The Souq
Synopsis: The samurai join up with a group of Moto traders to meet up with caravans from the Burning Sands – to try and find a way to journey to the Jewel of the Desert.
The samurai stay at Exile’s Road long enough to get supplies and trade their koku for other things such as gold and jewels – things that would make it easier to trade in a foreign land.
The samurai leave Exile’s Road and within a week, they meet a band of Moto who have never returned to Rokugan since they were known as the Ki-Rin Clan. Moto Chen-Shih is delighted to have them as guests and they join the caravan until they reach the edge of the Burning Sands whereupon they will meet up with caravans from all over the Burning Sands and trade. Once the caravans have left, the Moto will return to their lands with much needed trade goods. In the meantime, Moto Chen-Shih teaches them the language of the Burning Sands.
Within a few days, several small caravans begin showing up for the Souq – Moto Chen-Shih tells the samurai that once a year, the Al-Badian meet here to trade with the tribes that live in the mountains – namely the Moto, Yobanjin and even some Rokuganese who flout the laws of their Empire by trading with foreigners (mostly Unicorn or Mantis Clan). The caravans show up with riders riding camels – strange hump-backed creatures that are overloaded with supplies as well as riders.
Chen-Shih introduces the samurai to Najib al-Nisr, a merchant from one of the many Houses of Dahab located in Medinaat al Salaam. Chen-Shih has known Najib for many years. He asks Najib to assist the samurai and guide them toward the Jewel of the Desert. Najib gladly accepts and invites them all to his tent that evening to be his guest.
Najib introduces them to his traveling companions, Haroun and his daughter Alia. Ryu notices Alia immediately – her dark, long, flowing hair, brown eyes and dark skin are very attractive to him and he begins to speak with her. Alia, of course, will have none of it and rebuffs his advances. Ying-Lien, meanwhile, asks Najib about bringing her Utaku steed with her to the Jewel. Najib is not sure if that is possible, given the size of the horse. He directs her to Alia, who is just finishing rebuffing Ryu’s advances. Alia examines Ying-Lien’s steed and tells her that it is a fantastic horse, but requires so much water it may not be feasible to ride it to the Jewel of the Desert. She should instead, ride a camel.
The samurai decide to find a way for Ying-Lien to bring her steed with her. Noriyaki can call the water kami and summon water to them (but how much in the middle of the Burning Sands is debatable). The samurai decide to pool their new “funds” together to see if they can essentially “rent” a camel. They will buy everything off one camel, give it to Moto Chen-Shih, and then request that enough water be carried on the camel for the sole purpose of allowing the Utaku Steed to join the caravan.
They discuss these things with Najib. The samurai soon discover that their bargaining powers are limited. Najib wants more than three quarters of all their available funds to buy all the exotic spices and merchandise from one camel. The samurai consider the price too steep to pay and decide to wait and see. Since Najib invited them to his tent that evening, they will see if they can do better.
The evening arrives and the samurai visit Najib’s Al-Badian tent, guarded by a mamluk of great size. Upon entering they are surprised to see a sumptuous feast and many luxuries such as pillows and blankets spread about the room. The samurai sit on the pillows provided and Alia washes each of the samurai’s hands with warm rose water before Najib passes around a bowl of salt. He takes a pinch of salt and sprinkles it on the food on his plate. Each samurai does the same. Najib tells them it is a custom in his land to engage in a bond of salt. A guest can be assured of three days of hospitality and safety. The host can do no harm to the guest and vice versa. This bond of salt ensures safety in travel and hospitality wherever one goes.
As they begin to eat, Najib’s servants pour goat’s milk wine for his guests. Most imbibe it and like it – especially Ying-Lien who takes a great liking to the milky-coloured alcohol. Ryu does not even bother. At one point, he distracts everyone and switches his full cup, with Ying-Lien’s empty one. Ying-Lien notices the newly full cup, wonders for a moment where it came from, shrugs and drinks up. Only Haroun took any notice to the switch.
