lore scroll. He gives Khzuro the items. Both go over to the collected ashes because nothing like this is ever thrown away here. Khzuro looks up at the professor as if asking if its ok to begin casting. Katsu nods, “Remember everything, and tell me when it's over.”
Khzuro gives him a nod. “Of course.” He casts legend lore with the books ashes as a focus.
He begins his vision quest.
Khzuro avoids the cabal for now. He walks the forest paths behind the palace trying to figure out what the demon is doing. Is it sending a message? Is it just taunting him. The phases seem so garbled and make no sense. He sighs and walks on trying to figure the puzzle out while walking along what seems to be an open woodland park.
Two hours after high sun he turns back from his meandering in the woods. He makes it within a few hundred yards of the palace back gates when something catches his eye. The demon is already back. He strolls up to Khzuro and says, “Only she knows.”
Khzuro goes to bed more tortured than before. Again, this night the Demon seems to find him. Khzuro suddenly wakes up as the wind stops. He sees the demon leering down at him with a crooked smile. “Is reality a myth?”
The demon goes silent for several days. Khzuro thinks that it may have decided to stop taunting him. He starts to relax. Walking down the concubine house to see Haruki all the people suddenly stop. The demon rounds the corner of the building. He looks at the hourglass and knows he cannot make it to Khzuro. He shouts out, “Is it a split in reality?” Then laughs as the last of the crystals fall and he disappears.
Khzuro says to himself, ‘That’s it I’m going to the library,’ and turns to the front gate. He goes to the town and shows the librarian his key. She takes him down to the rare books area. He finds Katsu the professor quietly reading. He looks up, “Ah, Hello there Khzuro.”
The kobold comes over to the man and dips his head slightly. “Greetings. This one got the translation that was requested.”
“Ah, yes, what did the ghost say then?”
"The word 'Arkdrauth', from the consultation this one had, while varying on context, refers to willful, wanton self-destruction. Think in similar concept to hubris, or in caring for nothing and destroying oneself in such a manner."
“So, she says a word and the book burns to cinders........A spell trigger?”
"Quite possibly, but that is what the word means in its native language. Have thought about it regarding the context. It may have been a sort of warning that pursuit of the knowledge in the book would have been a careless act of hubris and self-destruction. At least from that one's perspective."
"The question I have is. How would a simple woodwoman know a spell trigger in an ancient arcane text. That doesn’t make sense."
"Was said they were possessed? By a ghost. Something possibly four thousand years dead. Probably their acting, not that of the woodwoman's. Wonder what sort of... powers the woodwoman was consorting with, though..."
Katsu nods, “"A good question. What was the circumstance of her possession."
Khzuro asks, “Any ideas on how that information could be gleaned?"
He shakes his head." Unless the subject is here, we could not divine anything.......... perhaps a legend lore but it’s a long shot. We have nothing material to focus on."
"Would the book's ashes work as a focus?"
He thinks long and hard, "perhaps, again a long shot since it has been turned to ash. We could try."
Khzuro wants to lick Katsu’s face but tries to keep control of himself. Suppose it's a better lead than nothing."
Katsu stands up and goes to a drawer in a desk. He fishes out an amulet and a couple of rings. Then goes over to a scroll holding rack and pulls a legend lore scroll. He gives Khzuro the items. Both go over to the collected ashes because nothing like this is ever thrown away here. Khzuro looks up at the professor as if asking if its ok to begin casting. Katsu nods, “Remember everything, and tell me when it's over.”
Khzuro gives him a nod. “Of course.” He casts legend lore with the books ashes as a focus.
He begins his vision quest.
-
Winterhawk99
- Posts: 2332
- Joined: Thu Oct 08, 2009 12:00 am
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- nwnihof: Yes
- Location: Pa.
- Contact:
Re: The Kozakura Campaign
Khzuro hears shouting at first. Then he finds himself in a small bedroom. just big enough for a double bed a small desk, trunk at the bed end armoire. A tall brown elf gets up out of bed as she is awakened by the cursing above her. She’s naked. Her face is rather weathered and there are deep creases around her eyes from age. Khzuro notices they are a brilliant copper color.
