LFR: TFW Scroll 28: Emergency Detour II
The 17th day of the month of the Dark Brother (mid-winter)
The 21st year in the reign of Emperor Shinji III (deceased), 1158 by the Isawa Calendar
The Imperial kobune The Swift Falcon departs with Otomo Matsuko, Agasha Gihei, Kitsuki Ieshige, and Yoritomo Ryoichi aboard, leaving the fate of the Mantis Clan in Imperial hands. [i] The other three Imperial ships The Ruby, The Summer Tide, and The Razor Wind fan out from Umako’s Promise and start sweeping the sea. Juzo gets the heimin hopping while Ryo summons a favorable tailwind for the flotilla. Retsudo retires to the hold and quietly starts collating the medical supplies. Juzo notes most of the crew is anxious, but the ashigaru are wary and the Crab heimin openly cheerful at the prospect of combat against a Tainted monster.
Kensai immediately assumes the duties of first mate and heads into the hold to double-check supplies. He notes with concern one flaw in their plan to head south - they only have supplies for the initial trip to Kyuden Gotei. That trip was expected to end in two days, and they have a buffer of two additional days of fresh water. However, Toshi no Inazuma is five days minimum, which could be a serious problem. Kensai heads up to the forecastle and speaks with Captain Katsuji. Ryo overhears and immediately volunteers to cast Summon Water as often as he can to replenish the supplies.
Ryo returns to the tiller and lets his instincts guide him in charting a course. He finds a southeast current and slips Umako’s Promise into that, figuring it is the swiftest way to head in the right direction. As they head south, Ryo speculates that someone is trying to sideline the Mantis in the Third Yasuki War; a Tainted Crab nemuranai attacked a Mantis ship, while Mantis courtiers were used in a plot to poison a Crane courtier. The captain shrugs as Hidaki moves up to the forecastle with two ashigaru archers.
The ships sail south for most of the afternoon, but at the Hour of Shiba a feeling of intense cold passes through everyone. Ryo mutters, “He’s close,” and casts Commune with Water. He’s not surprised when a Water kansen shows up, but he is a bit startled when the evil spirit communicates, “You again?” Ryo sighs and demands, “Where is he?” The kansen shows him an image of an underside of a boat; Ryo’s pretty sure it’s not Umako’s Promise but he yells a warning to the captain. Captain Katsuji frantically signals the Imperial ships, but then The Razor Wind tilts precariously as Ketsuen punches up through the hull! The Razor Wind is 400 feet to starboard, and the captain immediately orders an intercept course as he pulls the tiller.
Umako’s Promise executes a tight bank to starboard and heads for the stricken Imperial ship. As they surge forward, the samurai note that far from being a random berserker, Ketsuen is following a deliberate pattern and attacking any Mantis samurai on The Razor Wind, regardless of who’s actually attacking him. To their horror, Ketsuen also has a sack, and every crewmember he kills reanimates as a zombie in a split-second and grabs a weapon from the sack to join in the carnage. As soon as they’re within range, Ryo casts Fury of Osano-Wo and calls down lightning on Ketsuen! The monster staggers but the armor protects him from the worst of it. Ketsuen turns to Umako’s Promise and looks directly at Ryo; Ryo returns the monster’s scrutiny with a rude hand gesture.
The samurai hear a soft giggle and then a deep thwack as the yahajiki fires! Ketsuen ducks behind a wall of zombies as the jade-tipped bolt slams into them and clears the deck of maybe half a dozen undead. The monster dives into the ocean, giving The Razor Wind a reprieve, but everyone knows where he’s coming next. Ryo takes advantage of the moment’s respite to cast Way of Deception, creating two doppelgangers and making the forecastle even more crowded. Ketsuen then leaps out of the water and lands on the port side of the main deck near Kensai, Ryo, and Juzo! They can see the monster is almost entirely encased in armor, but is wielding a wakizashi - with Scorpion-red silk fraying on the hilt. The only flesh visible is two milky eyes and dead flesh turned leathery from exposure - there is a corpse stuffed into Ketsuen, but the body is smaller than Ketsuen was built for.
