Glory of the Emerald Empire (Legend of the 5 Rings Quest)

[Winged Knight]

Behold Rokugan, the Emerald Empire! The greatest land in all the world and blessed under Heaven! Bow before the eyes of the Seven Fortunes, and the Emperor who is Heaven's voice upon this base Earth! It is by his will that the Empire is kept along the path of righteousness.

​

You are honored beyond imagining to have come from this great country! Here you will have your chance for glory, to walk amongst the most honorable and skilled and pit your measure against them! But first we must determine who you are, and to do that we must find out your origins. For it is only from looking back on the past that we discover what is to come in the future.

We begin with the most important question. From which Clan do you come?

Lion: Only the Lion uphold all tenets of Bushido in equal measure, and thus do we have the moral purity to match our martial supremacy. We roar loudest, for in our hearts we hold the greatest virtue! All know and fear the might of the Lion, for they know that none can oppose us should we take the field of battle. Respect that strength, lest we come for you!

Crab: We fight and bleed and die every day so that the Empire might live. Never forget that it is the Crab who holds the line atop the Kaiu Wall against the Shadowland hordes! The very forces of Hell itself quail before our blades! All of you are nothing but children, playing at war as if you understood true sacrifice. You would all be dead, save that we are here!

Scorpion: The truth is that Bushido is nothing but pretty words, useful only for manipulation. The Scorpion walk in the shadows, defending the Empire from threats unseen even while the rest of Rokugan reviles us. There is no act too horrible, no tradition too sacred, that will keep us from our duty. Remember there is but one truth. Loyalty is all that matters.

Mantis: We became a Great Clan by our own strength, and we will be acknowledged! None know the seas like the Mantis, and none know the world beyond Rokugan as we do. From our hands come treasures unheard of, and with our ships we will defend the Empire from all who would threaten it. And if others call us arrogant, we laugh! To the bold go the greatest rewards!

Crane: Elegance and grace is the measure of worth in all things, and all know the Crane are the most graceful of all. In courtly politics and in duels, the Crane always stands supreme. Let others scream and rage how they will; it will not change that fact. But if you desire to challenge us, then we will happily dance past your corpses along the battlefield.

Dragon: Where others can only perceive the leaves upon a single tree, the Dragon observe the entire forest. We stand apart so that we may see all. Through this we have gained wisdom, and we share it freely. Others may take our isolation as weakness, but if you push us we will quickly show you the error of your ways. Pray that we are never taken so far.

Unicorn: We traveled beyond the lands of the Emerald Empire for seven hundred years so that we might see what enemies lie beyond our gates. But now the Unicorn have returned, and we will have our birthright! We know what others call us. Gaijin, and even worse. But we are as Rokugani as the rest of you, and we will have the respect we are due!

Phoenix: It is not the sword, but knowledge that is the path to true power. And who can claim greater knowledge than the Phoenix? None! Our spells and teachings have protected the Empire for over a thousand years, and they will protect it for another thousand still! Through us the power of the kami is made manifest! Tremble before their might!

Minor Clans: Though we lack the strength of the Great Clans, we are their equal in honor! We have fought and bled to defend the Empire just as much as they, and we will be recognized! Though we are looked down upon, we will hold our heads high! Underestimate us at your peril!

Ronin: We call no clan our own, whether it be through quirk of fate or from dishonor. But even still, we are Samurai! Our blades cut as easily as yours, Clansmen, and even Ronin can rise to glory. You would do well to remember that.

So, young Samurai, to which Clan do you pay homage?

