Oronkohiro Advances on the Yobanjin

[Shoju]

This will be a Spidery themed aside to the WAR! RP. I wanted to participate but after talking with Senshi, I wouldn't be rubbing elbows with the normal leaders. Anyone in War! is welcome to RP here as well, and I will be adding "reports" similar to those you have seen already in the normal thread.

Also, any spider wishing to partake in the war is welcome to join in here.

Oronkohiro had heard of the war between the empire and the Yobanjin. If the plans for his masters were to come to fruition, this war must end. And soon.

It was agreed upon that Oronkohiro would march north with his legion to work to thwart the Yobanjin. While the war would be a fantastic distraction for some of the more subtle needs of his lord, the Yobanjin armies were large, and they could NOT be allowed to win.

Oronkohiro's legion was massive. It was hard to disguise such a large army, especially considering the troops.

Leading the army was Oronkohiro himself.
His second, was an Undead Champion, the former Shiba Minturo. This was Oronkohiro's Personal Yojimbo, whom Oronkohiro felt would be a better yojimbo after certain "rites" were performed.

The standing army itself was comprised of Undead of varying capabilities, Bakemono fresh from Big Stink, and a large group of Bloodspeakers, mostly young Shugenja, barely old enough to be far past their gempukku.

They marched north through Shinomen, and passed West of Shiro Moto under the cover of night. When they arrived at the battlefield, they saw the great clans camped to the East.

The Standards carried were black, with green trim. No other design was visible to them.

As the legion settled into camp, Oronkohiro sent Minturo to ready a small group Bakemono Scouts to survery the battle.

[Shoju]

"The Bakemono Scouts report that Armies of Scorpion and Lion are actively engaging the Yobanjin" Minturo reports from outside Oronkohiro's tent. "It looks like we could engage from our position, and steer clear of the great clans". Minturo steps inside Oronkohiro's tent. His visage is both inspiring and menacing.

Oronkohiro Frowns at this. "Minturo, I want them to see us. I don't want to be so close that they are able to turn the tide of battle and crush us, but I want them to see us. That was the whole point of this display. If we were wishing to stay hidden, You and I would be the only ones here, and we would continue to use the power of the scroll to weaken them. No, this is more than just tipping the scales. This is a display of power as well. "

Oronkohiro paces for a moment.

"Ready the legion. We will assault the Yobanjin from an angle. We want to be seen by the Clans, but we need to keep the Yobanjin between us".

With that Minturo left. Within the hour, Oronkohiro's legion would be tearing the Yobanjin apart under a blood red sky.

[Shoju]

Oronkohiro hid his legion in a misty rain until the very last moment. Once in position, Oronkohiro let the mist fade, and crushed into the rear flank of the Yobanjin forces. Bakemono tearing Yobanjin asunder, with support from the Maho Tsukai initiates behind them, raining chaos and destruction on the Yobanjin armies.

Oronkohiro and Minturo rode into the Yobanjin armies. Minturo was clearing a path, and Oronkohiro was Drawing the Darkness out of those in his path, and striking them down with blood.

Their goal in this first encounter with the Yobanjin was to confuse the Yobajin. Fighting a battle on two fronts is costly when caught unprepared. It was this idea that kept this legion safe, while causing the most damage to their enemy.

[Moto Yoee]

As Oronkohiro and his troops fought the Yobanjin, one of them suddenly flew and landed right in front of them. Actually, he didn't really fly, as the heavy lance running through his guts suggested. A loud and quite maniacal laughter erupted, and a wild furry figure dove in the gaijin ranks. Arms, legs, heads and guts were sent flying in its wake... it was as an unstoppable living weapon tearing through the Yobanjin warriors.

"Come on guys! Start fighting like men or I'll get tired!" the lone figure roared while still laughing and chopping gaijin limbs.

[Shoju]

Oronkohiro whirled around. Minturo was ready to spring at the Unicorn in front of them, but Oronkohiro held up his hand.

Clearly, this Moto had seen darkness in the empire. Onronkohiro was surprised to see a Unicorn at this position, but relieved that he wasn't here to dispatch them.

Oronkohiro spoke quietly, and a Maho Tsukai led squad of Bakemono arrived. A large tainted horse pulled a cart with a tub of foul smelly ichor and a make shift catapault.

"You will ensure that this Unicorn does not die." Oronkohiro motioned, and they followed the unicorn. As more Yobanjin advanced on their position, it became clear what the bakemono were doing. The smell of burning flesh, and screams that became distant quickly signaled that the Magic Mud was now flying.

It is good to see Unicorn San. When this is over, I bear a gift for you.

And with that, Oronkohiro and Minturo began moving through the enemy lines, Maho and Steel cutting a swath through the center of the Yobanjin Army.