Retsudo scrambles back and heads for the shrine doors, knowing he’s not a combatant and also because he has a plan. He scrambles down the ladder to the main hold while Juzo steps back and waits for an opening. Ketsuen towers over everyone, and starts moving for the portside stairs up to the forecastle. Ryo casts Fury of Osano-Wo a second time and brings lightning down on Ketsuen; luckily, his friends avoid being deafened. Kensai grabs rope and runs towards the yahajiki yelling, “I need more rope!” Mika, a female ashigaru on deck, bravely steps in front of Ketsuen to keep him off the forecastle - and Ketsuen crushes her skull with one hand! She drops dead and Ketsuen casually tosses her a weapon from his sack - an obsidian blade!
Juzo jumps up to the forecastle and then leaps at Ketsuen as he ascends the stairs with a finger of jade in each hand. He lands right on the monster but uses his weight to drive each piece of jade into Ketsuen’s eyes! The monster screams so loudly that Juzo’s pretty sure Yoritomo Kitao heard it - hell, beings in other Spirit Realms likely heard it - and then the jade turns black and melts down Ketsuen’s face plate! Juzo hears a pitiful whimper, “Help me…” but Ketsuen grabs him and bodily throws him overboard! Juzo pinwheels mid-air, but Sôsuke swoops down on a piece of rope and grabs him before he starts to descend. Sôsuke swings wide and both men land in a tumble of arms and legs on the starboard side of the deck - undignified, but definitely better than overboard! In the main hold, Retsudo ignores Raiko’s glares and Hatsuyo’s panicked look as he finds and grabs two small clay pots of lamp oil.
Juzo disentangles himself from Sôsuke and looks up to the forecastle to see Hidaki roughly shove Captain Katsuji behind him, rank be damned. He scrambles to his feet and runs up the starboard stairs, also noting that Mika has reanimated, grabbed the obsidian blade, and is at the base of the port stairs preventing anyone from climbing up to fight Ketsuen. On the forecastle, the ashigaru Shiroi and Oya flank Ryo as best they can, uncertain as to which Ryo of the three is the real one. Ryo triggers his stored Strike of the Tsunami but holds a finger of jade in his hand when he does so. As Strike of the Tsunami lashes out at Ketsuen, he lets go of the jade and the spell propels it into Ketsuen’s chest! The monster howls as he is knocked off the stairs and lands on his back on the deck!
Kensai reaches the yahajiki and gestures for the crew to tie one end of the rope to a bolt and place the jade-tipped bolts as pikes. He then turns and runs back towards Ketsuen while heimin tie more rope on to his piece to get the length needed. Ketsuen kip-ups with surprising grace and lashes out at the ashigaru Shimura! Shimura collapses with a hole through his torso, but gets back up as undead a second later! In the hold, Retsudo grabs the medical supplies and heads for the door. Juzo holds while Ryo casts Fury of Osano-Wo a third time and Kensai runs to mid-ship.
Ketsuen leaps up to the forecastle and crushes poor Oya on the way down, punching through the ahsigaru’s torso with the force of his landing! Juzo takes advantage of Ketsuen’s split-second delaying in freeing himself from Oya’s guts to run forward and body-check Ketsuen! Once again the monster goes pin-wheeling backwards and lands on the deck! Wood splinters as he lands, but he again kip-ups - just as Retsudo steps out of the shrine. Retsudo is eye-level with the defaced Hida mon, but keeps his wits and throws one of the pots of lamp oil onto Ketsuen’s feet! The pot shatters and the lamp oil splashes up to Ketsuen’s knees.
