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Day 4 - From Village to Highway
The dawn is orange, with yesterdays gray skies broken into separate purple and yellow clouds. The travelers don their armor and prepare for the day's journey. Sawaguchi's samurai subordinate summons the travelers and leads them to the road stead in front of the village o-ninyo's house. All of the 50-odd peasant farmers of the village are assembled behind them, variously murmuring and directing sidelong and suspicious glances at the travelers. One big and confident youth, backed by a group of other youths, audaciously stares at the travelers, a threat of retribution in his eyes. Of that there is no doubt.

The samurai hands stoppered bamboo tubes to Omi and Ito. He says, Inside each is a document to present at checkpoints or to traveling Takeda bushi. They explain that you have been given permission to wear armor on the road to Kofu-- only. Also are rough maps of the road to Kofu, for planning where the kuge-sama will dine, bathe and sleep.
Be vigilant and guard from sunrise to sunrise, on your lives. and make sure no further harm comes to the kuge. Keep an eye on the tomboy girl. And the gakusho as well, unless you know them to be really what they say they are. Do this correctly and the Andoh will not forget it. He bows to end the discussion. He nods to Kentaro, who bested him in writing, but was respectful and didn't rub shame into shame. A nod from a warrior to a fellow warrior.

The house's garden walls gate opens. The young kuge Fujiwara no Sanetoshi emerges from the house, and the groundskeeper Niwatori prostrates himself inside the gate. The kuge again wears the now freshly-laundered clothing of a traveling pilgrim, despite some small bloodstains that still remain on the front of the shirt. He wears a new straw hat. It looks more like a farmer's kasa than a pilgrim's more rounded hat, but it will provide protection from the sun and rain. The groundskeeper Niwatori's eyes can be seen eagerly darting around recording everything, taking in all details of this rare spectacle in the rural village. When the kuge and village samurai are in sight of each other, the samurai crisply bow from the waist. The peasants prostrate themselves on the ground and don't look up. For some, it seems to be genuine sincere bowing to a superior. But not for all of them.

Yesterday I rode that warhorse, and mastered it, the kuge says. He indicates Omi's horse. It's a good horse, I'll ride it again today. Perhaps tomorrow I'll see what that one can do. He indicates Kentaro's horse, Tafu. He swings into the saddle of Omi's horse with dramatic flair, pulls its head, and dramatically wheels the wide-eyed horse around in a full circle. He sets out at a lope and rides along the village's narrow dirt road to the highway, the samurai, the travelers, and the villagers following.

As the group approach the highway, they see the old kamunushi from the Neno-san shrine standing at the side of the start of the village's road. Beside him are two figures. One is a young bushi in o-yoroi, with dai-sho and a dai-kyu. From his posture and the way his hair hangs from beneath his helmet, he seems to be casual, self-sufficient ronin, rather than a proud and disciplined samurai warrior. The other figure's role in the world is harder to place. He has a proud comportment, as if a samurai. But he is slight and thin, and his muscles are smooth, rather than corded. His hair is very long and tied at the back. He wears clothing that is neither that of a bushi, gakusho, budoka or farmer. As the mounted kuge passes in front of them, all bow.

When he has passed, the kamunushi approaches the travelers and bows. He speaks to all them-- including Akemi, whom he has never met before?-- but addresses Taisho in particular as the foundation of the group. Good morning! Congratulations on surviving and defeating the bandits. Fuujin-sama's winds were with the arrows, neh? He nods to Akemi, his old friendly eyes twinkling. She looks back at the old priest, eyes wide and listening expectantly. But a naughty little rider of the wind, a little bird, rose, made big fuss of it, and called the whole mountain's eyes and ears upon you. Not to worry. It was just a cocky and naughty bush warbler, playing and having fun.
It was just testing it's brave bushi or ninja spirit, it meant no harm. Akemi's eyes go wider still, and her attention is rapt to the old kamunushi's face.