 

[Winged Knight]

Name: Hiruma Sosuke
Insight Rank: 3
Insight : 178
Honor: 6.9
Glory: 7.3
Status: 2
Current EXP: 14

WOUNDS: 104

Inventory
1 traveling pack (Blanket, Flint/Tinder, Small Hand Mirror, Chopsticks, Rope, Coin Purse, Shovel, Personal Seal, Small Knife, Extra Rations)
1 set of Kaiu Heavy Armor
1 set of traveling clothes
1 week's worth of rations
1 week's worth of water
1 katana
1 wakizashi
41 Koku
1 Finger of Jade
1 Radiant Tetsubo

RINGS
Air-3
Reflexes->3
Awareness->3

Earth-4
Stamina->4
Willpower->4

Fire-2
Agility->3
Intelligence->2

Water-2
Strength->3
Perception->2

Void-3

Combat Stats
Initiative=6k3
Armor TN=20
+ Heavy Armor=33/Reduction 14

Weapons Attack Damage Special Properties
Tetsubo 10k3/ 8k3 -2 Reduction (From Mastery)
Katana 4k3/ 5k2 May spend 1 voidpoint to increase damage by 1k1 for one round
Wakizashi 4k3/ 4k2 Throwable for 20 feet

SKILLS
Athletics-2
Battle-2
Defense-3
Heavy Weapons (Tetsubo)-7
Intimidation-2
Kenjutsu-1
Lore: Shadowlands-5
*Etiquette-3
*Investigation-3
*Lore: Heraldry-2
*Sincerity-1
*Courtier-2
*Perform (Storytelling)-2
*=Not School Skills

SKILL MASTERIES
Etiquette-3
The characters gain an additional +3 Insight above the total normally indicated by his Rings and Skill Ranks

Heavy Weapons-7
Opponents with a Reduction Rating have their rating reduced by 2 when attacked with a heavy weapon.

Use of a heavy weapon confers one Free Raise toward use of the Knockdown Maneuver.

Damage dice explode on a result of 9 and 10 when using heavy weapons.

Investigation-3
A second attempt to use the Search Emphasis may be made without an increase in the original TN.

Defense-3
The character may retain the result of a previous Defense / Reflexes roll rather than make a new roll if the Full Defense Stance is being maintained in subsequent rounds.

ADVANTAGES
-Crab Hands: Whenever wielding a weapon you have no skill ranks in, instead treat as if you had 1 rank in that weapon.
-Large: Standing at 6'4 you are larger than most Rokugani, gain +1k0 to damage rolls with heavy weapons
-Strength of the Earth: The TN penalties you suffer from Wound Ranks are reduced by 3.
-Sun Touched: Add your Fire Ring to the total result of all damage rolls.

 

[Winged Knight]

More interesting builds! I'm a little surprised no one is aiming to increase any Attributes, though. Ah, well. You'll have plenty of chances to earn more EXP to do that if you desire.

Here's the history of the last few decades in Rokugan, which should hopefully help you all determine your character's bio and inform you just where everything in the world stands. There are some significant differences in this game from canon, and not all of them will be listed here. However, this will give you a good general outline.

In the canonical setting, the Toturi Dynasty ends with Toturi III (Toturi Naseru) and the letter declaring his half-brother Kaneka as his successor is lost. Thus, Empress Kitsuki Iweko takes the throne. Many other events happen as a result of Toturi III's death without a clear successor. One of the Unicorn families is purged, the Crane and Crab go to war, Rokugan is invaded by an evil god from another continent, and the Lion suffer a major defeat.

None of these things happen. This is what happens instead:

Toturi Naseru's letter reached the Empire and, following Naseru's death, Kaneka became Emperor and is blessed by the Heavens, creating a new divine dynasty. Under his rule, Rokugan began the process of rebuilding and restoring itself from the chaos of the Clan War, the abduction of Toturi I and the assault on Rokugan by the spirits and the Lying Darkness, and the turbulent time in which there was no clear successor to Toturi I following his assassination.

He reigned until 1210, at which time he retires and his son (his mother being Kitsuki Iweko) Toturi Tsuru became the new Emperor, Toturi V. He is well liked, kind and patient and perceptive like his mother, strong and resolute like his father. He was stubborn and romantic to a fault, though, and his experience of seeing a Rokugan at peace was a far cry from the experience of his father, a natural warrior and military man. Toturi IV taught his son a great deal about war but books aren't the same as battlefields.

