Isawa Mitsuru
Phoenix Clan
Shugenja ? Void ? Experienced
Posts: 113
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Post by Isawa Mitsuru on Dec 21, 2011 23:33:37 GMT -5
I paused searching through my pack to look over at the paper.
“Odd,” I said, standing to take the receipt, “Why would a farmer need a bill of sale at all? Usually they do business by simple verbal agreements or…”
I looked over the soiled paper, turning it over to make sure nothing was on the back. Why indeed, would a farmer use any sort of documentation? Most peasants can’t even read, let alone write. This would be reserved for-
“Feng-san, if I am not mistaken, I believe this man sold something to samurai. Perhaps…hmmm. Perhaps to gangsters or unscrupulous tax collectors. I can’t really tell.”
I sat down again and crossed my legs. It was always easier to think in a meditative position. I ran my hand over my quite beardless chin trying to puzzle out what could be going on.
“Feng-san, I think we need to go to the shrine. I daresay we shall get more answers there.”
I began re-rolling my spell scroll to pack it back up.
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Shinjo Feng
Unicorn Clan
*Calvary Tactician* *Experienced* *Hero*
Posts: 26
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Post by Shinjo Feng on Dec 23, 2011 2:01:23 GMT -5
I nod my head in agreement. Perhaps more answers would be found at the local shrine.
I respect the Phoenix, as I respected his master before him. Though I had not met young Mitsuru before this encounter I had met Gomaru on my journey through the Phoenix lands. The master of the void appeared out of nowhere, destroying a legion of the risen dead that had crawled from the earth beneath my horse. Nearly over run by the shambling corpses Gomaru banished the creatures and tended to my wounds.
The memories of my wounds turn my thoughts to the farmer sprawled before him.
"Should we do anything with this?" I motion towards the body
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Isawa Mitsuru
Phoenix Clan
Shugenja ? Void ? Experienced
Posts: 113
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Post by Isawa Mitsuru on Dec 28, 2011 0:51:58 GMT -5
“Ah, indeed,” I said.
I pulled out from my pack a small rod with several bits of paper attached to it. After stuffing my other scrolls into the satchel I began the prayer for the departed, waving my rod over the figure to send his spirit onward in the reincarnation cycle.
***
After finishing the blessing I stood up and stowed the rod in my pack and looked out the window at the late afternoon.
“Feng-san, I feel that we should hurry to the shrine. If possible, I would like to reach the area before nightfall. However,” I turned back to the farmer's corpse, “I appreciate that we cannot leave this body here. Perhaps we could go by way of the town and notify the villagers of what has happened. That way they can tend to the dead.”
I heard a small shuffling by the open door. Then I heard the sound of a dropping basket and spilling goods. I turned suddenly to note a peasant woman standing in the doorway, face frozen in shock.
Finally, I heard her piercing, horrified scream.
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Shinjo Feng
Unicorn Clan
*Calvary Tactician* *Experienced* *Hero*
Posts: 26
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Post by Shinjo Feng on Dec 28, 2011 13:26:15 GMT -5
The sound of the opening door causes me to turn my weapon still drawn. The horrified woman at the door screaming causes me to lower my guard and with practiced ease I return the short blade to its sheath.
No fainting flower the woman turns on us throwing her basket at my head. “Murders!” She screams as I duck the flying vegtables and domestic goods.
She races forward clawing madly at Isawa Mitsuru. As delicately as I can I begin to pull her off the stunned Shugenja. She is surprisingly strong and I strain to pull her back. Tears stream down her face as she fights against me. One of her nails catches my face tearing a gash across my cheek. I can feel the warm blood course down my face. Stoically I hold on while the woman thrashes and twists until exhaustion overcomes her. Slowly I lower her to the floor.
“We paid you, you Samurai thugs*, we paid you…” She pants breathing heavily at the strain the pants turn into wracking sobs as she weeps openly.
Such a display of emotion would be shameful for a samurai but mere peasants have their own ways. I stand in uncomfortable silence waiting for the woman to speak again.
Who were these other Samurai? I wonder
*The actual words she used are not appropriate for me to relate in my tale for it may cause the Crane readers to faint at the shear profanity she employed.