The old man continues, his whole demeanor a faint smile. I will speak quickly, because the one you must escort can't be held waiting. This – he indicates the strange young man, and his eyes twinkle a little as a sign to the travelers-- is Takeda no Haruto. He has been learning at the shrine. He now leaves the shrine to go to the Takeda capital. I have advised him to ask permission to join you.

He then indicates the bushi. I don't know this bushi's name, because I wasn't so rude as to ask it of a visitor to the shrine. He visited the shrine last evening, paid his respects to the kami-sama, and stayed the night on Neno-san. He did no wrong and asked for nothing. He seems an honest young man, so I advised him to ask to join the kuge's escorts. It seemed that it could be good for him, yourselves, and the o-kuge also.

The travelers hear Kentaro's horse Tafu stop and can feel the kuge's eyes upon them, indicating his impatience and displeasure. He is practically glaring. “My apologies, pilgrims and travelers, for delaying you and incurring ire. Waiting a moment never hurt any child. Just one more moment.” He raises his two fingers of his right hand and touches each traveler's shoulder in turn. “Good luck and may you do your best. Until next time.” The old priest smiles benignly and bows to the group, straightens, and smiles again.


Sayonara is "Farewell" and only said if one never expects to see someone again. The kamunushi says Mata, neh? ("Next time, right?"), which one would say to someone they expect to see again before long.

Omi and Kentaro have Blessings for today.

-Hiroshi and Haruto actions needed.
-Other party members actions needed. Remember that you've got to get the kuge and his chest a few hexes to Kofu. Regrettably, some questions of distances and speed. Compared to who has to do what, as porting kuges' stuff goes. viewtopic.php?p=579034#p579034
-Kuge rides your horse. On gained. You walk. On neutral. Carry kuge's stuff? On lost or gained. Depends on who you are. Fujiwara secondary heir lost along the way? Disaster for the Andoh, then the Takeda, then the Minamoto. Taira rejoice. You will be refugees hunted throughout Kai, with in-service samurai, ronin, ninja all around. And many more heimin eyes in villages and farm watching to collect rewards. If you fail this, Kai's borders will close. And masses of samurai troops will set off to hunt you down. The politics of the Minamoto vs. the Taira with the kuge families watching from the side requires it.

There are many more variations of things like this going on in Nippon at the moment. Which doesn't make things any safer for Omi, Ito, Haruto, Kentaro, Taisho or Akemi. But maybe for the kuge Sanetoshi. A chess pawn upon a road.

Kentaro is ready, mounted on his horse with his fine new katana ready and at hand when the kuge calls for them. He is acutely uncomfortable knowing the townsfolk hold him in contempt, unaccostomed to the feeling but again unable and unwilling to do anything accept the brunt of their ire as a way to protect Katsumi and whatever he has done on behalf of his family at the shrine. He is anxious about that, actually... where has Katsumi gotten to? Perhaps it is best not to know. He looks instead to Akemi, then catches himself, blushing, and turning back to wait upon the kuge... he must focus today on duty.

Kentaro feels a pang of apprehension and guilt as the kuge appears and, having not secured a mount for himself, unhorses Omi and leaves the two samurai to serve as porters for his belongings. He considers if he should dismount and offer one of them his own mount, but he could only offer it to one of them and that would lead to contention. Ito already walked afoot and Omi can as well. Instead, Kentaro straightens himself in his saddle to look more proper. He is yojimbo to this imperial... he must focus on that first and remain as he is and the honor it requires. He matches his own horse's pace to that of the kuge as they set out upon the road.

...