In 1220, the Minor Clan of the Tiger made a push into the fallen city of Otusan-Uchi, the former capital. They had been cleansing the city for years, and with the aid of Samurai from the other clans Yotsu Yura, the Tiger Clan Champion, is successful in reclaiming the former Imperial Palace. The representatives of the other Clans, Kakita Zhuge, Ikoma Takano, Moto Shinichiro and Asako Akio are hailed as heroes and enlisted into the Emerald Magistracy.

The Magistrates discovered a sinister plot within Toshi Ranbo, of the newly recovered Kolat and even darker things lurking in the shadows. They learned of a City of Bone, and that the forces of the Shadowlands were becoming organized. In the coming months to Yotsu Yura's wedding to the Emperor the Magistrates discover that there is a plot on the wedding itself, though they did not learn where it would come from. This soon became known, however, for after the wedding was complete there was an assault by creatures of the Nothing. The Magistrates tried their best to defend the newly wedded Empress, but failed. Yotsu Yura was assaulted by the creatures of the Nothing and disappeared, presumably into non existence.

The Empire fell into chaos after that. The Emperor, incensed beyond reason at this tragedy, sent two Imperial Legions into the Shadowlands against the caution of his advisors to find the City of Bone and destroy it utterly. Remnants returned months later, horribly tainted and all but insane. The Crab hold the line against this onslaught, but it is a near thing. The Unicorn, who had voiced suspicions that the Dragon had been dabbling in the forces of the Nothing, assaulted Dragon lands in a brutal six month war. The unity of the Empire was shattered.

That unity is recovered, however, when the four heroes of Otosan-uchi discover a plot from the then Ikoma Daimyo, Ikoma Masaki, for instigating and profiteering off the Unicorn-Dragon war. Takano, who had been exiled and stripped of the Ikoma name for his failure to defend the Empress, created the Minor Clan of the Wolf via his discovery of the Tomb of Onnotangu, the former Lord Moon. Thus becoming Takano Roukan. He came forth with damning evidence of Ikoma Masaki's misdeeds, and the newly christened Emerald Champion, Kakita Zhuge, ordered Masaki's death. With that, and the revelation of Masaki's subversive actions, the Unicorn-Dragon War ended.

Emboldened by this victory, Kakita Zhuge led an assault into the Shadowlands and with his allies discovered the City of Bone. Crab forces pummeled the City of Bone, and the Heroes of Otosan-Uchi fought with Daigotsu himself, as well as the forces for the Shadow Dragon in the form of the traitor smith Yajinden. They put up a valiant struggle, but the Dark Lord seemed insurmountable. He laughed off their blows and batted them around like children. Until, that is, Asako Akio placed an artifact mask created from Jade, Crystal and the Tears of the First Emperor upon Daigotsu's face. The purity of this construct lit Daigotsu like a fire, and thus weakened the Dark Lord perished under the assault, though Hiruma Bao, the Daimyo of the Hiruma family, was slain in the attempt.

The Empire went through three years of recovery after this point, until in 1223 the Shadow Dragon moved to capitalize on the power vacuum left from Daigotsu's defeat. The Avatar of the Nothing placed what used to be the City of White Clouds atop the Festering Pit of Fu Leng, drawing the power of Jigoku into itself. Thus strengthened, the Shadow Dragon assaulted the very Gates of Heaven in an attempt to slay the Sun and Moon. Kakita Zhuge once more led an army into the Shadowlands, this one made up from every Clan, and razed the City of White Clouds to the ground. The Elemental Oracles emerged and drew the Shadow Dragon from the Gates of Heaven, where the army could assault it freely. The Heroes of Otosan-Uchi were at the vanguard, the the Shadow Dragon was forced to retreat in the face of certain annihilation.