As they advanced, they saw what appeared to be a Yobanjin of high station directing troops. "Minturo, clear a path. I want that Yobanjin taken alive"

[Moto Yoee]

Yoee raised an eyebrow.

"A gift? I don't need any gift from you, maho-tsukai." He said casually. "My lords have already given me all I need."

No Yobanjin were at arm's reach, so he started cleaning his blade, a huge scimitar, with a cloth taken from a nearby corpse. At some point during his cleaning, he frowned, then spat on the ground before licking his lower lip and spitting again, a dark red spit.

"Oh crap, and now I'm bleeding..." He groaned before turning to where the remaining Yobanjin were standing. "If I get the son of a wyrm who made me bleed, I'll make him regret I didn't kill him rapidly!" He yelled angrily.

He turned back to face Oronkohiro.

"You see, I've been healing faster and faster these days... but the fact that one of those underlings dared to make me bleed... it infuriates me!" He groaned. "Oh, and by the way, what's that stuff for?" He asked, pointing his sword to the catapult brought by the goblins.

[Shoju]

I promise you Unicorn-san, the gift I bring is meant for you. It comes with no strings attached, and from my Lord.

Oronkohiro's smile can be seen from under his jingasa. He likes this Unicorn. The Determination in him is admirable. He is glad he kept Minturo from advancing on him.

My legions of bakemono find glory in using it in battle. It looks incredibly painful, but the flames are as hot and cleansing as the fires of jigoku, and they are surprisingly accurate at flinging their comrades covered in it into battle.

Oronkohiro watches as the Bakemono prepare to launch. As the Bakemono covered in the foul smelling ichor hops in the catapault, one brings the torch. As the toch gets closer to the catapault, you here chants of

Magic Mud!
Magic Mud!
Magic Mud!
Magic Mud!

And then the Bakemono in the catapault is aflame. His screams are blood curdling, and then the catapault fires.

AIIIIEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEeeeeee is all you hear as the goblin goes sailing accross, and then a sickening

THWUMP

Can be heard as the goblin hits home. Knocking into a Yobanjin on horseback, who is immeadiately engulfed in flames. His horse kicks and runs headlong into a group of Yobanjin setting them ablaze.

In the confusion, an opening has been made to the Yobanjin leader.

It appears my time to strike is now, Unicorn-san. In case I don't find you later, take this. It is crafted from the finest Iron and Silver in the Empire. May it strike terror into your enemies. I must attend to a Yobanjin who will be my.... guest tonight.

Oronkohiro tosses a leather bound item towards the Unicorn. In it, is a Mempo of terrifying Visage. It is made of iron, with a mouth in a snarl. Each tooth in the mouth is made of Silver, set into the iron as if they were real teeth.

Oronkohiro turns away, and he and Minturo head straight for the Yobanjin leader. Minturo clears a path for oronkohiro who seems to b gliding more than walking, with his head down. As he reaches the Yobanjin leader the rest of his guards fall prone, screaming in agony. Minturo leaps to the leader, drags him from his horse, and beats him unconscious.

[Moto Yoee]

Yoee swiftly catches the item thrown at him before examining it.

"What is that? A mask for the carnival?" He mutters, seemingly puzzled by the gift. "As if I needed to cover my face to intimidate my foes..."

He slashes an approaching Yobanjin with a backhand movement. Apparently, this gaijin wanted to take advantage of the Unicorn's examination to stab him. The Yobanjin warrior is not quite dead yet, and Yoee leans over him, a fierce grin on his face.

"Tell me, my friend, don't I look fearsome enough without this mempo?" He asks, still grinning.

The gaijin yells something in his odd language. Probably a curse of some sort. The tainted Unicorn grab his throat and starts tightening his grip, savouring each attempt of his prey to try and breath.

It takes the Yobanjin a few minutes to die, which makes Yoee nod appreciatively to the gaijin's toughness.

"You had the will... but you were not strong enough to die, little man." He whispers as he get back up. "I hope your brothers will be more challenging to kill, or else I might get bored by all this stuff."

[Shoju]

Be careful with him Minturo. We need him alive.

Minturo growls at this, but heaves the Yobanjin over his shoulder. With the majority of the yobanjin forces crushed, Oronkohiro motions for his troops to all back. The fighting begins to cease as the Yobanjin take the opportunity to flee. Obviously, they weren't prepared, and that is a good thing. The legion settles back into their camp, and minturo brings the Yobanjin to Oronkohiro tent, and secures him to the center pole.

Thank you Minturo-sama. Please make sure that I am uninterupted.

[Daigotsu Thrakhath]

"Chuda-sama is indisposed, Daigotsu-sama."