The first thing she does and grab her head with both hands and winces. She then pours herself a glass of whiskey and downs it. She shouts out “WHAT’S ALL THE RUCKUS ABOUT AOFINN!?”
You hear a muffled voice "“A RUDE HUMAN IS TRYING TO COME ALONG SIDE, HEMET NETJER!”
The elven woman shouts back “TELL HIM OR HER THEY TAKE ONE FOOT ON THIS SHIP I’LL MAKE THE REST OF THEIR LIFE MEMORABLE! I’LL COME UP ONCE I DRESS!”
He hears the muffled voice again “AYE!”
The woman goes to the dresser and opens it. There are a dozen blue uniforms within and one black set of robes. "They look like necromancer robes. She puts the robes on, and her face seems to change and take on a more measured, serious and ugly character.
His vision follows her as she opens the door there you see a stateroom. It’s fairly grand and the walls have giant ribs along them of wooden beams bent each 12 inches thick and 24 inches apart. She continues past that then up a set of stairs to a ship deck. The ship is a monster like you have never seen before. It’s 157 ft long and 36 feet wide with three huge masts and more sails than you ever seen on a ship.
He sees another elf there in yellowish/gold robes with a symbol of a white dove on it.
The sun elf walks up on deck and to the gunwale where a heated conversation is going on. Aofinn stops talking as she looks to the problem. She sees a young human in Nebular apprentice robes in a 30ft Cat holding on to his mast. The sails are wrapped, and the anchor is laid.
“Nothing for you here, apprentice. Bugger off.”
“Please here me out, archmage.”
The elf turns to her nurse. Aofinn the moon elf shrugs her shoulders, “He would not listen to me. I told him you were sleeping and didn’t want to be disturbed. He started being annoying about a ½ hour ago. Said he doesn’t have the supplies to get back and he’ll sit here and starve rather than turn back…………please don’t kill him.”
She turns back to the man, “See those buoys in the distance? Those mark my waters. You trespassing! Now fuck off before I get angry. You little ship not across them buoys by the time it take the sun to reach the next hour: I’ll sink you!”
“Mrs. Sithiir. I’m studying Chronomancy at the university. I want to do for sorcery what you and Jeriah did for mages and complete your work. I want to learn from you. I’ll pay you.”
“Sorcery! Should have figured you a sorcerer with that pretty face. Humans don’t deserve the magic of time. You shortsighted, short lived, hairless apes never appreciate the magics ye wield. All through my life I see humans misuse magic and cause chaos everywhere they practice. Sorcerers even worse! No Discipline! Now Fuck off and go Bugger yerself!”
“Archmage, I used all my supplies getting here. I cannot go back.”
“Just like I said. Short lived and shortsighted. You supplies not my concern. Ye got yourself a ½ hour now to get off me fucking water and don’t think I don’t own the land surrounding either.”
“Archmage?”
“Clyde!”
The adult copper dragon lifts its head out of the water and Lauriella watches the fear of the gods come into the man’s eyes. He quickly cranks out the sail and leaves the area as fast as he possibly can. The moon elf breathes a sigh of relief. “Thank you for not killing him, Hemet.”
“Should have been able to handle him, ye damn nursemaid. Why do I have ye on me ship if you can't take care of such a small problem?”
“Remember your contracts, Hemet. When you fall, I need to be there to catch you and care for you. You would have been dead already if not for the priests and priestesses of Naralis.”
“Bah, you just want me for what I can design and spell for ye. You more spy than anything else.”
“That’s not true, Hemet. I’m not saying anymore until you change or go back to sleep. Your such an asshole in those robes.”
“At least do something useful. Take down those lines on the Mizzen and put new ones on. Hard to maintain a ship this size with only two people on board. That’s an order.”
The sun elf sees the priestess about to say something then checks herself. Aofinn mouths an elven exclamation under her breath but says, “Aye, ma’am”
The sun elf goes back to midships and to her bed exhausted by the drama of the last hour.