At that moment, another gentleman enters the tent. He is introduced as Khalid, a merchant from a different House. Khalid washes his hands, thanks his host for the gracious invitation and then turns down the salt saying he has an “allergy” to salt and cannot ingest any. The refusal to participate in the bond of salt enrages Alia who gets up and storms out.
Najib conducts a coffee ceremony, handing out small cups of a very thick, and very potent brew, not unlike the coffee served by Ide Murai in Kyuden Ikoma, but the thick, viscous liquid was very bitter. Most of the samurai had a hard time with it.
The meal continues with Ying-Lien getting more and more drunk. Najib begins telling tales of the Burning Sands and Noriyaki, eager to try out his own storytelling abilities on the Al-Badian merchant, tells a few tales of his own. While each are spinning tales, a servant enters the tent and serves Khalid more goat’s milk wine. He drinks it, then his eyes widen. He looks down at the goblet of wine, spits it out, looks up at the servant who he now sees as Alia, and then storms out of the tent. Ryu takes the goblit and tries it. The goat’s milk wine is salty. Khalid had ingested salt and was now bonded by it. Ryu comments on how dishonorable Alia’s actions were, but no one hears him.
Later that evening, the samurai retire to the tents provided by Moto Chen-Shih. Ying-Lien drags Kenjiro back to their tent. Much rustling and the occasional yelp and frantic calls to the kami was all anyone heard from them for the rest of the night.
Ryu tries hard to get rid of his yojimbo, who is duty-bound to follow and protect him wherever he goes. Since the incidents at Kyuden Ikoma where Ryu disappeared for hours, Jin is much more wary of his charge’s habits and insists on following him. Jin is afraid that he will try and seduce Alia. Instead, Ryu wanders over to Khalid’s camp. Khalid and his mamluks sit around a fire. Unaware of his presence, Ryu finds Khalid’s House Crest attached to one of Khalid’s camel saddles and cuts it off. Ryu returns to his tent accompanied by Jin and they lie down for the night. Ryu, still hopped up on coffee, stays awake and slips out silently. He approaches Alia’s tent and slips in unnoticed, walks up to her, crouches down and strokes her hair before slitting her throat with his wakizashi. As blood pools around her body and soaks into the sand, Ryu drops Khalid’s House Crest beside her and slips out into the night.
Next: The Bond of Salt
Wednesday, January 14, 2009
Tuesday, January 13, 2009
Ch 4 Dramatis Personae
Moto Chen-Shih – a Moto who still hails from the Ki-Rin Clan. He teaches the samurai the language of the Burning Sands so they can get along.
Najib al Nisr – a merchant from one of Houses of Dahab located in Medinaat al Salaam
Alia – Haroun’s daughter and an expert on horses and camels
Haroun – a merchant from the same House as Najib. He is getting old and wants to one day pass down his merchant practice to his daughter.
Khalid – a Merchant Prince from one of the richer Houses of Dahab
Other NPC's in Other Chapters:
Chapter 1 NPC's
Chapter 2 NPC's
Chapter 3 NPC's
Najib al Nisr – a merchant from one of Houses of Dahab located in Medinaat al Salaam
Alia – Haroun’s daughter and an expert on horses and camels
Haroun – a merchant from the same House as Najib. He is getting old and wants to one day pass down his merchant practice to his daughter.
Khalid – a Merchant Prince from one of the richer Houses of Dahab
Other NPC's in Other Chapters:
Chapter 1 NPC's
Chapter 2 NPC's
Chapter 3 NPC's
Monday, January 12, 2009
(L5R) Ch 3 – The Dragon, part 2
Exile’s Road
Synopsis: The Shrine of the Keeper of Fire is attacked. The samurai journey to the edge of Rokugan.
The next day, before the samurai can gather up supplies for their journey, they visit the Keeper at his shrine once again. This time, they present him with the Dragon Helm and hope that he can figure out how to use it. He does not know but says he will do what he can to research the Helm. The samurai leave the Keeper to do his job and return to his devotions. The rest of the day is spent gathering supplies in town. At night, they return to the monastery outside the Shrine of the Keeper of Fire. Ying-Lien believes it prudent that they watch over the Keeper, so she decides to stand guard for the night just outside the Shrine. The rest retire to the austere monastery.