"I can tell," Daigotsu Thrakhath said in amusement. If the screams coming from within the command tent were any indication, Oronkohiro was not only busy, but thoroughly enjoying himself as well. A goblin carrying something in its arms scurried between the two of them quickly, forcing Thrakhath to hop backward or be knocked over. Another ran past them chittering angrily, and Thrakhath shook his head. "How he gets these creatures to cooperate is beyond me," he said.

"As you say, Daigotsu-sama," Mintaro replied subserviently.

Thrakhath folded his arms and stood there regarding the downward-gazing servant for a moment, deciding whether or not it was worth it to force the issue and simply let himself in. Another blood-curdling scream pierced the air around the tent, and with that he decided to let the man have his fun for now. "Inform Chuda-san that I would like to speak with him when he is finished, he knows where my tent is," Thrakhath said.

"I will do so, Daigotsu-sama," Mintaro said with a deep bow. Thrakhath returned the bow with a slight nod, then wandered off in the direction the goblins had gone earlier to make sure their antics woudln't cause any serious damage.

OOC: Mind if I join you?

[Shoju]

(OOC-The more the merrier!)

When the screaming subsided, Minturo took the opening to enter the tent. He immediately knelt,

Oronkohiro-sama, please forgive my interruption, but a matter of great import has arisen.[/b]

Minturo feared his master's wrath. While he relished his new found position in the world, and the power it afforded him, Oronkohiro's wrath would likely end with Minturo suffering pain even beyond his new comprehension.

Oronkohiro turned from his table. The Yobanjin that lay upon it was near death.

I pray for your sake that I find it as important.

Oronkohiro turned back to the table, mumbled under his breath, and the yobanjin violently shook for a few seconds, and then fell still.

It appears that the hand of the Lord has made camp with us, and has asked for an audience with you.[/i]

Minturo was still on one knee, and his head was down. Oronkohiro whirled around again. Stunned. The hand of Daigotsu was here? Surely it was Thrakhath. The Goju was surely off on a diplomatic mission that required a more... delicate touch.

Thrakath-sama is here?! Tell me that the Bakemono are at least under control Minturo-sama!

Oronkohiro was visibly shaken. Thrakhath was the hand of the Daigotsu, and not a man to dissapoint.


Sama, the Bakemono are in high spirits tonight. They are planning a celebration of the days victories. They are on edge, but there are no problems.

Many people wondered why and how Oronkohiro came to employ the use of Bakemono. They are an unruly race of creatures, and the use of them, while not forbidden, isn't as widespread as it once was. The truth was, Oronkohiro had travelled to the big stink shortly after his first death, and spent much time destroying them. Because of his displays of power, the Bakemono look upon him in fear. Fear of that magnitude is near reverence in their feeble minds, and they would follow his commands, knowing that the consequences for failure were astronomical.

Prepare yourself Minturo, we will head to Thrakhath's camp immediately.

Oronkohiro forced an air kami to his will, and importuned the location of Thrakhath's tent.

Right away.[/i]
And with that, Minturo dissapeared out of the tent.

Oronkohiro washed his hands quickly, and changed into his favorite Kimono. He retied his hair and selected his new favorite Jingasa. This one bearing the markings of the dragonfly clan peasant who crafted it.

Out of the tent he walked, met by Oronkohiro who was wearing his full Daisho, and a Sashimono. Minturo's Sashimono was of Phoenix origins, burnt and tattered at the ends.

As they walked to Thrakhath's tent, the Bakemono celebration began. In the distance a Pyre larger than what could possibly be safe burst into flames, and the bakemono could be seen dancing in the fire light.

Upon arriving at Thrakath's tent, a pair of imposing guards stood stoic.

Greetings. I am Oronkohiro. Thrakhath-sama is expecting me.

Oronkohiro stood tall, Minturo behind him. Oronkohiro couldn't be sure, but he was beginning to wonder if the rites performed on Minturo hadn't made him... Bigger. He was always a mountain of a man, truly looking more Crab than Phoenix, but it seemed as if he had grown even more since his time in the Fields of the Dead.

The guard pulled the flap back, and Oronkohiro was allowed to enter. As Minturo attempted to follow, the guards blocked his path. Minturo growled at this, but abstained from a public display.

As Oronkohiro entered the tent, he knelt, left knee on the ground, and left fist in the dirt, his pony tail slid over his left shoulder.

Thrakhath-sama. It is an honor to have you as our esteemed visitor. I have much information about the progress of the war.

[Daigotsu Thrakhath]

"Good," Thrakhath replied, setting his scimitar on the table before him and placing the cloth he'd been using to clean it beside the weapon. "You may rise, Chuda-san," he said, "that is exactly why I decided to pay you a visit." He turned to face the Chuda, his fur cloak shifting quietly as he moved. "Be careful how you refer to me, however. Within this camp I am the Hand of Daigotsu, outside of it I am a simple ronin with no family name."