But even in the wake of such a powerful victory, treachery reared its ugly head. Not even two months after the destruction oft he City of White Clouds Moto Shinichiro rode at the head of a giant army, three hundred thousand strong. He had created this army through use of the Egg of P'an Ku, which could create copies of whatever it touched. Moto Shinichiro had grown tired of the mistrust and disrespect the rest of Rokugan had shown the Unicorn, and decided that his Clan should reign supreme. With the Clans still weakened from the war in the Shadowlands, it appeared Moto Shinchiro would get his wish. Even still, the combined might of Rokugan rode out to battle.

Moto Shinichiro ravaged through Unicorn and Dragon lands, moving in on Lion territory. It seemed his victory was inevitable, for Moto Shinichiro could simply use the Egg of P'an Ku to replenish his losses in battle. The forces of Rokugan, however, found themselves worn down a little bit every day as the war dragged on and had no means to replenish their fallen so quickly.

But then a miracle happened. While Kakita Zhuge rallied Rokugan and Asako Akio rained fire down upon Moto Shinichiro's army, Takano Roukan entreated the ghosts that came out every night around the Tomb of Onnotangu. He fell to his knees and begged their aid. "Help your descendants!" he cried. "Protect those who honor you, for if you do not then all you love shall surely perish!"

The ghosts listened, and that very night came in a wave upon Moto Shinichiro's forces. They tore into them en masse, slaughtering the army's rear and flank. Seizing the opportunity, Kakita Zhuge pushed forward and cut the invading forces in half, allowing the army of Rokugan to take the enemy apart piecemeal. Moto Shinichiro himself met his end at the hand of the Unicorn Clan Champion, Moto Naleesh, who had come forward to battle him in one on one combat to restore the honor of the Unicorn.

The year is now 1240. Emperor Toturi V's son, Toturi Akamato, from the Kitsu family Daimyo, Kitsu O-ren, is 18 years old and it appears will be taking the throne from his father soon. There have been almost twenty years of relative stability and peace as Rokugan recovers.

But how long can such a thing last?

 

[Winged Knight]

You are Hiruma Sosuke, and your life is one of duty and self-sacrifice.

You know this to be true. It's what you've been told ever since you were born, what you've lived every day so close to the Shadowlands. The Realm of Evil touches everything, even beyond the Great Carpenter Wall. It would consume everything, Taint everything and destroy all that is good and pure. And it would, save that you and your people are there.

You are one of the Crab Clan, and it is the strength of your Clan that protects Rokugan from all the forces of Hell itself. Jigoku thirsts for the blood of the innocent, and you must stand to bar its way. Only the Crab can do this. Only the Crab are strong enough. That is why Hantei, the first Emperor, gave this task to Hida, your Clan's founder. No one else in Rokugan can shoulder this burden. They would be crushed under its weight.

But you've never truly appreciated it until this moment.

You stand before the gates of Shiro Hiruma, your Family's ancestral lands. The land before the castle is dead, barren. Such has always been the case, for to cleanse the Taint from your lands all vitality was stricken from it. Nothing will ever grow here, and even if it could it would only be corrupted. But it is your land, reclaimed after so long from what the Great Oni, the Maw, had done to it. It will never be taken from your family again.

Your Mother and Father stand beside you, along with your Sensei, gazing out into the depths of the wasteland and into the evil that lies beyond. You can feel that vileness, that corrosion deep within your soul. It hungers for you, for everything you've ever loved. It would take all you hold sacred and blacken it to better reflect its filth. You are not a coward, but your bones shudder at the thought of it, and you grip the finger of Jade around your neck for comfort.

"It is time, my son," your mother says. You look at her, and see no emotion in her face. She's normally quite expressive, alarmingly so for a Samurai, but there is none of that now. "Your Gempukku is upon you."

"You are strong, Sosuke," your father says. You turn to him. His expression is just as stoic as your mother's. You're just a tall a he is, though you're not even sixteen years old. "And it is because you are strong that you will succeed and come back to us."

