Toku Hirotomo
Monkey Clan
Bushi Paragon of Compassion Clan Champion Toturi's Army
Posts: 793
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Post by Toku Hirotomo on Mar 7, 2011 14:27:48 GMT -5
Ancestors. Toku silenly prayed. I have done the best with the life I have been granted. Kenpachi heard the terrible sound of electrcity. One less goblin.I have fought for the Empire with everything I have. Kenpachi reached into his obi to feel the silk he won at Winter Court. A samurai is a warrior and the epitome of culture. Inside the bag was a small cord. Kenpachi took it out and began to tie his katana to his hand. Grandfather. I will do my best to take your sword home. If I cannot, I will die with it in my hand.
Kenpachi looked at the empty hall. I expected more. Kenpachi said with a raised eyebrow. Just like a ronin to ignore hospitality. Not that I'd drink his tea.
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Bayushi Senshi
Scorpion Clan
Scorpion Clan * Clan Champion * Samurai * Kensai * Experienced * Loyal * Unique
Posts: 1,891
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Post by Bayushi Senshi on Mar 7, 2011 15:39:22 GMT -5
Having reached the hall, Yosuke released the kami to do as they pleased. As they did so, the horde of bakemono outside, serving to distract the enemies disappeared into wisps of air and wind, the illusion complete.
Yosuke drew his wakizashi and began looking around the hall, taking advantage of his acute awareness, and confident of his quick reflexes should there be any kind of trap. "Magistrates, can you see any traps?"
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Shinjo Roku
Unicorn Clan
Unicorn Clan * Samurai * Cavalry * Scout * Magistrate
Posts: 43
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Post by Shinjo Roku on Mar 7, 2011 16:14:11 GMT -5
"I don't see any tr-" Roku stopped mid sentence and quickly turned to the left hallway, and silently started to walk down it with an arrow nocked. After carefully examining the hall, he whispers more to himself than anyone in particular: "I thought heard someone walking down here...." Roku then just shook his head and thought to himself I really hope I'm not going crazy... "We should check the main court first, then weave our way through the rest of the castle."
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Post by Shoju on Mar 7, 2011 18:07:58 GMT -5
Outside
As Oronkohiro marched towards the doors of the temple everything stopped. The fighting stopped. The burning sensation on his chest stopped. He looked down at his chest and found his robe whole again. He turned to look where the battle with the Bakemono was taking place, and the lost looked around, lost. There were no Bakemono. Even Onithu who had laid pinned to the ground was gone.
"Sound the Alarm, and find the Isawa!" Oronkohiro roared. He spun around and headed inside the temple. At this point, he was fairly positive that the Isawa had at least something to do with this. "I want him brought to Court, and we are going to find out what he knows. Scour the temple, and the grounds. Make sure there is NO ONE else here."
The archer nodded, and the shadows beside Oronkohiro shifted as if something was no longer there.
inside
The action down the right hallway came to a halt. Standing there, staring at the party of Heroes was a pair of undead monstrosities. One, a Bakemono who looked barely sentient, and the other a former Crab Scout. They were both brandishing katana, and looked poised to fight. Neither spoke. Neither looked capable of speak.
Inside the court, Kijiro had hidden in the shadows of the circular ceiling. Waiting.
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Bayushi Senshi
Scorpion Clan
Scorpion Clan * Clan Champion * Samurai * Kensai * Experienced * Loyal * Unique
Posts: 1,891
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Post by Bayushi Senshi on Mar 7, 2011 18:39:27 GMT -5
Yosuke growled, he knew that by now whatever cover they had was gone and it was far likely that they were being watched by more then just the obvious sources. "We've been found, please, keep me covered." Yosuke then went to the far wall, furthest from the main entrance, and blanketed the room instantaneously with the power of the air, drawing back the shadows. In essence attempting to dispel any powers enacted by the kami other then his own within the room. He hoped it would reveal any hidden individuals, and make the coming confrontation easier for his allies.
Just as he did, his eyes darted toward the ceiling, he recognized the tactics used by his own mother's kind, the scorpion shinobi. He called out, "Shinobi!" and pointed to where he saw Kijiro moving about.
The spell did little however to affect the former master of the void's illusion, as Yosuke wasn't powerful enough, but it was enough for Yosuke to tell that there was a powerful shugenja about. "And I think the Bayushi traitor is very close... hes hiding," he said, mistaking Tadaka's incredible power for Oronkohiro's.