As the evening wears on, Ying-Lien is visited by a group of ronin lead by two lion clan samurai. Ying-Lien recognizes the female as Matsu Hira, Daidoji Jin’s betrothed. She is accompanied by her right hand man, Matsu Gisei. They ask Ying-Lien where they can find Daidoji Jin and Ying-Lien tells them where to find them. Matsu Hira bows and thanks her and all but two ronin follow.
While the rest of the samurai are relaxing in the monestary, Matsu Hira appears and demands that Daidoji Jin return with her to Kyuden Ikoma to answer to the dishonor he has shown her family for leaving Kyuden Ikoma without warning and without the courtesy of notifying her family even after they were betrothed. She demands he return and conclude the joining of their two families. Daidoji Jin refuses.
Matsu Hira is enraged. She grabs a nearby monk and draws her sword. If Jin does not agree to return with her, she will kill the monk. Jin does not flinch and responds by saying no. Matsu Hira slits the monk’s throat. His body slumps to the snow-covered ground, his blood spraying the trees. Matsu Gisei and the remaining ronin draw their katanas and Hira grabs another monk. She threatens to kill every monk in the monestary and shrine if Jin does not come with her and, she says, their blood will be on his hands.
Noriyaki opens a scroll and begins chanting a spell. Suddenly, a kami of fire begins raining balls of flame down onto the ronin. They scatter and begin to advance toward the samurai. Jin and Kenjiro stay by the hearth and wait for the samurai to come to them. They clash briefly with the ronin, but the ronin are no match for Jin and his superior fighting skills. He easily dispatches several ronin before Matsu Hira orders the ronin to stop. They take hostages and again Hira demands that he come with her. This time, Jin tells her that while he may have returned with the Lion, Matsu Hira, he will never return with the dishonorable Hira who has disgraced her heritage by killing innocent monks. In response, Hira kills another monk, his blood spattering the statue of jizu.
Upon hearing the battle, Ying-Lien draws her katana and begins running toward the monastery. The two ronin who were with her stop her and draw their katana. She strikes first, drawing blood in one of the ronin, but the other strikes a mighty blow sending her reeling backward. Another blow and she is down on the ground.
Meanwhile, Ryu sneaks away from the carnage and disappears out the side door. He makes his way to the shrine and finds Ying-Lien about to be killed by the two ronin. He sneaks up behind one and kills him before the other is aware Ryu is there, Then Ryu dispatches the other ronin. Ying-Lien, who is barely able to move, thanks Ryu for his assistance. Ryu grabs a katana one of the ronin was wielding. It is old and not well kept. Ryu needs a katana, but decides against taking one of these.
Ryu leaves Ying-Lien and goes into the shrine. He finds the Keeper and informs him of what is going on. The Keeper asks Ryu what he should do and Ryu hands him the Dragon Helm.
At the compound, Hira and Jin are at a stalemate. Hira has murdered four monks in an effort to get Jin to return to Kyuden Ikoma. Jin has not moved away from the hearth and waits for the next ronin to challenge him. Suddenly, a dark shadow looms over the ground and a huge creature crashes into the compound, crushing several ronin. The Dragon of Fire has arrived.
Hira and the ronin scatter. The monks they were holding hostage run for cover. The Fire Dragon breathes gouts of flame at the ronin, engulfing them in an inferno. They all flee. Matsu Hira and her right hand man, along with a few ronin, make it out alive. The remaining ronin are dead. The Keeper of Fire looks down from atop the dragon and asks Jin if he would like further assistance in pursuing Matsu Hira. Jin politely refuses saying her dishonorable actions will not make her welcome anywhere in Rokugan. The Keeper dismounts the Dragon of Fire and the Dragon disappears into the night.
The samurai wait for an additional day to allow Noriyaki to pray to the kami to heal Ying-Lien. They use that day to obtain the travel papers necessary to get across the border into Unicorn territory. The next day, Ying-Lien is fit to travel and the samurai journey in to Unicorn territory without a hassle finally making it to Sorrows Path and Exile’s Road. Exile’s Road is the last bastion of civilization a person would see before leaving Rokugan. Only those exiled by decree or the rare traveler who wishes to leave Rokugan ever venture this far. This is the border of Rokugan.