"The other clans have their own rituals for Gempukku," your Sensei, a mountain of a man, says. "Some create art, or memorize the deeds of their ancestors such that they know the past by heart." He grins. "But we are the Crab, and we have more practical traditions."

"You have been trained in the Hida School because you have shown aptitude for it," your mother says. "And for the Hida, to complete your Gempukku you must go out into the Shadowlands and kill one of the enemy. Bring back its head, and you will be considered an adult."

"But you are also of the Hiruma," your father says. "And it is our way to scout, to attack from the flanks and from the rear. For us, familiarity with these blighted lands is of the utmost importance. You would be given a week's worth of food and water, with Jade to protect them, and make your way to the village of Shinsei's Last Hope alone. If you make it there alive, you will be considered an adult."

"We decided that you should be given a choice," your Sensei says. "Do either of these tasks, and your Gempukku is complete."

"We turn our backs on you now," your mother says, turning away. Your father and Sensei do likewise. "For you are past childhood, but not yet a man. You are somewhere between, and must find your own way. No longer can family or teachers guide you. This path is yours and yours alone."

"Come back victorious, or do not come back at all," your father says. "For against the enemy defeat cannot be afforded. We are the Wall, my son. And the Wall must remain strong lest the Empire perish."

"May the Heavens watch over you," your Sensei says. "And the Fortune Bishamon guide your hand."

And with that, they step back inside the castle. The gates close with a quiet boom, and you can hear the heavy locks and bars being set into place. The wind blows by, bringing a faint scent of rot. You look back toward the Shadowlands.

And you know that now, more than ever before in your short life, you are alone.

It's time to become a man.

[] Find a native of this damned place and kill it.
[] Make your way to Shinsei's Last Hope.
[] Write in

 

[Winged Knight]

If something jumps you and you kill it, all you need to do is take its head back. You can certainly do both, and frankly your initiative would be applauded.

[X] Make your way to Shinsei's Last Hope.


You shake off your unease and growl. You are a Crab Clan Samurai! You aren't going to let the mere presence of the Shadowlands defeat you before you've even truly ventured out.

You set forth at once to the South, heading for Shinsei's Last Hope. You've never been there, but you've seen it on several maps. It's about a day's ride from Shiro Hiruma, which means about four days of walking. You figure it will be hard to miss, considering its location near the shores of Umi Yakamo. There's really nothing else around in the area beside the village itself.

As you step past the barren soil of the Hiruma and into the Shadowlands proper, you can appreciate why such a seemingly simple task would be given for a Gempukku. That rotten smell that was underlying everything has come to the fore with devastating force, and you only just keep yourself from covering your nose at the foulness of it. The reek is like spoiled blood and rotten flesh, and other things you can't identify.

Dark clouds move to cover the sky, blocking much of the sun's light and covering the land in gloom. You can still see clearly, but the day could easily be mistaken for late afternoon instead of early morning. Those clouds moved in faster than you would have thought possible, and you can't help a faint feeling of claustrophobia even with the wide-open space around you. The contradiction makes you slightly nauseated, but you grit your teeth and keep on walking. Soon enough, your queasiness fades.

The feeling of claustrophobia, however, remains.

There are things growing out here past your family's lands, for a certain definition of growing. There are little bushes trying vainly to get some nutrients from the rocky ground, but their vines are covered in far more thorns than leaves. Scraggly, bleached white trees shoot up toward the sky, the leafless branches looking like so much bone. They look as if they should break apart with the gentlest wind, but tapping one with your tetsubo reveals them to be surprisingly solid. The trees shudder from your presence, their branches twitching like they desire to snatch you up, and you quickly get back on your way.

Sometimes, near small streams whose water looked red as blood, these trees would have faces on them. You give these trees a wide berth. Best not come close to test whatever those things are.

Four days alone in the Shadowlands, with no one to rely on but yourself. It is a harsh journey, even if it is only toward a place so relatively close. But as you steadily make your way toward your destination, you can understand why it is necessary. The rest of Rokugan may avoid the topic of the Shadowlands and consider it rude to speak of, but the Crab do not have that luxury. You must know this place, endure its torments, or you cannot do your duty.