Kentaro reigns-in his father's faithful horse, even with but deferential to Fujiwara no Sanetoshi. He is suspicious as the kamunushi's words play out in strange reactions on Akemi's face, which he seems to be unable to stop gazing upon, but he has not the wits to figure out what is happening between them. A woman's secrets. He is grateful, though, to see the kamunushi again and offers polite greetings and goodbyes to the old man from atop his horse. He is glad that the old man doesn't offer Sayonara... there is something comforting in the idea that this wise man believes they will return this way soon. Perhaps, even, on his way back to Togakushi. For a moment he feels even farther from the comfort of home.

jemmus wrote: ↑Sat Dec 11, 2021 1:48 am The other figure's role in the world is harder to place. He has a proud comportment, as if a samurai. But he is slight and thin, and his muscles are smooth, rather than corded. His hair is very long and tied at the back. He wears clothing that is neither that of a bushi, gakusho, budoka or farmer. As the mounted kuge passes in front of them, all bow.

The old man continues, his whole demeanor a faint smile. I will speak quickly, because the one you must escort can't be held waiting. This – he indicates the strange young man, and his eyes twinkle a little as a sign to the travelers-- is Takeda no Haruto. He has been learning at the shrine. He now leaves the shrine to go to the Takeda capital. I have advised him to ask permission to join you.

Yay!



The slender young man steps forward and bows deeply, holding it longer than required to show utmost respect. He leads a horse, a lockbox fastened across its rump, and carries only his walking staff and a pouch upon his belt - no dai-sho, no armor. His clothes are the good quality winter garb of a samurai family bearing the Takeda kamon upon it. He wears a pilgrim's wide straw hat and wooden geta sandals, prepared for a journey, but without wear or holes (like the Kuge has) showing he has yet to undergo much hardship. He is presented as a young man of age, but his frail build makes him appear younger - he likely weighs less than the large dog that stands obediently and protectively at his side.


"Kuge-sama, I humbly request to accompany you. I am Takeda no Haruto - my family is in the capital. I would visit them and likewise speak to them of your goodness in bringing me that far." He pauses, standing upright. He acknowledges Taisho specifically, then resumes addressing the kuge. "I am on a pilgrim's journey, as yourself, having studied extensively of the ways of Fuujin.
Divine wind!
Heads of rice
Rustling in the field."
He recites the well-known poem of the Deity, gesturing with his hands as he does so to mimic the movement of the breeze - he lets loose his clean white handkerchief, which drifts up on a spurt of wind, folding itself into a small bird and landing gently on the neck of the horse before the kuge as a gift.

"The prophecies speak of this time of change. Much hangs upon these times, resting on a knife's edge. It is not happenstance now, that the kamunushi requests I accompany you."

He bows again, holding it long, and waits for response.

(Depending on how that goes, he will then offer to add the Kuge's chest to his horse along with his own chest (while he walks aside with BMA 5). A better option for him to take the burden that way than to have honorable samurai carry it.)

OOC:

Sorry, I missed one thing and have to rewind to early morning before going forward. For some reason the dialog and non-dialog formatting wouldn't work. I used quotatin marks instead.

As the sun rose a groan was heard from the bound bandit. He tried to sit up, but with his arms ties he couldn't. Akemi went over and raised his trussed and bandaged body to upright. He groaned again and raised his eyes.
"Akemi-chan?"
"-Yes, that's right."
"Where is this?"
"-In Chiyoda. In the samurai's warehouse."
"You betrayed me?"
"-No. The bushi found you on their own."
"Why do you look like that? In peasant clothes."
"-Before, that was Akemi the oiran. Now I'm just Akemi."

The bandit mulls this over for a moment.
"You lied to me! You deceived me! You low liar!"
"-Yes. I used you for a while, for what I needed. You used me for a while too. It was a fair exchange. Even though you thought you were kidnapping and enslaving a helpless girl."
"Harlot! If I ever see you again, I'll kill you!"
"-You won't see me again. Even if you somehow survive what the samurai surely have planned for you. But first I think they'll make you take them to your hidden loot.
And tell them where to find your two henchmen who escaped."
The trussed bandit laughs mockingly. "You think I'm afraid! And who are you to judge Satoshi, boss of the Mura no Banjin! What have you ever done? Besides stealing an oiran's stuff and pretending to be real one? Assassin! Backstabber! Strangler! Poisoner! Liar! Harlot![" He laughs hysterically, then spits on the floor at the woman's feet.