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Toku Hirotomo
Monkey Clan
Bushi Paragon of Compassion Clan Champion Toturi's Army
Posts: 793
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Post by Toku Hirotomo on Mar 7, 2011 19:18:53 GMT -5
Kenpachi charged the former Crab. "You can thank me in Yomi, Hiruma-san." he said as he took his stance to start the fight. "If one of the Unicorn-sans can take care of the goblin I would have no objection." he shouted behind him. Then he took a swing at the former Crab. It was fast, taking the blow without a sound. Kenpachi heard Bayushi-san's warning. "I'm no archer! Someone get him before he can raise alarm!" Kenpachi took a sizeable cut from shouting behind him. Brining his attention back to his fight, Kenpachi used the strength of the former Crab against it. Turning his blade slightly to the side, Kenpachi brought its sword to knee level, then kicked the blade from its hands. "First round of Sake's on you when I see you again." Kenpachi said with a feral grin. Moments later, the former Crab's head bounced on the floor.
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Bayushi Haruka
Scorpion Clan
OOC Cleanup Crew
Samurai? Battle Maiden? Cavalry? Paragon of Courage? Friend of the Lion
Posts: 1,054
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Post by Bayushi Haruka on Mar 8, 2011 1:00:24 GMT -5
The word from the scorpion's mouth sent Haruka's blood cold. She came to the shugenja's defense as her eyes darted all around the ceiling. "Roku-san I trust you can handle that ruddy goblin that dares to carry a blade!" She traded her blade for her dai-kyu in a flurry as her eyes trained to the various shadows of the room. The adrenaline in her system gave her sight beyond sight for a short time as the slight lift in the shinobi's guise was lifted.
A hand, her arrow was released without hesitation. She could only pray that it would land and take out the enemy's valued appendage, or if nothing else dislodge him from his hiding place. She wouldn't say anything but only act, but her obvious shot to the ceiling would draw Yosuke's attention in a heartbeat.
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Post by Shoju on Mar 8, 2011 11:21:21 GMT -5
As Oronkohiro entered, he saw the Unicorn's arrow leave her bow headed for the cieling. "Kijiro" Ornokohiro whispered, and bent an air kami to his will to move the arrow.
"Go to the Chamber's, and bring the phoenix here. I will deal with these intruders." Oronkohiro snarled as he made for the court. As Kenpachi began to engage the undead Bakemono, Oronkohiro spilled blood from a vial, and raised the Samurai into the air, and hurled him towards his dais. His landing brought the fighting to a halt, if only momentarily.
"WHAT IS THE MEANING OF THIS INTRUSION!" roared Oronkohiro as Kenpachi landed awkwardly on the Dais. Minturo burst in the doors behind Oronkohiro, and Kijiro dropped down to the side of the party, A wicked blade held low.
The entrances were filling with Lost bushi, both live, and undead. Some of the live ones seemed... different.
"You have brazenly entered the fortress of Shiro Saesei, when a simple request to attend court would have sufficed." Oronkohiro adjusted his Jingasa up. "Welcome to my home. I am Oronkohiro, and this is Shiro Saesei, the Temple of Rebirth."
He took stock of the collective group. "Let's see. A Scorpion. You must be here at the behest of your Lord Senshi, no doubt with a mindful of ideas about taking me to the grove as well. 2 Unicorn?! Why... That has me curious. Tell me, Did you find where we battled the Yobanjin? Is that why you are here? Did I not cleanse the ground enough? And the Monkey in the back. Hmm... now, that is a curiousity. Tell me descendant of Toku, Why are you here?" Oronkohiro advanced into the courtroom. "And why did you feel the need to barge in!?"
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Bayushi Senshi
Scorpion Clan
Scorpion Clan * Clan Champion * Samurai * Kensai * Experienced * Loyal * Unique
Posts: 1,891
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Post by Bayushi Senshi on Mar 8, 2011 14:19:38 GMT -5
"You traitor." He spat the words out, designed to get his attention. "This is no court. This is a mockery of all that is good and honorable, for these reasons alone, you should die. But I am Kuroiban, and your temple of 'rebirth' is an embodiment of blood magic, for that reason, you should die slowly. Worse still, you have betrayed our clan and kami, betrayed our emperor, and opened a black scroll! For that reason, I shall make you suffer before you die!!" He bellowed out an incantation, raising both of his arms creating a wave of fire. I did not move toward them however, rather it rimmed the perimeter of the room, barring access to only those already inside. Cutting off any further reinforcements.
Yosuke knew he had their attention, and he used his speech to try and draw more of it to him, hoping his friends could find an opportunity to react. Or at the very least, even the odds for them a bit. It was now his four against Oronkohiro's three, the seven of them trapped within a circular wall of fire.