Juzo sees Retsudo’s actions and bellows, “Light him up!” Although it was more wishful thinking on Juzo’s part than anything, Hidaki bellows, “Loose!” Shiroi fires a flaming arrow at the deck, and Ketsuen’s legs go up in flames! The monster shrieks and backpedals as Juzo growls, “Burn, you bastard. Burn!” Ryo casts Fury of Osano-Wo a fourth time and hits Ketsuen as Kensai runs up behind the monster, rope in hand. He runs in front of Ketsuen and avoids Mika’s swipe, partially securing the monster in the rope. Ketsuen plants his feet to prevent from being bowled over again, but Juzo executes a flying dropkick from the forecastle and slams into the monster! Ketsuen goes down and gets further tangled in the rope, so Fumoko screams, “Fire!”
Kensai looks horrified as the yahajiki fires at an angle out to see, and the rope drags Ketsuen - and Kensai - forward! He howls in pain as the rope abrades multiple layers of skin from his unprotected hands, but his journey comes to a sudden stop as Ketsuen slams into a jade-studded bolt, which punctures his chest cavity! Luckily, Kensai misses the bolt and Ketsuen whispers something softly before he dies. [ii] At the moment of his death, Ketsuen’s reanimated zombies all collapse, their puppet strings cut. Ryo eyes the carnage from the forecastle and says half-jokingly, “I think it best we put Fumoko-san in charge of cleanup.”
Fumoko stalks over to Kensai, dai tsuchi in hand, and growls, “Move.” Kensai scrambles out of the way and Fumoko buries the hammer into Ketsuen’s head, just to make sure. The helmet flies free, revealing the corpse stuffed into the Tainted armor. The corpse’s kimono is clearly Scorpion, which the samurai take note. Kensai tells Fumoko that he wasn’t ready or secured when she gave the order to fire; she clearly couldn’t care less. Juzo takes in the death and carnage - and then Azuma surges to the fore. Azuma descends to the deck and immediately casts Path to Inner Peace on Kensai, healing the damage to his hands. Unfortunately, Kensai will be left with heavy scarring.
[i] Game was 2/6/17; we missed last week as Tony was sick and Ralph was traveling.
[ii] “Thank you.”
The 21st year in the reign of Emperor Shinji III (deceased), 1158 by the Isawa Calendar
The Imperial kobune The Swift Falcon departs with Otomo Matsuko, Agasha Gihei, Kitsuki Ieshige, and Yoritomo Ryoichi aboard, leaving the fate of the Mantis Clan in Imperial hands. [i] The other three Imperial ships The Ruby, The Summer Tide, and The Razor Wind fan out from Umako’s Promise and start sweeping the sea. Juzo gets the heimin hopping while Ryo summons a favorable tailwind for the flotilla. Retsudo retires to the hold and quietly starts collating the medical supplies. Juzo notes most of the crew is anxious, but the ashigaru are wary and the Crab heimin openly cheerful at the prospect of combat against a Tainted monster.
Kensai immediately assumes the duties of first mate and heads into the hold to double-check supplies. He notes with concern one flaw in their plan to head south - they only have supplies for the initial trip to Kyuden Gotei. That trip was expected to end in two days, and they have a buffer of two additional days of fresh water. However, Toshi no Inazuma is five days minimum, which could be a serious problem. Kensai heads up to the forecastle and speaks with Captain Katsuji. Ryo overhears and immediately volunteers to cast Summon Water as often as he can to replenish the supplies.
Ryo returns to the tiller and lets his instincts guide him in charting a course. He finds a southeast current and slips Umako’s Promise into that, figuring it is the swiftest way to head in the right direction. As they head south, Ryo speculates that someone is trying to sideline the Mantis in the Third Yasuki War; a Tainted Crab nemuranai attacked a Mantis ship, while Mantis courtiers were used in a plot to poison a Crane courtier. The captain shrugs as Hidaki moves up to the forecastle with two ashigaru archers.
