Kakita Mitsouko
Crane Clan Mod ![*](//storage.proboards.com/forum/images/stars/star.png)
::Daimyo::Kenshinzen::Hatamoto of Crane Clan::Paragon of Duty
Posts: 1,952
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Post by Kakita Mitsouko on Feb 16, 2012 9:37:43 GMT -5
Mitsouko grinned for the first time since their adventure began. Very well, I'm in accord. Seems they will need to cross through the pass down ahead of us. Do we have a shugenja back up plan to our attack? she waved to her companions, inciting them to find their positions. Let's move, let's move, no time to lose here. They'll reach the pass real soon... She was excited. Soon they will get a real clue about Alesha's whereabouts, she was sure...
OCC: Strategy are welcome. Event name: Spider posse (combat type). After everyone declare what pretend to do, we'll roll and perform the attack
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Kakita Hitoshi
Crane Clan
Be more concerned with good actions than great ones
Posts: 306
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Post by Kakita Hitoshi on Feb 17, 2012 12:59:13 GMT -5
Hitoshi considered their options. The group didn't look too heavily armed and armoured, although one of them bore the mon of the Chuda family and thus was likely to be some sort of foul maho user.
"Ambushes aren't really my area of expertise, Mitsouko-sama, but I would divide our forces into three. I would leave our remaining shugenja with you and your yojimbos here, along with a couple of extra archers. I would then have our main force move as swiftly as possible through cover to a striking position, whilst a smaller force made up of the fastest runners here went round the other side. They should take up a position at an angle between the direction these Spider are travelling in and opposite the approach of our strike force.
"We strike on your command, which would be signalled by the first rain of arrows, preferably targeted at the Chuda in the middle. When they are looking at you - I am presuming you will be stationed on high ground here - our main forces then move to engage. I would expect some of them to run, as it looks like they are moving fast and with a purpose. If they do, the final strike team should move to intercept them. If any slip through the net, you will be in a good position to see them and bring them down with arrow fire. That would be my suggestion anyway."
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Post by The Blue Ronin on Feb 19, 2012 22:57:27 GMT -5
Ryumon nods. "I think we can assume that they will try to avoid battle. The Lost are dishonourable and cowardly, after all. We should be prepared in case our archers cannot kill the Chuda, though. Isoroku-san told me that anti-arrow spells are quite easy, and the Chuda is likely to the most dangerous, so our swordsmen should have orders to kill him first"
"The smaller force will have to be swift and unhesitant in their attack - if the Lost realise how small in numbers that flank is they will definitely try to break through it, and no disrespect to your men or mine, Hitoshi-san, but they probably could. Bravado will be our best misdirection here" Ryumon reaches up to rub his chin where a dark stubble is already beginning to form. "I suggest that Mitsouko and I remain on the high ground - I will command the archers, since that is where my skill lies - Hitoshi-san leads the main force, and Battou-san the flanking force"
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Daigotsu Thrakhath
Spider Clan
Through strength, I gain power. Through power, I gain victory. Through victory, my chains are broken
Posts: 600
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Post by Daigotsu Thrakhath on Feb 20, 2012 15:26:01 GMT -5
Just Outside the City of the Lost"It looks like the Chuda's information was good," Thrakhath said. He knelt on one knee outside the walls of the City of the Lost, looking intently at the disturbed ground before him. "A good-sized band of them, by the looks of things." He stood up as Hidetsugu rode up beside him. "They have quite a head-start on us, my lord," he said. "You are a master of the obvious, Hidetsugu," Thrakhath said irritably. "They, however do not have horses." Thrakhath mounted and faced the group he'd assembled. Several of his Dark Moto had been gathered, as well as Hidetsugu and two monks from the Order of the Spider. "Let's ride!" he said and kicked his horse into a gallop, following the trail left by the renegade Chuda. ((OOC: I don't expect to catch up any time soon, I just wanted to establish that Thrak is finally on the trail. ![:P](//storage.proboards.com/forum/images/smiley/tongue.png) The two monks are the PCs of Saiko and Shoju, assuming they still want to tag along.))
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Usagi Izutsu
Ronin
Hare Clane Samurai
* Hare Clan Regent * Samurai * Jade Magistrate * Master Tracker * Heir *
Posts: 54
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Post by Usagi Izutsu on Feb 21, 2012 4:47:02 GMT -5
Izutsu had remained quiet, his hand firmly on the hilt of his blade as he stared across the bleak landscape at the dark outlines. The fire in his eyes had not extinguished since they had stepped foot in this dark place, and they seemed to burn brighter and brighter with every step they took into the darkness. He turned back to where Mitsouko and her chief advisers were planning, a pensive look on his face, his brows furrowed in deep concentration. "A sound plan, though I would suggest a few alterations."