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Bayushi Haruka
Scorpion Clan
OOC Cleanup Crew
Samurai? Battle Maiden? Cavalry? Paragon of Courage? Friend of the Lion
Posts: 1,054
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Post by Bayushi Haruka on Mar 8, 2011 14:31:49 GMT -5
Haruka's eyes seemed to fix on the shinobi all the more still. As she picked herself up along with the others from their unceremonious winding the scorpion had bought them precious odds and would need protecting to maintain his focus.
Haruka had no intension of hesitating as she took her blade with intent to harm, rushing straight into Kijiro. If nothing else her intent was to get them away from the others, her hatred seemed to run rampant as she used her blade with artistic precision, but the force behind it was frightening to say the least.
Occasionally catching the cloth of the shinobi she could not quite pin it down, and she knew that they would not maintain a defensive position for long. She kept her footing as she at least got them both off the dias, content to at least maintain their attention, but knowing also at any time the sorcerer might snare the life from her. This futility only caused her anger to focus more as the sound of her blade sliced even the air quick enough to make it sing at times but she could not land a solid hit on Kijiro.
With enough patience and keeping on the offensive she hoped to catch them off guard, hoped for any sort of victory.
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Shinjo Roku
Unicorn Clan
Unicorn Clan * Samurai * Cavalry * Scout * Magistrate
Posts: 43
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Post by Shinjo Roku on Mar 8, 2011 14:47:37 GMT -5
Immediately after the wall of fire appeared, Roku quickly loosed his arrow at the bloodspeaker without aiming to hopefully distract him so his allies could gain an edge. After which he dropped his yumi and drew his katana to engage the goblin. After taking one swing to get it's attention, Roku switched to a defensive stance and carefully watched his opponent's movements, waiting for the perfect moment to strike.
(OCC: just got my imperial herald with the shinjo bushi techniques for 4th ed in it... parry and riposte ftw)
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Post by Shoju on Mar 8, 2011 14:49:37 GMT -5
The arrow stuck in the wall just to the side of Oronkohiro. Oronkohiro Laughed. "Traitor? Is that what you think of me? I SACRIFICED EVERYTHING TO SAVE THE EMPIRE!" Oronkohiro bellowed. He was incensed by the Scorpion. "This is my court. And while you are here, you can show respect, or you can be shown how we deal with those who slight us." Oronkohiro turned and thrust the katana into the wall splitting the shaft of the arrow, and smoothed his robes. "You say that my Temple is an embodiment of Blood Magic. That part is true. You see, unlike the scorpion, I have come to realize that there are secrets in this world that need to be known, and understood, not just guarded." Oronkohiro started pacing side to side, his agitation clearly growing. "Wasn't it a Scorpion Daimyo who proclaimed Loyalty to be the greatest tenant of Bushido? Didn't he order his Second to kill him to prove so?" Oronkohiro took off his jingasa and hung it on the Katana. His Fair face, and eyes in full view. "What if death didn't need to be the end of the Samurai's loyalty to his master? What if, you could undergo a rite that would allow you to rise again and willingly serve your lord after your death? Would that not be worth the sacrifice to extend your loyalty?"
Oronkohiro sat on the floor, folded his legs, and looked up at the Scorpion. "I did open the Black Scroll. But I did it because I understood my duty. My duty to know the secrets of the Empire and save it from them. Isn't that an oath all Scorpion abide by? Isn't that the Kami given mandate?" Oronkohiro sighed, and stared down the Scorpion. "You think I'm here to destroy the Empire. I'm not. I only seek the same things that you all do. Why do you think that I returned the scroll to the Scorpion? Why do you think that I fought the Yobanjin? Why do you think I have done.... whatever it is that has brought the monkey here?" Oronkohiro looked sincere.
"Tell me Heroes of Rokugan. Who do I have the pleasure of meeting today?" Oronkohiro stretched his hands out, palms up. "Tell me, what is it that you have come here for? Is it to kill me? You have walled us in with your Fire Ward Scorpion-san. It is the 4 of you, and the 2 of us." Oronkohiro smiled. "Or did you forget about your kinsman, MY Retainer Kijiro-sama? Or did you not know? You see, Shosuro Keiko is an acquaintance of mine. And in our dealings, I traded the scroll to you, for Kijiro-sama's loyalty. If you have come to kill me, make me suffer as you say, what of your kinsman? Feel free to inspect him with whatever magic you wish. He is taint free. He is among the living, and I have gifted him the most ornate mempo inlaid with Jade you have ever seen to keep him that way." Oronkohiro motioned to Kijiro, who removed the mempo and bowed low.