The ships sail south for most of the afternoon, but at the Hour of Shiba a feeling of intense cold passes through everyone. Ryo mutters, “He’s close,” and casts Commune with Water. He’s not surprised when a Water kansen shows up, but he is a bit startled when the evil spirit communicates, “You again?” Ryo sighs and demands, “Where is he?” The kansen shows him an image of an underside of a boat; Ryo’s pretty sure it’s not Umako’s Promise but he yells a warning to the captain. Captain Katsuji frantically signals the Imperial ships, but then The Razor Wind tilts precariously as Ketsuen punches up through the hull! The Razor Wind is 400 feet to starboard, and the captain immediately orders an intercept course as he pulls the tiller.
Umako’s Promise executes a tight bank to starboard and heads for the stricken Imperial ship. As they surge forward, the samurai note that far from being a random berserker, Ketsuen is following a deliberate pattern and attacking any Mantis samurai on The Razor Wind, regardless of who’s actually attacking him. To their horror, Ketsuen also has a sack, and every crewmember he kills reanimates as a zombie in a split-second and grabs a weapon from the sack to join in the carnage. As soon as they’re within range, Ryo casts Fury of Osano-Wo and calls down lightning on Ketsuen! The monster staggers but the armor protects him from the worst of it. Ketsuen turns to Umako’s Promise and looks directly at Ryo; Ryo returns the monster’s scrutiny with a rude hand gesture.
The samurai hear a soft giggle and then a deep thwack as the yahajiki fires! Ketsuen ducks behind a wall of zombies as the jade-tipped bolt slams into them and clears the deck of maybe half a dozen undead. The monster dives into the ocean, giving The Razor Wind a reprieve, but everyone knows where he’s coming next. Ryo takes advantage of the moment’s respite to cast Way of Deception, creating two doppelgangers and making the forecastle even more crowded. Ketsuen then leaps out of the water and lands on the port side of the main deck near Kensai, Ryo, and Juzo! They can see the monster is almost entirely encased in armor, but is wielding a wakizashi - with Scorpion-red silk fraying on the hilt. The only flesh visible is two milky eyes and dead flesh turned leathery from exposure - there is a corpse stuffed into Ketsuen, but the body is smaller than Ketsuen was built for.
Retsudo scrambles back and heads for the shrine doors, knowing he’s not a combatant and also because he has a plan. He scrambles down the ladder to the main hold while Juzo steps back and waits for an opening. Ketsuen towers over everyone, and starts moving for the portside stairs up to the forecastle. Ryo casts Fury of Osano-Wo a second time and brings lightning down on Ketsuen; luckily, his friends avoid being deafened. Kensai grabs rope and runs towards the yahajiki yelling, “I need more rope!” Mika, a female ashigaru on deck, bravely steps in front of Ketsuen to keep him off the forecastle - and Ketsuen crushes her skull with one hand! She drops dead and Ketsuen casually tosses her a weapon from his sack - an obsidian blade!
Juzo jumps up to the forecastle and then leaps at Ketsuen as he ascends the stairs with a finger of jade in each hand. He lands right on the monster but uses his weight to drive each piece of jade into Ketsuen’s eyes! The monster screams so loudly that Juzo’s pretty sure Yoritomo Kitao heard it - hell, beings in other Spirit Realms likely heard it - and then the jade turns black and melts down Ketsuen’s face plate! Juzo hears a pitiful whimper, “Help me…” but Ketsuen grabs him and bodily throws him overboard! Juzo pinwheels mid-air, but Sôsuke swoops down on a piece of rope and grabs him before he starts to descend. Sôsuke swings wide and both men land in a tumble of arms and legs on the starboard side of the deck - undignified, but definitely better than overboard! In the main hold, Retsudo ignores Raiko’s glares and Hatsuyo’s panicked look as he finds and grabs two small clay pots of lamp oil.
