Post by Bayushi Satomi on Feb 27, 2014 18:26:58 GMT
1161
New Year's Eve
Yasuki Yashiki
-Crab
New's Year Eve meets the Yasuki and their guests for a party, a great event before Yasuki's Kaneka Wedding into the Crab. The identity of his bride is a secret as Crab wishes to preserve her safety. It was Kai Satomi's suggestion, after knowing by Shiba Kaigen that persons closely related to Lady Shosuro Mai were attacked in the Winter Court. Lady Mai (Sezaru's bride) is not seen since this mysterious incident, and the Kaiu general grew concerned on what would be happening. After her failed attempt to get some valuable gossip from the Scorpion about this, she approaches to the Asako loremaster and family daimyo Chisato, in spite of his poor reputation, trying to get clues on the identity of the ronin Sakura.
It's full moon apogee and the Asako daimyo suffers from the Lord Moon's curse, changing his personality to one of a seductive and intriguing courtier. Satomi thinks he was feigning to be a bookwormish loremaster to avoid complications due his past as yoriki investigating the kolat. They spent the night together, but in the next day, the Asako daimyo returns to his usual personality and remembers not a thing of what had transpired between the two.
Third day of the Hare Month
Yasuki Yashiki -Crab
By the Evening Kaiu Satomi receives a message from a mysterious man called "Kanjiro" asking her to go to a meeting in Clear Water Village. Suspecting it can be a trap, she attends in company of a small guard, but it make the ronin to flee, not before leaving an important document. A report long lost about the investigation f kolat agents into the Crab. She demands Asako Chisato's presence, as he is the author of the report. After a conversation about this matter, they change the subject to more personal topics.
In other part of the town, Daidoji Kousei, now a shireikan, is planning to have a night of entertaiment along his subordinates in a geisha house when he meets an old friend... that he knows is being chased by the Crab guards. Sparing the former Daidoji from being caught, they share a bottle of sake and Kanjiro tell some secrets to Kousei... He tells about a kolat conspiration that survived the purge, and that probably the group intends to use Hida Reiha, who is an involuntary kolat agent, in the next wedding. In the next day, Kousei meets Satomi and Chisato at the Watchtower and tell them what he learned.
Fourth day of the Hare Month
Watchtower of the East- Crab
Kaiu Satomi takes Asako Chisato to her quarters in the Watchtower of the East, where she let him make a quick research on documents that can help them to understand what is stated in the old report Satomi was delivered by the ronin. The old investigation implied that Hida Reiha, now the Hida daimyo, is in fact a kolat agent. After some personal conversation, where Satomi tells Chisato she thinks he suffers from the Lord Moon's Curse but he didn't believe her, the Asako daimyo proceeds the research and they come closer to the truth. It is, though, a very dangerous truth. Satomi doesn't wish to involve the Asako daimyo in the investigation more than he is.
Anyway, their informal investigation comes to a halt because they need more elements to fill the blanks.
Fifth day of the Hare Month
Kyuden Hida
Chisato visits a nakodo of the Crab clan, trying to find more answers about Hida Reiha. The nakodo claims Satomi is a true Scorpion, also says Chisato already talked to her about the true origin of the geisha Hatsuko, mother of "Yasuki" Kaneka. After being hostilized by the nakodo and her family, Satomi leaves. When the Asako daimyo reunites with her at some point of the road, she shows her concern about his memory lapses, what makes him embarrassed... and strangely excited at the same time.
--
Northwest of Crab Lands
By the same time, Imperial troops are slowing advancing in Northwest of the Crab Lands, as part of their exercises. Shiba Kaigen leads his troop in his particularly non-conform way.
Sixth day of the Hare Month
Yasuki Yashiki -Crab
Samurai gather in Yasuki Yashiki to the events preceding the Wind of War's Wedding into Yasuki. Guests are being received and have the opportunity to mingle know each other.
At the arrival of the Bride to the castle, the Bride is found missing and the Crab guard reacts violently towards a group of ronin and even peasants, causing a massacre and as consequence, a riot. The true causes of this incidents were still to be investigated. In this meanwhile, Daidoji Kousei listens to the ronin's version of the incident, and Kurizumon Te saves the Bride, delivering her sound and safe to the Yasuki. Almost after the incident, Kousei tries to get Asako Chisato's advices and even help to make the right thing, but the Scholar says he'll not be much use given the lack of further information at their hands at the moment.
Later in the evening, a curious event gathers the friends of the Bride and special guests. A social gathering and showing of artsy skills (or maybe not so much), ending up with a bride in tears.
While the party occurs in the castle, Yasuki Odai is having a busy night and is interrogating a traitor of both his trust and comercial schemes. The man happened to be caught trying to steal a stash of obsidian of Odai's personal property. During the "treatment", Odai discovers the traitor is also tainted.