He gestured to a small rocky outcropping in the distance, situated near to where it seemed the group of Lost were heading. "That is the point the small strike force should make for. From there, they will be perfectly situated to break out across that field and intercept them, and assuming the main force engages in time, we should be able to easily deal with them." Izutsu looked back to the group, zeal burning bright within him. "Such a team will have little time to get there before the interception window closes; therefore, I will lead it."
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Kakita Mitsouko
Crane Clan Mod ![*](//storage.proboards.com/forum/images/stars/star.png)
::Daimyo::Kenshinzen::Hatamoto of Crane Clan::Paragon of Duty
Posts: 1,952
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Post by Kakita Mitsouko on Feb 21, 2012 6:12:54 GMT -5
Mitsouko considered the words of her companions, finding Ryumon's and Izutsu's suggestions fair enough. Let's do it, men. I like both plans, though I'd like to know if the few shugenja we have can reinforce or defense or attack with some spells... If yes, it's time to proceed.OCC:sorry, still not at home, but you guys can go on without me.![:)](//storage.proboards.com/forum/images/smiley/smiley.png)
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Kitsune Poxo
Mantis Clan
Mantis Clan | Shugenja | Earth | Thunder | Kitsune Blooded | Naval | Daimyo | Unique
Posts: 225
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Post by Kitsune Poxo on Feb 21, 2012 9:38:58 GMT -5
After tending to the wounded Yumi finally approached the planning that was going on. “If you wish I can seal them in. But please we must use the kami’s aid sparingly. I hear stories of how the kami who answer isn’t always the non tainted.”
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Kakita Hitoshi
Crane Clan
Be more concerned with good actions than great ones
Posts: 306
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Post by Kakita Hitoshi on Feb 21, 2012 17:51:15 GMT -5
Hitoshi nodded at Ryumon and smiled grimly. "I agree. If your arrows don't take him, then he's mine." A twinkle appeared in his eye. "Would you care to place a wager on who gets to him first?"
He then looked at Itutzu. "Pick your men, Itutzu-san."
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Kakita Mitsouko
Crane Clan Mod ![*](//storage.proboards.com/forum/images/stars/star.png)
::Daimyo::Kenshinzen::Hatamoto of Crane Clan::Paragon of Duty
Posts: 1,952
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Post by Kakita Mitsouko on Feb 23, 2012 11:25:09 GMT -5
OCC: For the sake of simplicity and to move story forward...After quickly organize the men, and positioned them to a better use of terrain and surprise advantage, the Crane party waited a few minutes before the Lost group inadvertently advanced into their direction into a way they could not simply flee without a fight. When somebody in the group finally noticed the great mistake, they hadn't little or no chance but engage in combat. Afterall it wasn't expected to have a bunch of Crane and allies descending the plateau in their direction and trapping them in the canyon. Nor the group of archers burying the Spider posse with their arrows from the top of the canyon. Nor the "elegant aggression"* of the Kakita Elite Squad, or the Jade Magistrates expertise, the Kenshinzen swiftness, Yasuki determination and the shugenja skills. The Crane victory wasn't without merit though. The Spider's reaction was violent and mighty, but lacked the necessary time to turn the events to their advantage and build a counterstrike. The confront was brief and bloody, but was over after some minutes of crude combat. ... Kaemon came to the Lady Kakita, who was panting of the exertion, while checking her broken kabuto. It was mostly undamaged but, when she crouched to avoid a fatal blow one of the feather shaped wakidate* was ripped off and lost. Though she was content; she was missing some combat and now she had it. "Mitsouko-sama you should check this, but..." Kaemon shook the sac with whatever the Spider group was transporting. "Well, it seems to be important, daimyo-sama." The face of her old friend was twisted in disgust and apprehension, as if uncomfortable in show the bag's content to his daimyo. Mitsouko put the kabuto aside and came: "What now?"The rest of the group was around tending the hurt and destroying the corrupted dead bodies. Mitsouko scanned the Ashidaka’s face, concerned because he showed excessive apprehension about what the Lost group was transporting. “Show me it once at all, “Uncle Kaemon-san”. I am not a silly girl anymore.”Then she peeked inside the sac. “What in the Jigoku…?!”Mitsouko wasn’t willing to admit her heart pumped faster at the vision of the object. In the shadows of the bag it seemed to play tricks and make threats and promises of pure horror. It was a sort of piece, like a menpo or such. With her gloved hand she pulled it from the sac, to try to check it at the dimming light of the Shadowlands dusk. “Arghh… it looks worse in open air!” It clearly possessed an embedded propriety of causing great uneasiness at its vision, to say the least. Though it was in perfect conditions and was obviously a menpo of some importance, a ‘dark nemuranai’ maybe. She wondered what was its destination, and whom it should belong to. “If it was important to them, it is important to us as well. Let’s take it with us. Now, burn the corpses and let’s find our shelter for the night.”After everybody willing to do so, was able to check the object as they wished, it was put back into the bag and guarded by Kaemon.