Death would be preferable to such dishonor.

Eventually the sun begins to dip past the horizon, and what light you had begins to fade away. You can still walk as of yet, but perhaps it would be a good idea to stop for the day?

[] Find a defensible position and stop for the night.
[] Keep going.
[] Write in.

 

[Winged Knight]

Wandering about the Shadowlands at night is foolish in the extreme, and you know better. That's a good way for you to get ambushed by goblins or overtaken by undead popping out of the earth. It's certainly not a proper end for a Samurai just beginning his life. So with the last fading rays of light you look around for a spot to settle for the evening.

There aren't many, what with most of the countryside being a horrible Tainted wasteland. However, after some searching you find a spot that might be suitable. It's a large boulder settled slantwise next to a hill creating a small nook you could settle into quite nicely.

You search around it, looking for potential threats. There are no caves in the hill, so it is unlikely that it is a sleeping Oni waiting for some poor fools to wander into its mouth to be devoured. There are no vines around the hill, so it's unlikely some Fudoshi are waiting nearby to strangle you as soon as you lie down. There are only two ways to enter the cleft, which limits where you might be assaulted.

The only thing you think might be a possible issue is the small stream thirty feet off. Nikumizu love moist crevasses to hide in so they can burrow into the flesh of unwary travelers, but the cleft is dry and thus unsuitable for their habitation. Also, the stream doesn't appear large enough to house any Sanshu Denki, those abominable muck monsters.

It's not the safest position, but safety is a pipe dream in the Shadowlands anyway. But it seems that here, at least, you can hide from easy detection and curtail the options of anyone who might attack you.

[] Camp here. Start a fire.
[] Camp here. Don't start a fire.
[] See if you can't find another spot.
[] Write in.

 

[Winged Knight]

[x] Camp here. Don't start a fire.


This place will do as well as any other to rest for the night. Better than most, really. A fire would be more trouble than it's worth, and might draw attention besides, so you don't bother making one. You settle into the crevasse and pull out one of your field rations. It's not much, just some dried meat and cooked vegetables wrapped up in some bread, but it's got everything you need to stay healthy.

You drink some water from one of your canteens and look out toward the small river in the distance. From where you sit the stream looks like it might be about twelve feet deep and about five across. Not all that bad at all, but you're certainly not inclined to go swimming in it. Heaven only knows what awful things might be living there.

You can feel your eyes beginning to droop a bit as the last bits of light dwindle away. Stifling a yawn, you settle your tetsubo in your arms and lean back against the boulder. It won't be an especially restful sleep, not when you're wearing heavy armor, but you're not going to take it off. There are too many things that live here that want to kill you.

And with that pleasant thought, you succumb to your weariness and journey into the realm of sleep.

o\O/o​

Your eyes snap open at the sounds of weeping coming from the South. Blinking the sleep out of your eyes, you notice it's almost pitch black out. Only the faint light from the moon behind the clouds is there to provide you with any illumination. It takes a few minutes for your eyes to adapt to the darkness, but you're able to see reasonably well.

You peek your head out a little to see what's going on. Someone is stumbling out there, coming towards the river from the South. From the size and shape you'd say it's a woman. But what's a woman doing out in the Shadowlands alone?

As she comes closer, you can see she's wearing peasant garb. She's actually fairly good looking, from what little of her face you can see. She's covering it with her hands. It looks like she's been sobbing for quite a while.

Then she notices the river. Her head perks up, and she begins walking faster toward it. Your eyes go wide. Anything could be living in that stream, and none of it good. If this fool woman somehow wandered into the Shadowlands from the coast then she has no idea what she's blundering in to!

[] Write in

 

[Winged Knight]

[X] Write in: Pick up a dirt clod or something similar throw at the woman while shouting "Hey you, stay away from the water. It ain't healthy."


