Hayato & KatsuThe two of you ride along, wherever it is you might be going, and converse.
Kenage(
0(16)97934=34)
You sit cross-legged upon the tatami mat by the wall to the left of the door you entered by for what seems like forever. Finally, Magistrate Hajime silently enters from a door to your right. You clamber to your feet, and greet each other with a bow before sitting once more.
A moment later, servants enter with hot towels. You wash only your hands, before informing the Magistrate that you are ready to eat.
The meal is served, and the two of you make unimportant small talk for quite some time. Finally, as the meal is winding to an end, the Magistrate broaches the subject. "So, Kenage-kun," he begins, "We have captured the warrior and spy of an enemy clan, and you wish for me to set him free?"
Asane(46/100) You purchase a bottle of sake for 1 bu (leaving you with 4 bu). Though it's rather uncouth to do so, you serve yourself-- it isn't like anybody else is around.
You aren't much into your cups when three young men, samurai come to train at the local temple by the looks of it, swagger up to your table. The lead flashes you a predatory grin, flexing one of his muscles. "Heyyy there, samurai-ko, the name's Akio. You might have heard about those two Morikano bodyguard that got cut down earlier. That was me."
His two lackeys bob their head and mumble a number of "Yeahs" and "Yeses" collaborating his tale.
Isaac(
94=13) The man's eyes widen as he sees you half-draw your rapier. He stops in his tracks, his own hand straying to one of the two blades hanging from the sash of his kimono. "A hidden weapon, foreigner?" He queries, an edge to his voice despite the slur, "You're a dishonorable coward, too? Well then!"
He steps forward, drawing his weapon and slashing at you wildly (
0(17)491=26|
75525=12|12-5=7), and much too quickly for you to dodge! But Pierce steps in the way, taking the blow on your behalf. His chain mail crinkles and shatters beneath the force of the blow.
Initiative Order (Stance, Weapons, Armor, Wound State in italics)Isaac Declare Stance Please, Rapier, None (20), Healthy (0)Drunken Bushi Attack Stance, Longsword, Ashigaru (18), (0)Pierce Defense Stance, Longsword, Light (20), Nicked (7)OshaberiYou slip the documents into your furoshiki and exit the warehouse. Heading into the forest, you use some flint and tinder from your furoshiki to create a small campfire and burn the evidence. Then you head back to Sumeru, and the Magistrate's Estate:
A large wooden building of an older style save for the chain link and barbed wire fence which surrounds it. Several Ashigaru mill about, both at the fence's gate and on regular guard patrol. You can make out what appears to be a koi pond on one side, and a rock pond on the other. If you can get past the gate, there are plenty of ways inside the main building.
As is customary, your wakizashi is not confiscated upon entering the property. (
66261=18) And you are able to convince them to let you keep your "walking stick."
(
68=14) There are several windows, balconies, and doorways to enter if you somehow make it past the fence and across the yard without being seen. The servants don't allow you to progress past the guest room, though, so you don't get to get a good sense of the layout.
(
580(15)64=29) You make small talk with some of the guards and servants as you're shown in. They're almost all just lowly peasants trying to make a living. For the right price, you could probably get them to help you so long as they don't know it will threaten their livelihood. It will take some work to get someone to act as a knowing accomplice to your plan, though. You can bet they'll stay silent about having helped you, though, once the Magistrate dies: They're likely to be executed without a trial if it even looks like they're complicit.
After a moment of waiting, a servant informs you that the magistrate is ready to be seen, if you will simply follow him out to the pond.
Hori(
840(17)=25 vs
???) You follow the tracks, attempting to remain as stealthy as possible as you make your way through the forest. You're relatively certain nobody sees you, because after a few hours of tracking, you sight smoke in the distance.
Creeping closer, you find yourself gazing at several tents in a clearing. Makeshift walls made of felled wood have been set up around them, forming a crude palisade. Two ashigaru-wearing men bearing what looks like farming equipment stand guard at the two entrances. A single horse is tied up near the biggest tent. In the center of the camp, inside a separate palisade and beneath a makeshift tent, a number of people, some Samurai by the looks of it, are tied and bound.
Ted"You're going to talk, scum," the man who grabbed you growls, dragging you down a flight of concrete steps. "How many soldiers are in the Genki Forces?" he asks, but before you have a chance to respond he shoves you face first into an ice cold bucket of water, and holds you down...
(
798652=24 vs
803=21) The man begins to torture you mercilessly, repeatedly asking for information on how many soldiers the Genki clan plans to attack with, what direction they're coming from, who is leading them, and other such nonsense which you don't know anything about without ever giving you the chance to answer.
Finally, holding up a white hot brand, he pauses to let you speak. You crack almost immediately, tears welling up in your eyes as you explain that you just don't know. He doesn't think that answer is acceptable.
Yoru(
06=16) You are informed that the execution will be announced the day before it happened, and is public, taking place in the nearby sporting arena. It's a simple affair, with one of the Magistrate's bodyguards simply beheading the criminal.
(
48=12)