Akemi doesn't react to the grave and filthy insult. She stands, fills a bowl with water, and places it on the floor before the bandit. The bandit eyes it, obviously desperately needing it wanting it. But for now, too proud to bend forward to drink it. "For the food and shelter you provided me," she says. Some last comfort before your enemies come for you. Another fair exchange." She turns and, without another word, without a bow or a nod, hangs her long cloth bundle on her back, and passes through the warehouse's door.

And now, on to the present!

jmacatty seems very busy ATM, so I'm going to temporarily NPC his chars and keep Omi and Ito moving along with the group. I'll try to have them do what I think Mac would want them to do. Jump in and change things at any time, man.

Kentaro mounts his horse. Ito and Omi, in full o-yoroi, dai-kyu in hand, walk past the kuge's chest without a glance. The ornate trunk sits in the dirt of the village road. Taisho and Akemi look at each other. Akemi exhales bravely, picks up one end and shoulders it. Yosh, gakusho-san!

The kuge's eyes fall upon the frail young man and his new, clean costume bearing the Takeda clan crests. Three triangles inside of and forming one triangle. The origami bird alights on his horse's saddle. He looks at the kamunishi, who shows no response. He raises an eyebrow at the young shugenja, who appears to be about his own age. Very well, you may join. You can ride behind me. He again appraises the smiling kamunushi. He leaves it to the samurai Ito and Omi to decide whether the wandering sellsword ronin Hiroshi can join. But he looks back and nods at Omi and Ito, with a look saying, Another sword and suit of armor. Good, but you decide. You frontier bushi may not know it, but sleep time and especially bathing time are special times for assassinations. Occasions for stationing as guards. Desu-yo. Neh?

Kentaro mounts his horse. Ito and Omi, in full o-yoroi, dai-kyu in hand, walk past the kuge's chest without a glance. The ornate trunk sits in the dirt of the village road. Taisho and Akemi look at each other. Akemi exhales bravely, picks up one end and shoulders it. Yosh, gakusho-san!

The kuge's eyes fall upon the frail young man and his new, clean costume bearing the Takeda clan crests. Three triangles inside of and forming one triangle. The origami bird alights on his horse's saddle. He looks at the kamunishi, who shows no response. He raises an eyebrow at the young shugenja, who appears to be about his own age. Very well, you may join. You can ride behind me. He again appraises the smiling kamunushi. He leaves it to the samurai Ito and Omi to decide whether the wandering sellsword ronin Hiroshi can join. But he looks back and nods at Omi and Ito, with a look saying, Another sword and suit of armor. Good, but you decide. You frontier bushi may not know it, but sleep time and especially bathing time are special times for assassinations. Occasions for standing guard. Desu yo. Neh?

There is one end of the kuge'sbox still awaiting two shoulders. Come on, come on!, the kuge urges.

On awaits.

Marullus wrote: ↑Sat Dec 11, 2021 10:26 pm (Depending on how that goes, he will then offer to add the Kuge's chest to his horse along with his own chest (while he walks aside with BMA 5). A better option for him to take the burden that way than to have honorable samurai carry it.)

Consideration for this?

Kentaro ties the kuge's chest onto his warhorse Tafu. The thing is very awkward, but balanced by the ronin's own load on the other side. The horse objects and blows snot from it's nostrils onto Kentaro's helm and armor. From the saddle, the kuge looks back chuckles. You've got a warhorse, not a ladies' riding horse there, ronin. But a capital racehorse-- that's a spirited horse to ride!