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Isawa Mitsuru
Phoenix Clan
Shugenja ? Void ? Experienced
Posts: 113
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Post by Isawa Mitsuru on Jan 1, 2012 14:42:52 GMT -5
I admit openly that I was moved by the woman's pained sobs. It is unfortunate then, that we samurai forbid ourselves from showing extreme emotions, especially those that would show us as weak.
However, my ears perked up when she mentioned 'samurai thugs'. So there had indeed been some sort of deal made with samurai. It is also unfortunate that there are some who carry the daisho who take undue advantage of their charges. Certainly we would need to find them and seek more information on the matter.
“Good woman,” I began, “I am sorry for your loss. We are not those who have done anything to your husband. In fact, we would like to find those who have done you harm and make amends.”
Her sobbing subsided a little and she looked up from being hunched over the dead body. Tears still stained her cheeks and her eyes were filled with hate.
“What do I care which samurai you are? You're all the same! You think that just because we are heimin that we can be played with like little dolls.” She spat at my feet.
I stepped back in shock at her behavior. Something inside me jumped at being so addressed by a peasant but I forced myself to stay calm. We needed to know more.
“My Lady,” I said, awkwardly using the more honorific language to show our humility, “We truly want to help you. Not all samurai are so crude as those who have hurt you. I beg of you, pray tell us what happened with these other samurai.”
She still looked skeptical as she eyed both Feng and me. After a tense moment she relaxed the slightest bit and let out a heavy, pained sigh.
“They came a few weeks ago. They demanded that we give them our family shrine. It is...was our most valuable possession. They threatened us at first, but my husband eventually convinced them to pay us for it. He said that at least we could make offerings at the shrine in penance. We thought they were done with us. But here is my husband. Dead.”
With that she was overcome by grief again and began crying for her departed loved one.
I looked over at Feng at motioned him aside.
“Feng-san, I think that these bandit samurai may still be nearby. What do you think we can do to find them?”
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Shinjo Feng
Unicorn Clan
*Calvary Tactician* *Experienced* *Hero*
Posts: 26
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Post by Shinjo Feng on Jan 1, 2012 23:22:59 GMT -5
I hesitate to respond to Mitsuru.
The woman's tale did explain why the village was hesitant to seek the aid of any samurai. Perhaps the elders had hoped that a foreign shugenja would be able to resolve the problem better than a local bushi.
“I think we should go to the shrine as you suggested. Tracking these 'bandits' will still be possible but resolving what caused this,” I motion towards the fallen man, “should be our first priority.”
I bow as humbly as I can to the woman.
“My lady we have not slain your husband but fear that it is...” I hesitate again, “A spirit from beyond returned for vengeance. The honorable Isawa believes that the answer to this haunting lies at the local shirne. We will being going there. Do you have any place you can stay beside here? Relatives? Friends? I do not believe it is safe.”
I kneel down before the weeping woman.
“Dear lady do not fear we will find the cause of this and the 'samurai',” the word comes to my mouth with distaste referring to the thieves. “And fear not for your family I pledge the assistance of my house to yours, you shall not want.”
“Honored Mitsuru, is there anything that you can do to send the blessings of the Kami with this woman?”
The shugenja nods and begins to preform the ritual. Afterwards I assist the woman in gathering what things she needs for the journey to her families house in the village.
“I am truly sorry for your loss, my lady, please know I will do all I can to avenge his death and set things right.”
I bow deeply as she walks away towards the village. Turning I join Isawa Mitsuru as we head towards the shrine.
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Isawa Mitsuru
Phoenix Clan
Shugenja ? Void ? Experienced
Posts: 113
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Post by Isawa Mitsuru on Jan 2, 2012 12:29:18 GMT -5
I have a bolt of cloth at home that will never be used for anything for two reasons. The first is that it is of very poor quality, and the second is that I wove it myself as part of my shugenja training. Master Gomaru often compared the use of the void element to weaving a fine brocade. An Ishi essentially moves the shed of the world by one or two threads at a time in order to change the overall decoration. More complex pattern require more complex changes and tugging on lengths of yarn.
Overall this is an important principle for a new void priest as it helps one to visualize the impossibly enigmatic realm of void and begins to bridge the inherent inability to comprehend it with the rational spirit. I thought of this lesson as I recited the incantation on a scroll just outside the farmer's house. The blessing I bestowed was essentially meant to positively affect the “luck” of the family through the imperceptible strings of fate. This manner of spell was always difficult because it was inexact at the best of times, but it seemed to be appropriate to counter a now unpredictably bad situation with the possibility of an unpredictably good one.