The samurai find a small dusty shrine dedicated to the exiled. Inside, an old miko sweeps the old wooden floor. Many Scorpion masks, wakazashis and katana’s with colours from every clan adorn the walls. The samurai ask whether a Daidoji Kage and Isawa Mutsuye had made it this far. The miko says yes, but they had changed their names. She could not remember what their new names were. She also tells them that there were three of them. The samurai ask who the third one was. It was their unborn, the miko tells them. Mutsuye was with child.
Next: Book II: The Jewel of the Desert
Synopsis: The Shrine of the Keeper of Fire is attacked. The samurai journey to the edge of Rokugan.
The next day, before the samurai can gather up supplies for their journey, they visit the Keeper at his shrine once again. This time, they present him with the Dragon Helm and hope that he can figure out how to use it. He does not know but says he will do what he can to research the Helm. The samurai leave the Keeper to do his job and return to his devotions. The rest of the day is spent gathering supplies in town. At night, they return to the monastery outside the Shrine of the Keeper of Fire. Ying-Lien believes it prudent that they watch over the Keeper, so she decides to stand guard for the night just outside the Shrine. The rest retire to the austere monastery.
As the evening wears on, Ying-Lien is visited by a group of ronin lead by two lion clan samurai. Ying-Lien recognizes the female as Matsu Hira, Daidoji Jin’s betrothed. She is accompanied by her right hand man, Matsu Gisei. They ask Ying-Lien where they can find Daidoji Jin and Ying-Lien tells them where to find them. Matsu Hira bows and thanks her and all but two ronin follow.
While the rest of the samurai are relaxing in the monestary, Matsu Hira appears and demands that Daidoji Jin return with her to Kyuden Ikoma to answer to the dishonor he has shown her family for leaving Kyuden Ikoma without warning and without the courtesy of notifying her family even after they were betrothed. She demands he return and conclude the joining of their two families. Daidoji Jin refuses.
Matsu Hira is enraged. She grabs a nearby monk and draws her sword. If Jin does not agree to return with her, she will kill the monk. Jin does not flinch and responds by saying no. Matsu Hira slits the monk’s throat. His body slumps to the snow-covered ground, his blood spraying the trees. Matsu Gisei and the remaining ronin draw their katanas and Hira grabs another monk. She threatens to kill every monk in the monestary and shrine if Jin does not come with her and, she says, their blood will be on his hands.
Noriyaki opens a scroll and begins chanting a spell. Suddenly, a kami of fire begins raining balls of flame down onto the ronin. They scatter and begin to advance toward the samurai. Jin and Kenjiro stay by the hearth and wait for the samurai to come to them. They clash briefly with the ronin, but the ronin are no match for Jin and his superior fighting skills. He easily dispatches several ronin before Matsu Hira orders the ronin to stop. They take hostages and again Hira demands that he come with her. This time, Jin tells her that while he may have returned with the Lion, Matsu Hira, he will never return with the dishonorable Hira who has disgraced her heritage by killing innocent monks. In response, Hira kills another monk, his blood spattering the statue of jizu.
Upon hearing the battle, Ying-Lien draws her katana and begins running toward the monastery. The two ronin who were with her stop her and draw their katana. She strikes first, drawing blood in one of the ronin, but the other strikes a mighty blow sending her reeling backward. Another blow and she is down on the ground.
Meanwhile, Ryu sneaks away from the carnage and disappears out the side door. He makes his way to the shrine and finds Ying-Lien about to be killed by the two ronin. He sneaks up behind one and kills him before the other is aware Ryu is there, Then Ryu dispatches the other ronin. Ying-Lien, who is barely able to move, thanks Ryu for his assistance. Ryu grabs a katana one of the ronin was wielding. It is old and not well kept. Ryu needs a katana, but decides against taking one of these.
Ryu leaves Ying-Lien and goes into the shrine. He finds the Keeper and informs him of what is going on. The Keeper asks Ryu what he should do and Ryu hands him the Dragon Helm.
