Doji Hyuu
Banned
Crane Clan Master Artisan * Magistrate * Courtier * Unique
Posts: 122
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Post by Doji Hyuu on Jan 30, 2011 22:19:18 GMT -5
OOC: Thanks Thrakath.
Also, if a mod/admin is reading this, could the thread be shifted to the Unicorn lands forum? Thanks.
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Post by utakumoli on Jan 30, 2011 22:48:22 GMT -5
First, Mo-Li felt pain. It was the ache of winter-sickness, but deeper and more pervasive - especially in her neck, which she soon found was more painful to move than she would have liked. She cringed and reached up stiffly to touch the spot where she felt the sting, groaning and straining against the burning complaints of her muscles and joints. The wound had scabbed over and was swollen and hard just underneath the skin, like an insect bite, though it didn't itch. As much as it hurt to move, she didn't dare open her eyes. Laying in the dark was enough for now.
She could smell cooking and death, an unpleasant marriage of smells to which she'd all but grown accustomed. Their camp. Taking a deeper breath, she caught the smell of old blood, stale and metallic, nearby. Instinctively she wiggled her toes and clasped and unclasped her hands to verify that all of her limbs were intact. Can't be mine, she thought, relieved. A sting doesn't bleed that much.
The new development gave her cause to cautiously open one eye, then the other. The smell of blood was from the body of a Crab bushi. The chest didn't rise and fall and there was no mist of breath clouding his face. Dead.
She craned her neck to see the rest of the enclosure. There was a bloodied Crane in winter clothes crawling toward her.
"I'm going to wager that you aren't one of the ones who put us in here," Mo-Li croaked dryly. "Yossha," She grunted, forcing herself up to seiza from where she'd been laying. She rubbed her face hard, pressing her temples together with the heels of her hands.
"This marks a momentous occasion," she sniffled. "It is the first time, I believe, I have ever been poisoned." After straightening her hakama, Mo-Li bowed low enough to be polite, but the process was slow and obviously painful. "I am Utaku Mo-Li. Yoroshiku onegaishimasu."
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Doji Hyuu
Banned
Crane Clan Master Artisan * Magistrate * Courtier * Unique
Posts: 122
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Post by Doji Hyuu on Jan 30, 2011 23:10:25 GMT -5
Hyuu, remembering his manners, pulled himself into something approximating a courtly kneel on the rough, bark-strewn ground, although the pain in his head forced him to hold his neck at an impolite angle. Part of him felt ridiculous trying to adopt manners to the court to this barbarian waste, but it was instinct and too much effort to fight.
"Hajimemashite, Mo-Li-sama. We have never met, but I have heard of you. Watashi wa Doji Hyuu, Magistrate of the Crane Clan. So it seems the Yobanjin are holding us captive. I can't begin to guess why. Since we don't speak their language, they can't really interrogate us. Maybe they intend to exchange us for one of their own who has been taken prisoner, but I didn't hear of any Yobanjin generals in Imperial captivity. How were you captured? I was taken in an attack on one o your Clan's forward camps. It was over-run, and I foolishly did not fall back quickly enough"
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Post by utakumoli on Jan 31, 2011 0:02:00 GMT -5
Mo-Li furrowed her brow, trying to remember exactly what happened. "It is good to see that I am not the only Rokugani here. To be completely honest, I did not plan to wake up at all, so to not be alone would be my second pleasant surprise of the day, I suppose. It is a pleasure to meet you, Hyuu-san. I am afraid I don't exactly know what happened - save that I felt sting of a needle in the back of my neck before everything went black."
She gestured toward the dead Crab. [purple]"Was he like this when you arrived?"[/purple]
And what of this other captive? He seems to still be living, yet he remains unconscious...
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Doji Hyuu
Banned
Crane Clan Master Artisan * Magistrate * Courtier * Unique
Posts: 122
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Post by Doji Hyuu on Jan 31, 2011 0:12:53 GMT -5
"I don't remember being brought here, Mo-Li-sama - I only woke up a few minutes before you did. I'd say he has been here a long time, though. To judge from his wounds it would have been a slow death, although hopefully for him a painless one. So poison, you say? It would seem the barbarians took care to capture you rather than kill you. I wonder what they have in store for us, but whatever it is it cannot be in the Empire's best interest. I imagine you are already hatching plans for an escape? It will be difficult - I don't hear any sounds of battle, so I can only assume we are a long way from Imperial lines"
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Post by utakumoli on Jan 31, 2011 0:33:41 GMT -5
"Sadly, I am at a loss. It seems as though our gracious hosts have taken every precaution to make sure that we remain their guests. As to the circumstances regarding my capture, I can't figure out why they'd be so careful with us. Especially if their care expires at putting us here, and no further..." She gestures again at the Crab bushi's body.
[OOC I'm off to bed for the evening. I'll do my best to respond to whatever happens in the morning ^_^. Oysumi!]
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Post by Utaku Kasumi on Jan 31, 2011 4:55:08 GMT -5
(OOC: Yes, it can be moved)
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Post by Daidoji Hikori on Jan 31, 2011 5:09:45 GMT -5
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Matsu Domotai
Lion Clan
Samurai- Lion Clan general-magistrate-courtier- Tensai-Unique
Posts: 123
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Post by Matsu Domotai on Jan 31, 2011 5:14:05 GMT -5
Domotai opened his eyes slowly. His vision was all blurry for a while. After a few seconds it got clearer and all he could see was wooden stakes. Completely confused , he rubbed is eyes and looked again around him. No change, he was indeed captured between wooden walls. He tried to recall what happened but it took him a few minutes but then he understood that he was now a Yobanjin prisoner.