The vision fades.
The first thing she does and grab her head with both hands and winces. She then pours herself a glass of whiskey and downs it. She shouts out “WHAT’S ALL THE RUCKUS ABOUT AOFINN!?”
You hear a muffled voice "“A RUDE HUMAN IS TRYING TO COME ALONG SIDE, HEMET NETJER!”
The elven woman shouts back “TELL HIM OR HER THEY TAKE ONE FOOT ON THIS SHIP I’LL MAKE THE REST OF THEIR LIFE MEMORABLE! I’LL COME UP ONCE I DRESS!”
He hears the muffled voice again “AYE!”
The woman goes to the dresser and opens it. There are a dozen blue uniforms within and one black set of robes. "They look like necromancer robes. She puts the robes on, and her face seems to change and take on a more measured, serious and ugly character.
His vision follows her as she opens the door there you see a stateroom. It’s fairly grand and the walls have giant ribs along them of wooden beams bent each 12 inches thick and 24 inches apart. She continues past that then up a set of stairs to a ship deck. The ship is a monster like you have never seen before. It’s 157 ft long and 36 feet wide with three huge masts and more sails than you ever seen on a ship.
He sees another elf there in yellowish/gold robes with a symbol of a white dove on it.
The sun elf walks up on deck and to the gunwale where a heated conversation is going on. Aofinn stops talking as she looks to the problem. She sees a young human in Nebular apprentice robes in a 30ft Cat holding on to his mast. The sails are wrapped, and the anchor is laid.
“Nothing for you here, apprentice. Bugger off.”
“Please here me out, archmage.”
The elf turns to her nurse. Aofinn the moon elf shrugs her shoulders, “He would not listen to me. I told him you were sleeping and didn’t want to be disturbed. He started being annoying about a ½ hour ago. Said he doesn’t have the supplies to get back and he’ll sit here and starve rather than turn back…………please don’t kill him.”
She turns back to the man, “See those buoys in the distance? Those mark my waters. You trespassing! Now fuck off before I get angry. You little ship not across them buoys by the time it take the sun to reach the next hour: I’ll sink you!”
“Mrs. Sithiir. I’m studying Chronomancy at the university. I want to do for sorcery what you and Jeriah did for mages and complete your work. I want to learn from you. I’ll pay you.”
“Sorcery! Should have figured you a sorcerer with that pretty face. Humans don’t deserve the magic of time. You shortsighted, short lived, hairless apes never appreciate the magics ye wield. All through my life I see humans misuse magic and cause chaos everywhere they practice. Sorcerers even worse! No Discipline! Now Fuck off and go Bugger yerself!”
“Archmage, I used all my supplies getting here. I cannot go back.”
“Just like I said. Short lived and shortsighted. You supplies not my concern. Ye got yourself a ½ hour now to get off me fucking water and don’t think I don’t own the land surrounding either.”
“Archmage?”
“Clyde!”
The adult copper dragon lifts its head out of the water and Lauriella watches the fear of the gods come into the man’s eyes. He quickly cranks out the sail and leaves the area as fast as he possibly can. The moon elf breathes a sigh of relief. “Thank you for not killing him, Hemet.”
“Should have been able to handle him, ye damn nursemaid. Why do I have ye on me ship if you can't take care of such a small problem?”
“Remember your contracts, Hemet. When you fall, I need to be there to catch you and care for you. You would have been dead already if not for the priests and priestesses of Naralis.”
“Bah, you just want me for what I can design and spell for ye. You more spy than anything else.”
“That’s not true, Hemet. I’m not saying anymore until you change or go back to sleep. Your such an asshole in those robes.”
“At least do something useful. Take down those lines on the Mizzen and put new ones on. Hard to maintain a ship this size with only two people on board. That’s an order.”
The sun elf sees the priestess about to say something then checks herself. Aofinn mouths an elven exclamation under her breath but says, “Aye, ma’am”
The sun elf goes back to midships and to her bed exhausted by the drama of the last hour.
The vision fades.