((Well lads and lasses, it's been a few days. Sorry about that. I got distracted by good movies and interesting games, and every time I started doing the update I'd find something shiny to distract myself with.
I'll continue on for now. We'll say that Hideki went to the armoury but we'll leave the details up for later. Try and get the definative list of stuff you want somewhere in the next 2-3 updates, at least before leaving the palace.))
Turn 24
Nara, PalaceAt the dismissal of his daimyo Hideki and his companions leave the tea room and head for the armoury, but not before Ed finishes his mochi and Otsu drains the entire bottle of booze. THe armoury master is accomodating, but within reason.
Next up they are led to a small space in between walls. The space leads upwards, with a slit just underneath the ceiling allowing Hideki to look into the room. The room itself is the same sparse though elegant kind as the tea room. There is a table and cushion for every guest. They are laid out in a rectangle, with the two places at the ends being raised, one for the daimyo and one for the guest of honour. Beside the daimyo, against the wall, is also a suit of heavy samurai armour.
After about an hour, people start moving into the room. First is the Daimyo and the serving people. The lady takes her place at the head of the seating arrangements and the serving people begin laying out the cutlery and such. After the tables are set, so to speak, the Crane clan comes inside. There are nine of them in total, the commissioner and eight of his retinue. Most of them look like pencil pushers to Hideki, though two of the retinue might be fairly tough in a fight judging from their movements. The commissioner hismelf is an older, stocky man, with a long wispy beard and facy looking clothing.
The banquet goes along as usual: formal introductions are made, pleasantries are exchanged and a lot of political talking is done. Mostly the commissioner seems to want to convince the daimyo to subjugate herself and the clan to the Cranes in return for protection and help, but the daimyo continues to give the old man the cold shoulder. Finally, one of the servants signals that it is time for tea. The commissioner speaks up at this.
"Ah, I picked up a delightful tea back in Kyoto. My lad Doichi here is also a very good teamaker. Would it be alright to have him make our tea? That wouldn't be a problem now, would it?"He grins, but the daimyo doesn't miss a beat.
"Of course, I am very curious what kind of tea you have brought from the wolve's den."The commissioner's aide prepares the tea they brought and serves it to everyone.
"How refreshing, it has a very fruity taste. Plum?""Plums and cherries, or so I was told. Though I admit they may have gone a bit heavy on the plum.""How nice. We have prepared some entertainment for this morning. I hope you like music."Just then, a small woman wearing a bright orange kimono walks into the room. Her kimono carries mantis clan insignia and she is carrying a koto. She sits down in the middle of the seats and begins to play. It is a slow, emotional peace, and everyone in the room is soon transixed on her and her music. The entire piece lasts only 10 minutes or so. Many people in the room are getting misty eyed, Hideki can see, and even Ed is sniffling a bit. Only the daimyo seems completely unaffected.
Just as the mantis performer starts on her second piece, one of the Crane clan slumps over on their little table. A second of the crane clan tries to get up, but their legs give way underneath them. In minutes, the crane clan people are either laying completely still or failing to move their limbs much at all. All except the commissioner, who seems less affected.
"W-What is the meaning of this?""Well, as you probably expected, I had the tea poisoned.""B-but how? Guards! Guards!"The doors at the other end of the room open, but instead of crane clan warriors, two Scorpion ninja walk in.
"The crane clan guards inside the palace are dealt with, my lady" one of them says.
"Good, alert the other cells. Their caravan personnel is not to leave the city alive. Have them search their belongings for documents as well."
The two ninja bow and leave again, closing the door.
"B-but how?! We brought our own tea and had our own man prepare it in front of us! We even used our own cups! You couldn't have poisoned it-""Pathetic fool. You think the only way to poison something is to do so before it is served? Look at the ceiling. My ninjas were hiding in a crawlspace above the ricepaper. Once our performance had your rapt attention, they made small holes in the ceiling. Then they dropped a a hair fine wire, nearly invisible to the human eye, from the hole into your cup. From there, it is only a a matter of letting a drop of our finest poison glide down the wire into your tea. But don't worry, yours a special one. Whereas your men will have died quick and painless deaths, the poison in your cup will only get more painful over time. Our record victim held out for 48 hours of excruciating pain, I wonder how long you will last."In a desperation move, the commissioner draws a small blade from his clothes and lunges. The daimyo unfurls her fan and slaps the knife out of his hand with a loud twack, signalling that it is a tessen, or a metal war fan. It draws blood from the commisiioners hand, and one of his fingers is bent at an unhealthy angle.
"You mongrel. You come into my home and have the audacity to ask me to subjugate my clan to yours. But I am nothing if not merciful. Answer our questions, and you will have the antidote."The commissioner, cradling his hands and becoming paler by the second, whimpers his consent.
"Is your clan behind the murder of one of our clans?""Y-yes. Though I swear I didn't have anything to do with it! The orders came from higher up!"She then asks him some other questions, related to commerce and some internal bakufu politics that Hideki can't really follow.
"Cease your sniveling, worm. The antidote to the poison will be yours soon. But first, perhaps Hideki would like to ask a question of you?"The commissioner is very pale and sweating, clearly the pain is already starting to worsen.
Does Hideki have any questions for him? Something else?
Also, retroactively, how about that shopping list?
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Topic: Nippon: Quest for Vengeance (SG/CYOA): Turn 41: Star fort Goryokaku (Read 14826 times)