You're not about to pick up the dirt of the Shadowlands and risk getting that Tainted filth underneath your nails, but you find a good sized rock and toss it in the woman's direction. It hits the ground in front of her, drawing her short. She looks in your direction, though it doesn't appear that she's seen you.

You can see her much better now, confirming your previous observation. The woman is actually quite good looking, if haggard. Her clothing is worn and frayed, as if having suffered a fair amount of abuse, and her hair is a tangled mess. But even still it cannot be denied that if given a proper bath and time to freshen up she would be quite attractive.

"Hey!" you call out, raising your voice as much as you dare. You can't help but wince at how the sound carries in the evening. "Stay away from that water if you want to keep living. It ain't healthy."

"Who are you?" she calls back, stepping toward your little crevasse. She turns her head this way and that, seeking you. "I can hardly see anything in this darkness!"

"I am of the Crab Clan," you say back, keeping your name to yourself. You've heard enough ghost stories about names given out too freely, and they all end badly. "And you definitely shouldn't be here. Do you have any idea where you walk, woman?"

"One of the Crab," the woman mutters, and you see her expression grow stricken. "Oh, by all the Thousand Fortunes."

She falls to her knees, weeping into her hands. She gives great, shuddering sobs You shift your grip on your tetsubo, not certain how to deal with the woman's distress. Really, you just wish she'd stop making so much damn noise. You're no coward, but only a fool draws attention to themselves in the Shadowlands. Who knows what might be wandering about this night, looking for prey?

"I didn't want to believe it," the woman says through her tears. "I didn't want to believe I'd washed up in the Shadowlands after the boat was torn apart in that storm. But there's no denying it now, after finding a Crab Samurai in a place as awful as this."

She looks up from her hands, her face streaked with grime and tears. There's desperation there, and more than a little fear. The woman is terrified. She bows in your direction, going so low her forehead is touching the ground.

"I know it is presumptive of me, my Lord, but could you please provide me with protection? Could you lead me away from this damned land and back to the Empire? For the sake of my soul, I beg of you! Please do not leave me here to die!"

[] Write in

 

[Winged Knight]

[X] Write in: "Come a little closer woman, and try to be silent, who are you and how did you make it from the sea to here? Speak quickly." Ready Tetsubo for smashing as needed.

Investigation roll: 4k2=26.


"Come a little closer, woman," you say, leaning out a bit from your cleft motioning her over with your free hand. "And try to be quiet about it! Tell me who you are and how you got here from the coast."

The woman looks up, startled at your brusqueness. Then she stands and makes her way slowly closer to you. She's trying to look in every direction, skittish and frightened like a deer.

"I… My name is Yori. I am… was, a crewmember on board the Mantis ship Herald of Fortune. We were transporting goods to Friendly Traveler Village. But there was a terrible storm just a few days out to sea, and the ship capsized. And there were things in the water." She stops talking and hugs herself, shuddering at the memory. "I don't know what they were, but the other survivors began screaming and falling under the waves. I… I think one of the creatures brushed by me, but I managed to get atop a larger piece of wreckage. The next thing I remember is waking up on shore."

You frown at her words. You can't detect any falsehoods in her speech. The fear she's showing, and the emotion in her voice, sounds just too real to be a ruse. But her story is incredibly unlikely. How could one woman, alone and unarmed, wander for so long in the Shadowlands and still be alive? Something is off here.

"You mean to tell me you walked more than four days from the coast to here?" you ask, stepping a little further into her view. "With no water or food?"

"I have a little canteen," she says, holding up a small container. "But it's empty now. I ran out of water yesterday. It's why I wanted to get some from that stream."

"Only if you wanted to get Tainted," you growl. This whole situation has your hackles raised. "And nothing attacked you as you walked? You fell under no threat?"

The woman stops walking and puts a hand to her head, as if she is puzzled. "No… I… I don't think so. But my memory is so hazy. All the days seem like they've come together into a blur."