Domotai had a unbearable headache. He touched the top of his head but as soon as the palm of his skin touched is skull, he grinned with pain. His skull was literally cracked open on a few centimeter. Domotai got scared about infections and then thought that the cold will help the wound heal and that the illnesses around won't survive this temperature.
Domotai then looked around. Next to his left flank was lying a huge muscular Crab in Heavy armor. Just in front of him was what seemed like a Unicorn battle maiden lying back against the wooden posts. And on the right trying to look outside the barricades we where in through a little slit was a Crane samurai or judging by his apparel I would rather say a courtier. They were talking together.
Domotai first shook the Crab's leg without any response. He then leaned on his chess to hear if he was breathing but unfortunately he wasn't. Domotai then tried to stand to greet his fellow captured companions but as soon as he got up he fell back on the ground. He had completely forgotten his leg wound. The wound was very deep and Domotai had huge problems feeling his leg. The sound of Domotai falling to the floor alerted the two samurais that stopped their conversation. They looked amazed that I woke up. Were my wounds that bad? I looked behind me and saw that the snow had turned completely red. Domotai lost a lot of blood and it was a miracle he was still alive. He quickly thanked his ancestors and the Kamis for sparing his life and said:
"Dear Samurais. Have you been woken up for long? Can you update me on our situation? You'll excuse me if I don't get up to greet you properly but unfortunately I don't feel my left leg anymore. My name is Matsu Domotai. Chui of the Lion army, imperial magistrate and Lion ambassador to the mantis lands. Would you make me the honor of presenting yourselves too?"
Even speaking was a chore for Matsu Domotai. It was the first time in his lifetime of battles that he was actually captured and it was one of the first times he was in such a bad state too. His skull was cracked, his leg for severely wounded and the cold was unbearable.
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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 Jan 31, 2011 9:36:53 GMT -5
Just then, the sound of footsteps and an odd dragging sound could be heard approaching, if anyone was paying attention. Two more Yobanjin soldiers joined the guards patrolling the wall above, dragging something between them. One of them looked to the other with a smirk, before the two men shoved an indistinct lump over the wall. The shape grunted in pain rolled over, unfolding itself into a man-shaped creature and rubbing its head. The two guards said something in their own language and laughed before leaving the other samurai with their new guest, disappearing from view as they left the wall.
The new prisoner crawled over to the stockade wall and propped himself up against it, sitting with his back to the wall and his knees drawn up. He wore clothing that was clearly very old and had not been washed in some time; the ends of his dark hakama were tattered and worn, and he wore a travel-stained fur coat reminiscent of something a Moto would wear. He eyed the other prisoners warily, but made no move to join their conversation or to introduce himself.
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Doji Hyuu
Banned
Crane Clan Master Artisan * Magistrate * Courtier * Unique
Posts: 122
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Post by Doji Hyuu on Jan 31, 2011 10:19:48 GMT -5
OOC: There's no stockade gate! That'd be too easy to escape from. New prisoners are brought in by being dumped over the stockade wall, and removed (if it comes to that) by being hauled out by a rope.
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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 Jan 31, 2011 10:21:48 GMT -5
OOC: I guess I didn't read closely enough. *goes to edit*
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Doji Hyuu
Banned
Crane Clan Master Artisan * Magistrate * Courtier * Unique
Posts: 122
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Post by Doji Hyuu on Jan 31, 2011 10:29:19 GMT -5
*Hyuu winced as he saw the damage to the Lion's leg. He wasn't more than a journeyman in the healing arts but he could tell that looked bad*
"Hajimemashite, Domotai-sama. I've heard of you but we've never met. My name is Doji Hyuu, Magistrate of the Crane Clan. I don't know exactly where we are but we're all captives of the Yobanjin - a tribe called the Broken Hammer, I think. We've only been awake for a few moments. No need to apologise - if we were in Toshi Ranbo or Kyuden Doji or even Shiro Moto I'd probably be offended, but we are amidst barbarians so I think some allowances can be made, particularly for those wounded. I have some small skill in assisting the wounded - can I examine your leg?"
Hyuu moved deferentially and cautiously towards the Lion, perhaps a little wary despite their common peril - he was a Matsu, after all, not somebody who a Crane should assume common cause with by default. Just as he came close enough to Domotai to crouch to inspect him, the newcomer was unceremoniously flung into the stockade by their guards, causing the frozen, hard-packed earth to throw up a cloud of frosty dust. Hyuu started, his heart in his mouth, head suddenly throbbing anew with pain from his wound. He stared at the newcomer, saying nothing for a few moments, before the man rose and began to move away.
"Konichi-wa, Samurai-san. I am Doji Hyuu of the Crane. I'm sorry for whatever misfortune brought you here. Do you have any wounds?"
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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 Jan 31, 2011 12:15:22 GMT -5
The newcomer focused on the Crane who had spoken and narrowed his eyes suspiciously. "Nothing as serious as your friend there," he said after a moment of silence. He grabbed the ends of his coat and pulled it tighter around his body, as if to ward off the cold, but said nothing more.
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Post by utakumoli on Jan 31, 2011 12:58:47 GMT -5
Mo-Li was thankful for her minor wound. It seems that she got away with a relatively minor poisoning in comparison to her comrades' head wounds. Between them, they've probably lost enough blood for two men, the former Crab not included...
She nodded to the stranger who'd been hurled over the wall, but said nothing as it appeared he'd rather be left alone.
"It's good to see that you've come around, Domotai-san. I am Utaku Mo-Li." She bowed creakingly, wincing as she rose again. "I was worried that you wouldn't, considering..." She omitted the obvious. "Not including the Crab, there are four of us. I wonder if there's some logic behind their choice of persons, or if it was simply a happy accident." She quickly clarified, "For them, not for us."
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