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Kakita Sojiro
Crane Clan Global Mod ![*](//storage.proboards.com/forum/images/stars/star.png) ![*](//storage.proboards.com/forum/images/stars/star.png)
When you die, will you be remembered, or will you be just another strand in the tapestry?
Posts: 900
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Post by Kakita Sojiro on Feb 23, 2012 19:39:14 GMT -5
(OOC playing catch up due to school, sorry)
Kaemon and Kamiko seemed to react in the same moment when the bakemono charged forward. Kaemon dashed forward in a maneuver that seemed reckless and exposed himself to a large group. His plan became clearer in moments though, as Kamiko's hail of arrows flew all around the older samurai and dropped goblins on all sides. The three that survived the rush were met with Kaemon's one-handed Jigen style of kenjitsu, a form that perfectly complimented an iaijitsu draw. Within a few moments, the goblins lay bleeding into the dirt and he had moved with Kamiko to cover Mitsouko's yojimbo. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
later that night
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Kaemon sat by the small campfire, a little bit apart from the rest of the group. He had chosen to take second watch, but his mind had been filled with strange images from the thing in the bag that he had seen, and sleep had proven impossible. And so he sat, watching as the rest of the group went about various tasks or slept, and tried to keep him mind focused on the task at hand.
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Alesha
Spider Clan
Fallen Crane * Duelist * Bloodspeaker * Tactician * Maho-Bujin
Posts: 418
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Post by Alesha on Feb 24, 2012 5:42:52 GMT -5
Alesha overlooked the desolate landscapes of the shadowland wasteland, as he rode from the city of the Lost. What doesn't die here gets corrupted, what a place to be, for his former clanmates. Soon they will meet. He watched the razorcentipede Sojiro-no-Oni far ahead of him, burrowing in the group. This creature will make a good hunting hound. Many Cranes will die today, but some may very well see the light...
For the last time.
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Kakita Mitsouko
Crane Clan Mod ![*](//storage.proboards.com/forum/images/stars/star.png)
::Daimyo::Kenshinzen::Hatamoto of Crane Clan::Paragon of Duty
Posts: 1,952
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Post by Kakita Mitsouko on Feb 24, 2012 7:07:07 GMT -5
Mitsouko woke up suddenly from a brief nap, when all she wished was to lean on the rock and rest her weary eyes and body a little bit. Her head was filled of subtle whispers, inciting her to violence and pushing her to a maze of doubts and suspicious. She shook her head, trying to focus in herself than in the calling of Shadowlands and sweep away the numbness of sleep. She looked around, the group was resting like her, while some were in their turn of vigilance. Everybody quiet and in the relative dark of what would be dawn in Shadowlands. A chilling cold dawn in Shadowlands. She reached the water bottle to sate her thirst and found the taste a bit different, though its bottle was properly jade-wrapped. Mitsouko checked the necklace Quarin had given to her, and also all the jade fingers she was carrying with her. Some of them already showing signals of corruption. With a sigh she got up to talk with Kakita Battou, and maybe get some water from him, when she felt a strange vibration under her feet...
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Zeure
Crane Clan
Crane Clan ? Samurai ? Duelist ? Artisan ? Guardian of Metal ? Unique
Posts: 826
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Post by Zeure on Feb 24, 2012 7:35:13 GMT -5
Kakita Battou was out on his turn to watch, and indeed was not very far from her. He was watching the horizon looking for anything that might come after them in a moment of supposed weakness. He had just turned to look at Mitsouko when the tremor started. He held his footing though some of the others were shook violently out of their covers. He felt like something was approaching, something dangerous. He placed his left hand upon his tsuba and was prepared to strike at whatever was coming, and he kept looking around for what it was that would be coming at them.
He looked around at the camp, now everyone was getting ready and all of them in various states of dressed, in armor, and having their weapons. He was quite satisfied with the sight. The crane would not be caught totally unawares.