At the compound, Hira and Jin are at a stalemate. Hira has murdered four monks in an effort to get Jin to return to Kyuden Ikoma. Jin has not moved away from the hearth and waits for the next ronin to challenge him. Suddenly, a dark shadow looms over the ground and a huge creature crashes into the compound, crushing several ronin. The Dragon of Fire has arrived.
Hira and the ronin scatter. The monks they were holding hostage run for cover. The Fire Dragon breathes gouts of flame at the ronin, engulfing them in an inferno. They all flee. Matsu Hira and her right hand man, along with a few ronin, make it out alive. The remaining ronin are dead. The Keeper of Fire looks down from atop the dragon and asks Jin if he would like further assistance in pursuing Matsu Hira. Jin politely refuses saying her dishonorable actions will not make her welcome anywhere in Rokugan. The Keeper dismounts the Dragon of Fire and the Dragon disappears into the night.
The samurai wait for an additional day to allow Noriyaki to pray to the kami to heal Ying-Lien. They use that day to obtain the travel papers necessary to get across the border into Unicorn territory. The next day, Ying-Lien is fit to travel and the samurai journey in to Unicorn territory without a hassle finally making it to Sorrows Path and Exile’s Road. Exile’s Road is the last bastion of civilization a person would see before leaving Rokugan. Only those exiled by decree or the rare traveler who wishes to leave Rokugan ever venture this far. This is the border of Rokugan.
The samurai find a small dusty shrine dedicated to the exiled. Inside, an old miko sweeps the old wooden floor. Many Scorpion masks, wakazashis and katana’s with colours from every clan adorn the walls. The samurai ask whether a Daidoji Kage and Isawa Mutsuye had made it this far. The miko says yes, but they had changed their names. She could not remember what their new names were. She also tells them that there were three of them. The samurai ask who the third one was. It was their unborn, the miko tells them. Mutsuye was with child.
Next: Book II: The Jewel of the Desert
Sunday, January 11, 2009
(L5R) Ch 3 – The Dragon, part 1
The Crossing
Synopsis: The samurai leave Kyuden Ikoma and cross into Dragon lands.
Two hours earlier: Ryu has heard the news about the approaching Unicorn army. He sends a message to Yori at the Teahouse of Jade Thunder, but it is returned unopened. Worried, he returns to the Teahouse to find her but instead finds Shosuro Shigeru. Shigeru explains that he sent Yori away to keep her safe from the Unicorn invasion. Ryu is not entirely convinced. Shigeru then asks for the Dragon Helm. If he gives him the Helm, he will let him know where he can find her. It is a matter of utmost importance in the Scorpion Clan that he get the Helm. Ryu knows he is lying and that Shigeru is hiding something, but agrees to meet at the Hour of the Ox to give it to him. Shigeru agrees.
Ryu returns to his quarters and finds his wife, Kita, and his two daughters. They speak for a few moments about their daughters’ future – whether they would grow up to become Scorpion courtiers or perhaps rejoin the Crane as beautiful Crane Clan courtiers. Kita doubts they will marry for marriage brings too much sadness. Kita asks whether she has done anything to offend her and Ryu says no. Ryu tells her that the Unicorn army is approaching and that they must return to Ryoko Owari for their own safety. Kita says she will go as a dutiful wife should.
When Ryu returns to the manor with the rest, he tells his servants to go and gather things up for him, then goes to investigate the Dragon Helm when he is attacked by someone clad in black – by shurukin. The ninja jumps down at him from the roof and he fends him off with a wakizashi. He pulls out a jitte but Ryu manages to kill him just as three more ninja jump down to surround him.
Just then, the rest of the samurai arrive and see the ninja surrounding Ryu. They attack with Jin rushing to aid Ryu and the rest rushing in to pull out their katana and attack. They manage to kill two before the last climbs up a rope and tries to escape. Jin and Ying Lien rush out to follow. Ying Lien pulls out her bow and hits the ninja from a great distance, knocking him off the roof. By the time the town authorities get there, the ninja is dead.