You take a moment to better examine the woman now that she's come closer. You can see her skin was probably once rather tan, like a person who worked long hours in the sun. But she's incredibly pale, now. And now that's you're looking more intently you can see her step is slightly off balance.

When she turns to the side to consider your question further, you see clearly what had been giving you your sense of unease. The backs of the woman's ankles are torn clean through, and you can even see the bone underneath. Such a wound would bleed a person to death easily if not treated.

This woman is dead. She believes her story, still goes through all the little motions a living person does, but she is dead. From the look of the wounds, she's been dead for days. She just doesn't know it yet.

You look back to her face, watching her mumble to herself. Her confusion is beginning to overtake her fear as she further ponders your words. You can't help but feel a little bewildered as well. You know that ghosts sometimes don't comprehend they're dead, but this is the first time you've ever considered that a walking corpse might suffer the same fate. How can she not realize what has happened to her?

[] Attack her.
[] Tell her the truth.
[] Write in.

 

[Winged Knight]

I'll let you all know now. You've got everything you need to handle this situation. It just depends on how you use the tools at hand.

[x]Apologize.
[x] Tell her the truth.

Courtier Roll: 2k2=7
Investigation Roll: 4k2=16
Lore Shadowlands Roll: 3k2=17



You shift uncomfortably. You've never had to deal with something like this, and you can't help but feel awkward. You know you should say something to her, help her pass on. The Celestial Order has to be maintained, because if it isn't then problems happen. And you're almost certain this woman is a ghost, even if her body looks awfully solid.

The only issue is, you're not one for words. That's supposed to be the Yasuki Family's job, and even if you were more eloquent in your speech it's not like you're a Monk or and Exorcist. They'd be best suited for helping this poor woman. But they aren't here, and you are. So you've got to do something.

You clear your throat, and Yori stops muttering to back at you.

"I'm sorry, Yori," you say as gently as you can. "But you're dead. You must have died when you came-"

"What?" Yori asks, interrupting you. "What are you saying?"

You wince a little at the loss of your momentum, but grit your teeth and soldier on. "You're not alive any more, Yori. You've two wounds on your legs. You must have bled out in the water."

Yori's expression turns stricken, and she looks behind herself at the back of her feet. Her shoulders tense, and she looks back at you. Her eyes are wide, almost impossible so, and there's a light growing behind them.

"No," she whispers, but her voice is rising in volume. "No, that can't be true! It can't be. I'm alive!" She claws at her face, scouring lines in her skin. But no blood flows from the wounds. "I'M ALIVE!"

She falls to her knees, screaming toward the sky. Her voice reverberates strangely, and her flesh begins to melt off her body. It puddles in a steaming mass around her, dripping like sludge. That makes your eyes shoot up in alarm. She has physical substance? How is that possible? Ghosts shouldn't be able to do that, right?

You can see blue, ethereal light coming from her empty eye sockets, the illumination of Yori's soul. She screams louder, and you can see the light pour out from her jaws. Her spirit must still be inhabiting her body! But zombies aren't coherent. They're just shambling monsters that attack everything around them. How, then, can she have spoken to you?

"I'M ALIIIIIIIIIIVE!" Yori cries, clutching her face with skeletal fingers as the skin on her hands falls away. She screams again at the sight of her oozing flesh, howling into the night.

Even through all the madness going on before you, something catches your attention. Around Yori's skull is a patch of dirty air, darker than the rest of the night. It's almost like smoke. The light of Yori's soul pushes against it, but the dirty air pushes it back down into the body, which only makes Yori scream louder.

You're dumbstruck for a moment, at a loss for what this could be. But then you remember something one of the Kuni told you once about the Shadowlands, about the Kansen. They are dark kami who were corrupted by Jigoku's influence, and cause misfortune wherever they go. And those who lack spiritual sight see them only as patches of dirty air, if they even perceive them at all.

Could that be what is holding Yori's soul within her own corpse?

[] Write in.