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Kakita Mitsouko
Crane Clan Mod ![*](//storage.proboards.com/forum/images/stars/star.png)
::Daimyo::Kenshinzen::Hatamoto of Crane Clan::Paragon of Duty
Posts: 1,952
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Post by Kakita Mitsouko on Feb 24, 2012 8:56:35 GMT -5
The ground erupted and a huge monster rose from the soil raising its centipede razored paws with a monstrous shriek before the Kakita daimyo. It was black and its cuirass was scarab-like. Somebody yelled:
ONI!
Mitsouko hold her breath and jumped to try to strike its head while the monster was breaking its way from the ground. The crystal dagger gave by her father slid effectively against its cuirass, cracking it with a strange noise while opening a bright flesh-red wound. It got stuck in the oni's flesh. She was drawing her katana to a second attack, but the ground was still shaking and the Kakita daimyo lose her balance; and the sword was lost when the ground collapsed below her feet. Mitsouko fell on her back inside the hole left by the oni. The oni showed its incredible swiftness twitching its body and curling around Mitsouko, its vile face showing signal of recognition when it sniffed the daimyo's neck. Nestling around Mitsouko and using its own body to prevent others to rescue the Kakita daimyo, the oni waited them to attack. Mitsouko was trapped below the monster's belly with few space left to not touch its ominous body or be cut by its razors. She noticed it was a sensitive spot, though both her crystal dagger and katana were out of reach of her hand, for more she twitched and forced her body, she needed help to get out of there...
Ok people let's do the rolls (for one NPC) and also describe your main actions! combact action is: Oni. Let's kill this beast! YAY!
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Daigotsu Thrakhath
Spider Clan
Through strength, I gain power. Through power, I gain victory. Through victory, my chains are broken
Posts: 600
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Post by Daigotsu Thrakhath on Feb 24, 2012 9:59:39 GMT -5
Thrakhath's band of monks and Dark Moto trotted through the Shadowlands at a steady pace, with Thrakhath's eyes intent on the path ahead of them. The Chuda had made no effort to hide their trail; a fact that only made Thrakhath angrier as they followed it. With all the effort the Chuda had gone to in order to hide their involvement, Thrakhath was not worried about a trap, but the delay they had caused him made him wonder if they would catch the band of traitors before they reached their destination. The trail seemed to lead inexorably toward Shiro Saisei, and a group of Chuda shugenjas entrenched in that fortress would be difficult to uproot.
When the trail ended in a bloody mess of corpses, Thrakhath wheeled his horse to a stop in surprise, and the animal grunted in annoyance. Hidetsugu and the two monks stopped beside him as he surveyed the area from horseback, the other Dark Moto forming up behind him. "This is an interesting development," Hidetsugu said quietly.
Thrakhath did not respond as he dismounted. "Inspect the corpses," he said to the others in the group. "Find the helm."
***
It was some time later before the inspections were complete, and the group gathered at the horses. Thrakhath's mood did not improve when he noticed that no one had possession of the helm. "Then it is still missing," he said, his face screwed up in a glare.
"It would seem that whoever attacked these men took the helm," Yamuso, one of the monks, replied.
"Theories?" Thrakhath said simply.
"These Chuda were clearly not killed by Shadowlands creatures, my lord," Hidetsugu said. "All of them have katana and arrow wounds."
"A rogue band of Lost?" Thrakhath asked aloud.
"Possibly," Hidetsugu said. "Such a group would certainly find a use for the helm we seek."
"Thrakhath-sama," Yoshizuto said, approaching the group. "You may find this of interest." He handed Thrakhath a feather.
Thrakhath took the item and fround. It was not simply a feather, but a piece of metal wrought in the shape of one, and snapped off at the end as if it had been attached to something. "This was part of a piece of armor," Thrakhath said, turning the feather over in his hands. "A helm, most likely."
"Something tells me no Lost would be caught dead wearing a feather on his head," Yoshizuto said.
"You'd be surprised," Thrakhath replied, not taking his eyes off of the feather. He frowned, unsure what to think.
"Thrakhath-sama," Yamuso said, "what were the contents of the letter sent by Alesha?"
Thrakhath looked up. "A band of Cranes..." his eyes narrowed in anger as it clicked in his mind. "A band of Crane samurai entered the Shadowlands to hunt him," he said.
"Cranes are certainly known to wear such adornments, including the Kakita daimyo, if I'm not mistake, my lord," Hidetsugu said. "The precise nature of some of these wounds would seem to point toward Kakita involvement as well."
Thrakhath crushed the feather in his fist, snapping the ornament in two, and his eyes began to glow an unholy green. "Mount up," he ordered his men. "I'm going to find their trail." His troops bowed and moved toward the horses while Thrakhath went off into the foliage, his eyes still smoldering.
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