Back at the manor, Ryu explains to everyone where he has been for the last day. He also tells them about his encounters with Shigeru and the fact that he did not believe him when he said he would give him the Dragon Helm. They send authorities to the Teahouse to find Shigeru, they explain that he is a traitor and must be arrested. The authorities return empty handed. Shigeru was gone.
Ying-Lien and Kenjiro begin to pack and they discuss what they should do. Honor is at stake. She made a promise to join the Battle Maiden but Kenjiro says their duty is more important. She eventually relents when he explains that he will tell Utaku Yaeko that this is entirely his fault. Before dawn, they venture to the Unicorn camp and find Utaku Yaeko and explain their predicament. Yaeko makes Ying Lien promise she will be there in the spring when they invade Toshi Ranbo. She has lost honor, but at least she is allowed to continue her mission.
Jin sends message to Ikoma Tadasu about using caltrops in the snow. Ryu sends Hiroko with his wife and kids.
They leave before the invasion and meet Ying-Lien and Kenjiro at the crossroads. They venture along the road that crosses the Plains of Battle for several days before arriving at a small village along the banks of the Drowned Merchant River – the border between Lion and Dragon lands. The villagers are stopping a caravan to try and get food. The others give up their provisions knowing there is a Dragon village across the wide river. One bridge is open but guarded by Unicorn and ronin – Ying-Lien has not seen so many ronin and it bothers her.
Ying-Lien goes to give food to a hungry old woman and kids when she is accosted by ronin who tries to rob her. He is part of a band of ronin who will soon become a great clan. They fight briefly but she gives her money to feed the poor. He promises to and she is convinced that he would.
The rest give food to distract the caravan and go to cross the bridge but run into bureaucracy trying to do so. They cross just as they say something about what is on the other side of the river.
They enter town and get a room from a kindly innkeeper. The town is abandoned. There is no business and no trade since the Unicorn has burned many of the bridges.
The innkeeper tells the samurai that there is a Shrine to the Keeper of Fire in the mountains. The samurai decide to visit the shrine. When they visit the Shrine, the Keeper says that he can read their fortunes if the Fire within their spirit is strong enough. Each of the samurai is told their fortune. Ying-Lien is told she will have to protect what she hates. Ryu asks about Daidoji Kage and is told there is no one by that name. Hughes asks if the Spider Clan is evil and is given no answer. Kenjiro is told nothing at all. They all return to their rooms at the compound near the shrine.
During the night, Jin has a dream. In the dream, he is caught in a web with a giant spider and the darkness is talking to him, telling him that ‘they have him.’ He discusses this dream with the other samurai. The entire group is beginning to think that this Spider Clan is more than it appears and wonder if Shigeru was involved.
Next: Exile's Road
Synopsis: The samurai leave Kyuden Ikoma and cross into Dragon lands.
Two hours earlier: Ryu has heard the news about the approaching Unicorn army. He sends a message to Yori at the Teahouse of Jade Thunder, but it is returned unopened. Worried, he returns to the Teahouse to find her but instead finds Shosuro Shigeru. Shigeru explains that he sent Yori away to keep her safe from the Unicorn invasion. Ryu is not entirely convinced. Shigeru then asks for the Dragon Helm. If he gives him the Helm, he will let him know where he can find her. It is a matter of utmost importance in the Scorpion Clan that he get the Helm. Ryu knows he is lying and that Shigeru is hiding something, but agrees to meet at the Hour of the Ox to give it to him. Shigeru agrees.
Ryu returns to his quarters and finds his wife, Kita, and his two daughters. They speak for a few moments about their daughters’ future – whether they would grow up to become Scorpion courtiers or perhaps rejoin the Crane as beautiful Crane Clan courtiers. Kita doubts they will marry for marriage brings too much sadness. Kita asks whether she has done anything to offend her and Ryu says no. Ryu tells her that the Unicorn army is approaching and that they must return to Ryoko Owari for their own safety. Kita says she will go as a dutiful wife should.