The spacious tent was sparsely decorated, but a pair of mats had been laid out off to the side with a small tea set between them. Thrakhath knelt at the small table and motioned for Oronkohiro to take the other place. "Help yourself to tea, and tell me how our efforts against these gaijin vermin fare."

[Shoju]

"Understood Thrakhath-sama. "

Oronkohiro moved to the tea, and began to drink.

"In the early parts of the invasion, I was able to infiltrate their camps to the north, and with the power of the scroll, I was able to thin their numbers, and push their needs for reinforcements to a point where their armies were moving south at a slower pace.

Once this was accomplished, I returned to Shinomen Marsh, and mobilized the legion you see camped here. At present, we have only engaged in a few small skirmishes, and earlier today one large scale assault.

We came from behind the Yobanjin forces attacking the Scorpion and Lion armies, and dealt considerable damage to their rear flank. While on the battlefield, I did spy the Moto we have seen in our lands as of late. I believe he is not a threat, but I doubt he would be considered a staunch ally either.

With the Yobanjin in full retreat, I believe our next course of action will be to further scout their position the Northern Steppes and ensure that we aren't moving into a trap.

From the intelligence my scouts have gathered the Yobanjin army is indeed quite massive, and they are fortifying their position. I had captured a commander of theirs and had hopes of having more information to present, but alas his spirit was strong, and he would reveal nothing. By morning he will be another servant of our needs. "

Oronkohiro sipped his tea, and shifted his weight.

"Will there be a larger force coming to join us in the assault? While our attack was indeed successful, and our casualties limited by the surprise nature of it, Some of the Initiates were lost to Yobanjin cavalry, and the Bakemono have a way of thinning their ranks on their own. While I'm sure we have enough of a force for now, I fear that combat in and around the Northern Steppes could prove costly. "

Oronkohiro was at ease. He glanced sideways, and saw that the pyre was still raging, and in the quietness of no one speaking, the Bakemono revelry could faintly be heard.

[Daigotsu Thrakhath]

Thrakhath did not partake of the tea; having lost the ability to taste it long ago, he had set it out simply as a courtesy to his guest. He listened intently to Oronkohiro's report, though his expression of mild interest did not change throughout the speech. He nodded at the end of Oronkohiro's speech, and was quiet for a moment as the other man turned to face the bonfire.

"That is what I am here to determine," Thrakhath said eventually. "You have accomplished much here with limited resources, for that you should be commended." He looked in the direction of the goblin celebration. "You have also managed not to draw the attention of the local samurai population, something I believe is only possible because of the scale of the yobanjin invasion here." He turned to regard Oronkohiro again with the unnerving gaze of someone who should be nothing more than food for carrion birds. "Unfortunately, with regard to your question of reinforcements, I fear the opposite may be necessary," he said. "We've had reports that a substantial joint-clan force of samurai has assembled in Toshi Ronbo and is making its way here. By all accounts, the army is massive and will have little trouble dealing with what remains of the yobanjin here." He looked at his tea cup for a moment, as if considering trying it, then back at the Chuda. "If the yobanjin are defeated and we end up with a camp full of bakemono surrounded by an army of victorious samurai..." Thrakhath didn't finish that sentence, allowing Oronkohiro to fill in the blank with his own imagination. "I'm not ordering you to retreat, I will leave that to your discretion," he said. "I simply wanted you to be aware of the situation, in order for you to make informed decisions."

[Shoju]

Oronkohiro frowned. The not so subtle jabs about the Bakemono were true. Even if the Bakemono were deadly, They would crumble under the weight of an army that large. Even with his Maho Tsukai raining destruction upon their enemies, the bulk of Oronkohiro's standing troops were Undead, and Bakemono. His Maho Tsukai initiates were plentiful, but inexperienced.

Oronkohiro mulled over the report for a moment longer, and then spoke

"It is true that with an army of that size, not only will the Yobanjin incursion be finished, but our presence would be easily detected, and turn this into an exercise in futility. Would the Hand of my Lord have another task to charge me with if we were to withdraw from Mountain Watch Keep? "

Oronkohiro hated the idea of leaving Mountain Watch Keep, but the plans of his Lord were still in their infancy, and risking the destruction of even 1 legion could leave a glaring hole in their numbers. He decided that if Thrakhath were to charge him with another task he could have the army back into the marsh in several days time, and move to the Northeast into the Fingers of Bone in a far shorter amount of time, Hopefully the risk of crossing Unicorn Lands would be lessened by movement of the large army. The Plains of the unicorn lands provided little natural cover. It would take the talents of many to create the storm needed to cover their advancement.