[003] Bandits, unkillable men, and strange mists

[Marullus]

Bankei scoffs, leering with one eye at the bird-man-demon and waving a dismissive hand. "off with you, accursed! The evil in your heart when you knew the true way leaves you thus and none shall mourn you. You have yet learned nothing. "

He admonishes the bushi, seeing them so quick to rise to the challenge. "This one exists to lead you into base emotion, to dishonor your souls in violation of the Bushido code and the words of Buddha," he says low. "Keep your mind and will firm - do not be goaded by mere words, but use violence only in defense as the Buddha would admonish. Do not act unwise in pride or rage... let it act that way, and to your advantage, as it can know no other way in its demon form. If it only hones your edge in its challenge, perhaps it will have better incarnation in its next life..."


Tengu

Around the same time that tengu acquired their avian appearance, they became associated with the demons and devils that were the sworn enemies of Buddhism. When the Buddha sat in meditation under the bodhi tree on his quest for enlightenment, demons appeared to distract him from his meditations. The tengu became thought of as connected with these mischievous demons, and it was believed that they would try to obstruct monks and lure them away from their lives of devotion.

A belief also arose that tengu were the reincarnation of bad Buddhist priests. A learned senior priest who died seething with resentment after being defeated in a struggle for power might be reborn as a tengu. As a priest was supposed to rise above mundane desires and distracting emotions, ending his life still suffering from worldly attachments was a degenerate fall from grace. Like a fallen angel, these learned priests were believed to be reborn as goblins with demonic powers.

Bankei casts Bless Weapon on the two warriors swords.
Spell [1d1000]=876 [1d1000]=93

[ffilz]

Bankei scoffs, leering with one eye at the bird-man-demon and waving a dismissive hand. "off with you, accursed! The evil in your heart when you knew the true way leaves you thus and none shall mourn you. You have yet learned nothing. "

He admonishes the bushi, seeing them so quick to rise to the challenge. "This one exists to lead you into base emotion, to dishonor your souls in violation of the Bushido code and the words of Buddha," he says low. "Keep your mind and will firm - do not be goaded by mere words, but use violence only in defense as the Buddha would admonish. Do not act unwise in pride or rage... let it act that way, and to your advantage, as it can know no other way in its demon form. If it only hones your edge in its challenge, perhaps it will have better incarnation in its next life..."


Tengu

Around the same time that tengu acquired their avian appearance, they became associated with the demons and devils that were the sworn enemies of Buddhism. When the Buddha sat in meditation under the bodhi tree on his quest for enlightenment, demons appeared to distract him from his meditations. The tengu became thought of as connected with these mischievous demons, and it was believed that they would try to obstruct monks and lure them away from their lives of devotion.

A belief also arose that tengu were the reincarnation of bad Buddhist priests. A learned senior priest who died seething with resentment after being defeated in a struggle for power might be reborn as a tengu. As a priest was supposed to rise above mundane desires and distracting emotions, ending his life still suffering from worldly attachments was a degenerate fall from grace. Like a fallen angel, these learned priests were believed to be reborn as goblins with demonic powers.

Bankei casts Bless Weapon on the two warriors swords.
Spell [1d1000]=876 [1d1000]=93

876 is +7, an easy success. 093 is -9, unfortunately Bankei's SR (success rate) with a 1st level spell is only 6 so 6-9=-3 is a failure.

Are both bushi challenging the Tengu?

Note that per Bushido, Tengu are not evil but mischievous so this may be a mostly honorable challenge. Depending on whether Ezo and Kiyoshi more follow the Buddhist or Shinto beliefs would color their opinion.

[Starbeard]

I think Ezo would be predisposed to view the tengu less favorably, and having a dormant interest in one day becoming aesthetic I think he would take the monk's words to heart, so…

He scoffs and offers the bout to Kiyoshi, if the ronin is willing. "I needn't prove myself to this creature, but I will cut it down immediately if it betrays itself with foul play. I am watching you, demon priest, or whatever you are." He keeps his sword drawn and wary.

[jemmus]

Sorry, somehow I missed knowing that this second chapter thread even had been started. Thanks for the PM, fflz.

Though Eizo's words are wise, young Kiyoshi cannot refuse a challenge from a tengu. They are said to masters of the armed martial arts, especially of kenjutsu sword techniques. Especially kenjutsu. He says from the saddle, Tengu, I will accept your challenge, Tengu-san. I am Kiyoshi, a ronin, but a grandson of the samurai warrior Kozai no Yunosuke, who defeated the rampaging oni of Nerima-cho. So I have fairly advised you that the blood of warriors is my veins.