Juzo disentangles himself from Sôsuke and looks up to the forecastle to see Hidaki roughly shove Captain Katsuji behind him, rank be damned. He scrambles to his feet and runs up the starboard stairs, also noting that Mika has reanimated, grabbed the obsidian blade, and is at the base of the port stairs preventing anyone from climbing up to fight Ketsuen. On the forecastle, the ashigaru Shiroi and Oya flank Ryo as best they can, uncertain as to which Ryo of the three is the real one. Ryo triggers his stored Strike of the Tsunami but holds a finger of jade in his hand when he does so. As Strike of the Tsunami lashes out at Ketsuen, he lets go of the jade and the spell propels it into Ketsuen’s chest! The monster howls as he is knocked off the stairs and lands on his back on the deck!
Kensai reaches the yahajiki and gestures for the crew to tie one end of the rope to a bolt and place the jade-tipped bolts as pikes. He then turns and runs back towards Ketsuen while heimin tie more rope on to his piece to get the length needed. Ketsuen kip-ups with surprising grace and lashes out at the ashigaru Shimura! Shimura collapses with a hole through his torso, but gets back up as undead a second later! In the hold, Retsudo grabs the medical supplies and heads for the door. Juzo holds while Ryo casts Fury of Osano-Wo a third time and Kensai runs to mid-ship.
Ketsuen leaps up to the forecastle and crushes poor Oya on the way down, punching through the ahsigaru’s torso with the force of his landing! Juzo takes advantage of Ketsuen’s split-second delaying in freeing himself from Oya’s guts to run forward and body-check Ketsuen! Once again the monster goes pin-wheeling backwards and lands on the deck! Wood splinters as he lands, but he again kip-ups - just as Retsudo steps out of the shrine. Retsudo is eye-level with the defaced Hida mon, but keeps his wits and throws one of the pots of lamp oil onto Ketsuen’s feet! The pot shatters and the lamp oil splashes up to Ketsuen’s knees.
Juzo sees Retsudo’s actions and bellows, “Light him up!” Although it was more wishful thinking on Juzo’s part than anything, Hidaki bellows, “Loose!” Shiroi fires a flaming arrow at the deck, and Ketsuen’s legs go up in flames! The monster shrieks and backpedals as Juzo growls, “Burn, you bastard. Burn!” Ryo casts Fury of Osano-Wo a fourth time and hits Ketsuen as Kensai runs up behind the monster, rope in hand. He runs in front of Ketsuen and avoids Mika’s swipe, partially securing the monster in the rope. Ketsuen plants his feet to prevent from being bowled over again, but Juzo executes a flying dropkick from the forecastle and slams into the monster! Ketsuen goes down and gets further tangled in the rope, so Fumoko screams, “Fire!”
Kensai looks horrified as the yahajiki fires at an angle out to see, and the rope drags Ketsuen - and Kensai - forward! He howls in pain as the rope abrades multiple layers of skin from his unprotected hands, but his journey comes to a sudden stop as Ketsuen slams into a jade-studded bolt, which punctures his chest cavity! Luckily, Kensai misses the bolt and Ketsuen whispers something softly before he dies. [ii] At the moment of his death, Ketsuen’s reanimated zombies all collapse, their puppet strings cut. Ryo eyes the carnage from the forecastle and says half-jokingly, “I think it best we put Fumoko-san in charge of cleanup.”
Fumoko stalks over to Kensai, dai tsuchi in hand, and growls, “Move.” Kensai scrambles out of the way and Fumoko buries the hammer into Ketsuen’s head, just to make sure. The helmet flies free, revealing the corpse stuffed into the Tainted armor. The corpse’s kimono is clearly Scorpion, which the samurai take note. Kensai tells Fumoko that he wasn’t ready or secured when she gave the order to fire; she clearly couldn’t care less. Juzo takes in the death and carnage - and then Azuma surges to the fore. Azuma descends to the deck and immediately casts Path to Inner Peace on Kensai, healing the damage to his hands. Unfortunately, Kensai will be left with heavy scarring.
[i] Game was 2/6/17; we missed last week as Tony was sick and Ralph was traveling.
[ii] “Thank you.”