***
As I strode next to Feng and his horse on our way to the shrine I thought further of the teachings of my master. He had instilled in me a faith in the power of magic. While magic couldn't necessarily do everything, proper application could let you do just about anything. I hoped that my meager skill in the first ring would serve this family well.
As we neared the shrine the night began to fall. I saw the cheery lights of the small hut next to the shrine and several torches illuminating the building proper that had been dedicated to the fortunes of this town. In front of the shrine was a gravel pathway with an ablution pool on one side and a large red wooden gateway signifying the entrance to the hallowed grounds.
“Feng-san, If we find something here, I am not entirely sure what we shall do about it. I must confess that I do not have a host of experience in dealing with ghosts. I pray that we may find a peaceful solution to this dilemma.”
I could feel myself tensing with anxiety as we passed the red torii gate. A little unsure of exactly what to do, I began making my way toward the shrine, hoping to find answers within.
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Shinjo Feng
Unicorn Clan
*Calvary Tactician* *Experienced* *Hero*
Posts: 26
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Post by Shinjo Feng on Jan 12, 2012 19:00:27 GMT -5
I felt a great deal of unease entering the shrine. Though I had been taught the traditions of our people it seemed to me that a shrine confined our beliefs rather than letting them permeate the world around us. To many samurai confined their respect to the Kami to temples and shrines, casting that respect aside as they left the gate. The thoughts of other samurai distracted me momentarily from the trouble at hand.
"I hope that we can find the answers we are looking for here." I spoke aloud not particularly addressing Mitsuru.
The shrine was old and worn. Though a fresh paint of coat had been applied to the gate the inner shrine showed signs of neglect. Nothing serious but it was apparent that the poverty of this community prevented them from keeping the shrine in a pristine condition. Perhaps I could convince the local magistrate to take more interest in this community.
Bandits, poverty, an ghosts. I could not let this continue.
The door to the shrine stood before us. I turned waiting for the phoenix to make the first move.
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Isawa Mitsuru
Phoenix Clan
Shugenja ? Void ? Experienced
Posts: 113
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Post by Isawa Mitsuru on Jan 19, 2012 11:13:04 GMT -5
“Well,” I began, “Certainly we can’t see anything worse than we’ve already found toda-“
A loud crack came from the shrine and a pair of figures came flying out the front doors and onto the ground before the shrine, accompanied by the doors themselves. The two men, who both wore daisho, began scrambling away from the shrine without any heed to the two of us.
Before Feng or I could react a screeching sound heralded the arrival of a horrifying wraith from the inside of the shrine. Just like in my previous vision it had wild eyes and flailing hair and robes. Its hands were twisted claws that hung at its side, tense and ready to strike.
The two men redoubled their efforts to escape and upon turning to run saw the two of us. Seemingly uncaring for what happened to us they began to rise and charge our way. In reaction I was already fishing through my satchel for a specific scroll.
It is odd to say that the next thing that happened is that the Ghost charged for it had no feet or way to gain carriage on the ground. Nevertheless it shot forward through the air at the pair of what I assumed to be bandits. It was nearly upon them, ready to rip them to shreds until…
“Doton Shugendo, Seinaru Ishigaki!”
At my incantation the scroll I had been holding launched itself from my hands and shot forward toward the hungry ghost. Before smashing into the ghost itself, the scroll dove into the ground and buried itself in the dirt. Immediately two large slabs of earth folded up from below. Anceint and indecipherable characters etched themselves into the surface of the six foot high wall and glowed a poisonous green.
The ghost slammed against the wall with all the force of a cavalry charge rushing to battle. It nearly flattened itself against the wall which reacted with a furious storm of ethereal lights rushing from nowhere to reinforce the stability of the wall.
Shaken but not beaten the ghost reeled and then renewed its assault. It clawed against the magical wall with arcane fury. Each swipe of its claws drew an explosion of green sparks and dug tiny scars into the wall itself.
I knew the wall would not hold for much longer before becoming a hunk of useless rock. I began digging for a new scroll while watching the ghost throw itself repeatedly against my defense.
“Feng-san, we’re going to need to either dispatch that spirit or found out what it wants. I’m certainly open to suggestions. Quickly if you please.”
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