Do you wish to battle with us together, or separately as two individual duels? And, will this be a battle to the death, or until one fighter can no longer fight? He doesn't let on that he secretly hopes that the tengu wants the latter, rather than the former. Gloriously defeating a tengu is one thing. Dying as an unknown nobody on a lonely road, without having traveled Nippon and experienced a wealth of adventures, great and small... that's another.

[ffilz]

Your companion is insolent. I would duel you one on one to first blood.

[ffilz]

Go ahead and declare your actions and roll.

[Marullus]

Bankei casts Bless Weapon on the two warriors swords.
Spell [1d1000]=876 [1d1000]=93

[ffilz]

Bankei casts Bless Weapon on the two warriors swords.
Spell [1d1000]=876 [1d1000]=93

876 is +7, an easy success. 093 is -9, unfortunately Bankei's SR (success rate) with a 1st level spell is only 6 so 6-9=-3 is a failure.

I'll assume the first is cast on Kiyoshi since he is challenging.

[Marullus]

Sounds good.

[jemmus]

Kiyoshi nods to Bankei, thanking him for his consideration. He considers how this combat with the non-human foe may go. He knows enough to know that trying to envision events in combat beforehand is not only futile, but likely harmful. He calms his mind and smoothly draws his katana, as if start a kata combat forms sequence in a dojo.
[1d1000]=719[2d6+1]=7+1=8

[ffilz]

Kiyoshi nods to Bankei, thanking him for his consideration. He considers how this combat with the non-human foe may go. He knows enough to know that trying to envision events in combat beforehand is not only futile, but likely harmful. He calms his mind and smoothly draws his katana, as if start a kata combat forms sequence in a dojo.
[1d1000]=719[2d6+1]=7+1=8

Oh, before I adjudicate this, is Kiyoshi wielding both katana and wakizashi? If so, with his Ni-To-Kenjitsu proficiency he has +3 to distribute between attack and parry.

The Tengu is wielding just a katana,

[jemmus]

I forgot about Kiyoshi's ni-ten-jutsu. He'll use +2
for attack and +1 for parry.

[ffilz]

OK, 719 is +3, Kiyoshi's sword attack is 13 + 2 for ni-ten-jutsu + 3 for CA is 18 vs. the Tengu's 15 parry is a hit for 8 damage.

Kiyoshi draws blood.

The Tengu attacks:



That's a +1, so 14 + 1 = 15 vs. Kiyoshi's 12 + 1 is a hit for



Hmm, what armor is Kiyoshi wearing right now? Just the quilted or is he in full armor?

[jemmus]

Kiyoshi's default is to wear full armor while on the road and in wild places. If there's an encumbrance penalty, he considers it worth it. The ronin will never become a famous swordsman with a mansion and a dojo in Kyoto and a gorgeous babe wife if he dies on the road. Oh yeah, he also wants to be promoted to samurai caste while he's at it. (Young Kiyoshi might be a little... let's say naive).

[ffilz]

Kiyoshi's default is to wear full armor while on the road and in wild places. If there's an encumbrance penalty, he considers it worth it. The ronin will never become a famous swordsman with a mansion and a dojo in Kyoto and a gorgeous babe wife if he dies on the road. Oh yeah, he also wants to be promoted to samurai caste while he's at it. (Young Kiyoshi might be a little... let's say naive).

Sounds good, his armor absorbs all the damage.

The Tengu jumps back to his rock, does Kiyoshi wish to press the attack or trust his drawing first blood has one him this duel?

[jemmus]

Kiyoshi takes a step back, the katana and wakizashi still in his hands. First blood. The duel is finished. He does the customary bow to an opponent at the end of a dojo fight.

[ffilz]

Ha! Good you are drawing first blood! Worthy of Kakati! Better than the dead ones!

The Tengu awaits your response.

[Marullus]

Bankei purses his lips. There was something... something about birds and Kakati... he tries to remember and make sense of it before the young bushi stumbles into a verbal trap.


Religion [1d1000]=625

[ffilz]

Bankei purses his lips. There was something... something about birds and Kakati... he tries to remember and make sense of it before the young bushi stumbles into a verbal trap.


Religion [1d1000]=625

Bankei does recall the story of queen Kakati and the Kunala bird, nothing in the story particularly meshes with what seems to be going on here. Perhaps there is some humor on the park of the Tengu, perhaps there IS something to be wary of. The "dead ones" though does sound like a reference to the unkillable men.

This looks like an unfortunate name grab by a game author...

[jemmus]

I don't know anything about Kakati or the dead ones, Kiyoshi says. Perhaps you can explain to us? And perhaps as a favor, you can teach me a special tengu okuden technique of kenjutsu? One that does not involve flying, he jokes.