The samurai Omi and Ito eye Hiroshi's arms and armor up and down. The silk cords of his o-yoroi have been faded by the sun. The black cords of his dai-sho, faded by sun and rain to not pure black. Wandering ronin. The same as Kentaro. Some ronin are good, like Kentaro, some are the worst of all highly-armed criminals. Thug bodyguards of yakuza bosses. Brutal murderous thugs. They glance to the kuge Sanetoshi, then to the shrine's kamunushi. The kamunushi maintains his equinaminous smile. Ito and Omi shrug and nod their mutual agreement. Each on his own nods toward Hiroshi. "Fall in, and be sharp. Your job is to help us get this kuge to Kofu. Life or death. Whatever happens. Got it, ronin?"

The travelers set on the highway. The echoing sound of wood chopping in the mountains and tree being felled are in their ears as they travel down the Koshuh-Kaidoh highway to the next way station, in Fujimi-cho. viewtopic.php?p=579034#p579034 The travelers find a good inn for bedding down, stable their horses, and comfortable dwellings for the kuge. He sort of doesn't notice that he let them pay for everything themselves.

Sorry for the confusion. It was Takeda no Haruto offering to add the nobles box to his horse, balanced by his own lockbox.

Kentaro straightens himself in his saddle to look more proper. He is yojimbo to this imperial... he must focus on that first and remain as he is and the honor it requires. He matches his own horse's pace to that of the kuge as they set out upon the road.

Marullus wrote: ↑Tue Dec 14, 2021 9:01 pm Sorry for the confusion. It was Takeda no Haruto offering to add the nobles box to his horse, balanced by his own lockbox.

Kentaro straightens himself in his saddle to look more proper. He is yojimbo to this imperial... he must focus on that first and remain as he is and the honor it requires. He matches his own horse's pace to that of the kuge as they set out upon the road.

Taisho will help with securing the box to assure the best balance and comfort to the horse. I'm not sure if there's an applicable skill but his merchant background should be relevant (and he does have Commerce).

After some time, now later morning because of the kuge Sanetoshi's late rising, the skilled shipper Taisho and the skilled rope wrapper and tie-er Kentaro load and balance both awkward loads Haruto's horse. The travelers walk and ride the Koshu-Kaidoh highway and approach the small town of Fujimi-cho at mid-afternoon. The apparent shugenja scholar of magic Takeda no Haruto knows the route to Kofu. He considers how long it took the rather slow-moving group to reach here from Chiyoda-cho, advises that the next town on the Koshu-Kaido highway can't be reached before nightfall. The day's journey must end here to avoid camping in the woods or fields.

The kuge Sanetoshi announces, I don't want the bother of being hosted by this town's ninyo and his country samurai wife. Sometimes being formally fawned on is more stressful than just relaxing on one's own, you know? We'll stay at this town's inn. At all times a bushi will stand guard outside my room's door. And during my bath, a bushi will be present and nearby. Even a bath attendant can become a vicious assassin, if the pay for it is right.

Magician Takeda no Haruto, I will ask that you serve as my herald during this journey. As you know, it won't do for a kuge to discuss prices with heimin or physically hand them money. Do such things for me, please. It seems odd to the samurai that the kuge is using such respectful language when addressing the samurai boy. Almost requesting, rather than flatly stating. It seems an odd show of weakness, or of wanting something. The two ronin are perplexed. Another odd thing samurai and kuge do when they meet each other? Tough guy bushi samurai become simpering dogs, it seems. But this weak-looking samurai shugenja shows up, and the top dog is almost politely asking for his help?

For an instant, eta ninja outcast Akemi observes carefully and furrows her brow for a moment. She looks Kentaro and Taisho in the eye, purposely looks at the Takeda clan crest on Haruto's kimono, then at the kuge, then back to Taisho and Kentaro. Then her face goes blank and her eyes look downward and say nothing again for a while. Then they look up again and say to both, "The kuge desperately needs the Takeda shugenja for something." She looks, full-eyed and unblinking for a moment, side-eyes toward the kuge and back. "He's bluffing us and using us, he's desperate to save his skin. I think." She shrugs her shoulders to indicate that it's just a guess and she may well be wrong.