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Bayushi Haruka
Scorpion Clan
OOC Cleanup Crew
Samurai? Battle Maiden? Cavalry? Paragon of Courage? Friend of the Lion
Posts: 1,054
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Post by Bayushi Haruka on Mar 8, 2011 15:01:25 GMT -5
Haruka was certainly listening, the sound of his words still somehow finding their way over the roaring flames. She'd stopped when she realized her futile effort. The person before her, this Kijiro-sama, as it were stopping to easily remove their mask and bow.
Haruka actually stopped, stilled by the motion of the civilized action before her. She was somewhat frozen in not fear but a bit of wonder, unwilling to let her guard down. Her eye gently trained to the side to Oronkohiro.
"Your duty conflicts with ours. You had no need, no place to deal with the Yobanjin. But any dead gathered on your behalf bears ill good for the magic you use their blood with. So we stand like this, I act on the order of my superior, but you have no superior, you stand on your own morality and no other.
You're an unbridled beast who needs to be dealt with the same way any should, unless for some insane reason you could justify your actions.
Why did you kill the Yobanjin encampment and desecrate the ground on which it was on?"
Muscles still rigid it seemed slightly conflicting for her to speak in such a calm tone, but for the moment it seemed there was little else to do. She knew on this ground she was outmatched, but she wasn't willing to give any impression of her retreat or surrender.
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Shinjo Roku
Unicorn Clan
Unicorn Clan * Samurai * Cavalry * Scout * Magistrate
Posts: 43
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Post by Shinjo Roku on Mar 8, 2011 15:15:48 GMT -5
Without turning to face Oronkohiro, Roku replies: "I just happened to be the only unassigned Emerald Magistrate in the area, here to investigate the missing Hiruma scouts... Can we just get this over with? I've got better things to do than talk to a maho-tsukai with delusions of grandeur..."
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Post by Shoju on Mar 8, 2011 15:25:40 GMT -5
"That is where you are mistaken Battle Maiden. I did have a need, and a place to deal with the Yobanjin. I took no dead from that battlefield except for my dead enemies. If you looked at the placement of our camp, we purposely stayed away from the camps of the great clans. "
Oronkohiro still sat on the ground. Kijiro looked relieved that the battle maiden had ceased her attack when he bowed. The look on his face was pained. he was confused. His refusal to fight headlong against the battle maiden was conflicting. He dared not raise a blade against her, for she knew not the situation that she was in, and his oath was out of loyalty to The Shugenja, who was neither in any danger, nor ordering him to attack.
"You are incorrect though Battle Maiden. I do have a master, a superior if you will. And when the time is right, he will reveal himself to all of Rokugan. You are correct though, the range at which I'm allowed to operate is far greater than that which your superior grants you." Oronkohiro looked over at Kijiro and smiled. "He is a fantastic spy. Conflicted still, but a fantastic spy.
Oronkohiro looked back at the battle maiden. "Justify my actions? Let me try. I, as I'm sure you have heard from our hot headed Scorpion friend, was once a Scorpion. That was in a previous life. Before my first death. In my second life, I have found a budding new order here in the Shadowlands. We seek order. We seek nothing more than an existence in this world, where we are safe. This first, means securing our lands, and for that, we need an army. The great and minor clans all have a standing military force. We, do not. So I took the opportunity to defend the empire, and in return for that, I took some of my enemies to become part of our force."
"After I claimed victories over the Yobanjin, It was my duty as a former Scorpion to ensure that the Scroll that I have used was returned to its rightful guardians. I know its secrets. I used the scroll. It pained me to have it near me in this life. It was a constant reminder of my old life." Oronkohiro shifted and stood. "I have since used Bakemono, and unfortunate Crab Scouts as the basis for my research to further reinforce our forces. It is regrettable that I have needed the Crab Scouts. But in Rokugan even the great clans war and shed each others blood from time to time, all in the name of the clan. This was an action I did for mine."
"The Yobanjin incursion served two points. First. A show of force. Surely, my legion garnered your attention for you are here. You wouldn't be here if that hadn't been a 'scary sight' no? Second, it removed a threat to the empire, and bolstered my forces at the same time. Quite a good showing for our first time out if I might add."
Oronkohiro took his jingasa, and placed it back on his head, and pulled the Katana from the wall. it glowed bright red. "I have two questions of my own. Why is it that you sent the Phoenix ahead of you, And Battle Maiden, What is your name?"
Oronkohiro looked at the Unicorn Magistrate and smiled "Ah, so you aren't here about the Yobanjin, but she is. Interesting. Like I said. The use of the scouts was unfortunate. Chalk it up to our own version of the battle at Three Sides River recently, where the Lion massacred a poor group of Crane. My research is nearing its end, and I might not need anymore Crab."
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