When Ryu returns to the manor with the rest, he tells his servants to go and gather things up for him, then goes to investigate the Dragon Helm when he is attacked by someone clad in black – by shurukin. The ninja jumps down at him from the roof and he fends him off with a wakizashi. He pulls out a jitte but Ryu manages to kill him just as three more ninja jump down to surround him.
Just then, the rest of the samurai arrive and see the ninja surrounding Ryu. They attack with Jin rushing to aid Ryu and the rest rushing in to pull out their katana and attack. They manage to kill two before the last climbs up a rope and tries to escape. Jin and Ying Lien rush out to follow. Ying Lien pulls out her bow and hits the ninja from a great distance, knocking him off the roof. By the time the town authorities get there, the ninja is dead.
Back at the manor, Ryu explains to everyone where he has been for the last day. He also tells them about his encounters with Shigeru and the fact that he did not believe him when he said he would give him the Dragon Helm. They send authorities to the Teahouse to find Shigeru, they explain that he is a traitor and must be arrested. The authorities return empty handed. Shigeru was gone.
Ying-Lien and Kenjiro begin to pack and they discuss what they should do. Honor is at stake. She made a promise to join the Battle Maiden but Kenjiro says their duty is more important. She eventually relents when he explains that he will tell Utaku Yaeko that this is entirely his fault. Before dawn, they venture to the Unicorn camp and find Utaku Yaeko and explain their predicament. Yaeko makes Ying Lien promise she will be there in the spring when they invade Toshi Ranbo. She has lost honor, but at least she is allowed to continue her mission.
Jin sends message to Ikoma Tadasu about using caltrops in the snow. Ryu sends Hiroko with his wife and kids.
They leave before the invasion and meet Ying-Lien and Kenjiro at the crossroads. They venture along the road that crosses the Plains of Battle for several days before arriving at a small village along the banks of the Drowned Merchant River – the border between Lion and Dragon lands. The villagers are stopping a caravan to try and get food. The others give up their provisions knowing there is a Dragon village across the wide river. One bridge is open but guarded by Unicorn and ronin – Ying-Lien has not seen so many ronin and it bothers her.
Ying-Lien goes to give food to a hungry old woman and kids when she is accosted by ronin who tries to rob her. He is part of a band of ronin who will soon become a great clan. They fight briefly but she gives her money to feed the poor. He promises to and she is convinced that he would.
The rest give food to distract the caravan and go to cross the bridge but run into bureaucracy trying to do so. They cross just as they say something about what is on the other side of the river.
They enter town and get a room from a kindly innkeeper. The town is abandoned. There is no business and no trade since the Unicorn has burned many of the bridges.
The innkeeper tells the samurai that there is a Shrine to the Keeper of Fire in the mountains. The samurai decide to visit the shrine. When they visit the Shrine, the Keeper says that he can read their fortunes if the Fire within their spirit is strong enough. Each of the samurai is told their fortune. Ying-Lien is told she will have to protect what she hates. Ryu asks about Daidoji Kage and is told there is no one by that name. Hughes asks if the Spider Clan is evil and is given no answer. Kenjiro is told nothing at all. They all return to their rooms at the compound near the shrine.
During the night, Jin has a dream. In the dream, he is caught in a web with a giant spider and the darkness is talking to him, telling him that ‘they have him.’ He discusses this dream with the other samurai. The entire group is beginning to think that this Spider Clan is more than it appears and wonder if Shigeru was involved.
Next: Exile's Road
Ch 3 Dramatis Personae
Ikoma Tadasu – High level courtier of the Lion Clan – negotiating with Daidoji Kikaze
Daidoji Chisato – Daidoji Kikaze’s envoy
Utaku Yaeko – Leader of a Battle Maiden contingent approaching Kyuden Isawa
Keeper of the Dragon of Fire
Other NPC's in Other Chapters:
Chapter 1 NPC's
Chapter 2 NPC's
Chapter 4 NPC's
Daidoji Chisato – Daidoji Kikaze’s envoy
Utaku Yaeko – Leader of a Battle Maiden contingent approaching Kyuden Isawa
Keeper of the Dragon of Fire
Other NPC's in Other Chapters:
Chapter 1 NPC's
Chapter 2 NPC's
Chapter 4 NPC's
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