The town's inn is a combination Imperial highways post station and travelers' inn. It has no name, and is marked only by a sign of clean new pine wood board built with a little roof over it stating "Imperial Post Station." (It's in kanji, but all of the travelers have seen enough of these that they recognize the characters. Though they may not be able precisely pronounce them or know what they individually mean).

Outside there are stables with a groom, with no horses in them. Inside there is a common dining area with low tables and flat zabuton cushions lying on the tatami mats around them. The tatami are clean, but they're a little aged and turned brownish. And the air in the inn smells of wood smoke. To the left a postal booth has been built into a corner, and it is currently dark and unoccupied. To the right are two rooms, one bigger, one smaller, with floors raised a couple of steps above ground level. They're open now, but have shoji sliding screens for closing them off.

If this were live tabletop play, I would so make both of your PCs do that cowboying! That would be a great skilled merchant and skilled rope tying ronin scene. Sorry, I'm having to break scenes into bits for now. TBC.

Under the Status rules, Haruto is compelled to comply with the kuge's request that he serve as his herald.
Haruto enters the inn and is met with the customarily "Welcome!" called out by a middle-aged man and a wifely middle-aged woman. She responds to inquiries by informing him that buke-class rooms and meals are 5 silver per night. Meals and a shared dormitory room for lower rank guests are 5 copper. Use of the bath house is included in the prices. Stabling and feeding horses is 11 copper per day.

Two teenage boys carry the kuge's and Haruto's chests into the inn. The kuge is given his own spacious room, but the three samurai most share a smaller one. The ronin, heimin and eta are shown the common sleeping room. There are no other guests there.

The kuge dines separately in one of the higher dining rooms off of the main room, with the shoji screen closed. The buke's meal includes fresh finger-long ayu trout. The others' meals include a chicken egg instead.

The sound of chopping wood continues. The ashigaru and conscripted peasants are building a signal fire watchtower, the male innkeeper-postman explains. War may come even to little Fujimi-cho. Ito and Omi pull rank and assign Kentaro to guard the kuge during his bath. They set three watches for outside the kuge's room for the night: Omi, Kentaro and Hiroshi, then Ito. The ronin take this to mean that they don't trust Hiroshi with a solo watch, as yet.

Please deduct the cost of lodging (and stabling, if applicable) from your sheets. 30 copper = 1 silver, 12 silver = 1 gold.
Any actions (spellcasting, questions to the innkeepers, etc.) before we proceed?

Is everyone healed up? Taisho should be doing some blessing and maybe a trance for prophesy. Doing rolls for every day when nothing much happens probably is more than we want to handle, and he shouldn't get Shugendo for every day's blessings and trances... Should we do a "rewind" to cast blessings and trances if we get into some significant action? Taisho will attempt trance for prophesy if our plans for the day have significant risk or importance (like if we're about to speak to someone of rank, a prophesy before we seek audience with the person would be good).

Taisho will take a bath, and he will pay for lodging/bath in silver since we are traveling with the kuge. Hiroshi will also pay in silver. So that's 6 silver each.

Any thoughts on how to do the healing quicker? Making all those rolls is pretty painful...

I'm tempted to write a program or something...

What would be nice for healing is to have a logging online dice roller that could be "programmed" to some extent. I'd like to instruct it to alternate between characters until all have been healed or some amount of power has been used. I might make 2 or 3 runs with some of the power to handle situations where I want to focus on one of the PCs. Or you could have it randomly determine which PC to heal with the chance based on how much healing they need or something... Anything to make it take less presses...

One thing I could do to speed it up is actually only POST the results, I could make a macro for healing each PC so you can see the actual rolls in the log. Macro does speed it up a bit, but it's still a tedious process due to the <50% chance of success each time...