Seventh day of the Hare Month
Clear Water Village- Crab
In the shadow of the Yasuki wedding, there has been a DRASTIC spike in the price of Pepper. An Otomo has found some information related to the issues, and was willing to tell the truth in exchange for Daidoji Kousei's protection. Problem is, a mysterious woman (Shosuro Himitsu) is interested in get the informations before the Crane. She kidnaps the Otomo under Kousei's nose, using a brawl in a geisha house as the perfect smoke curtain for her ninja action. Daidoji Kousei is questioned by Hiruma Kenshin, and tell him about the cosnpiracy. Meanwhile, HImitsu closes a deal of protection with her "hostage", the Otomo, after interrogating him.
--
The Toritaka Daimyo shares his knowledge with worth samurai about the basics of falconry. Matsu Ayaka is one of such special individuals, as is Asako Chisato (ongoing).
--
Central Crab lands
Shiba Kaigen receives information that he's requested to attend family matters back at Phoenix lands.
Eighth day of the Hare Month
Kaneka's Wedding Day
Yasuki Yashiki- Crab
During the celebration:
Hiruma Masagaro, the Hiruma daimyo, uses the urgent request for a meeting as excuse to get rid from inconvenient courtiers at the wedding celebration. Attending his clanner Kenshin's request for a meeting and listening to his reasons, related to a conspiracy to take advantage of the war as reason to raise prices, the daimyo grants his vassal a position as clan magistrate.
Knowing that Kaiu Satomi had been investigation her personal life, Hida Reiha demanded that the general was kept for further interrogation after the end of the festivities. Satomi wasn't allowed to leave her room in the meanwhile. However, the Kaiu woman sent a message to Asako Chisato, requesting his visit. She informed him that, by that morning, two soldiers assigned to be part of the the nuptial chamber guard were found assassinated, and she believed it would mean a plan on using this kolat agents as replacement, and breach in the chamber when the newlywed couple was sleeping. She asked him to alert Kousei as well, using a lame prompted excuse. Kousei arrived later and was informed the same way. Both men returned to the main hall, trying to find a way to prevent Reiha being triggered by a kolat agent. The Asako daimyo contacted both the monk Kurimuzon Te and the Shosuro Governor Himitsu, asking for their help. he didn't give much details to them.
Himitsu sent him a symbol, showing she would help in a most discreet manner. The Dragon Monk approached the couple and offered blessings that would mantain him next to the couple through the celebration. Meanwhile, Satomi was planning to escape and join them as soon as possible.
Chisato tried to start a conversation with Hida Reiha, but failed as the Crab Champion suddenly felt ill and retired from the party.
When Reiha reaches the castle's storey destined to the high ranked guests, she was feeling sick due her pregnancy. Suddenly a heimin offers help and whispers the triggering word to her, activating the kolat agent with murder purpose. Her target was Kaneka.
Chisato went after the Crab Champion, Kousei forced his way to the floor forbidden to his station, and Satomi moments after his entrance found her way in as well. All three started to search for Reiha.
The newlywed couple retreated for their nuptial chambers accompanied by Te, who verified the room in search of intruders, using the blessings as excuse. He however wasn't able to notice the ninja Himitsu hidden in the roof shadows, waiting there in the hope she could prevent an murder attempt towards Kaneka. She wasn't however, informed of who should be the assassin.
Reiha was able to escape her persecutors, although she was disarmed by Te and lost a finger due one of Kousei's strikes. They're trying to avoid harming her furher due her pregnancy. She used a hidden passage to reach the nuptial chamber, but her acts were witnessed by a lot of guards. Trying to catch her, Kousei followed suit, followed by Te and Chisato, but someone (later it was known a geisha named Mitsuru) blew a dart on his neck and he fell unconscious. Chisato chased the geisha, and she fell from the stairs and died. Te followed Reiha through the passage. Satomi conclaimed the guards to follow her and invade the bridal chamber.
Reiha attacked Kaneka, he used reacted with expected violence and swiftness, and managed to break he tanto with the strenght of his blow, but Nozomi was hit by Reiha's attack. Before Kaneka was able to kill Reiha, Satomi and the guards entered the room and Satomi prevented the former shogun to do any harm to the pregnant woman. However, Reiha was already suffering a miscarriage. While Satomi and Kaneka were accupied trying to subdue Reiha, Nozomi was lying on a pool of her own blood. looking upwards she saw Himitsu hiding in the shadows. She was dying nevertheless. Himitsu saw it as an opportunity and decided to perform a maho ritual that would bring Nozomi back to life, however it also tainted Kaneka's wife. Some noticed the presence of a woman, but weren't able to recognize her features later. Te was concerned with Nozomi's life but even sensing something strange going on, wasn't perceptive enough to recognize its source or cause.
She returned to her senses, and with the arrival of the Shogun and Emerald Champion, and Bayushi Sunetra (who was the only able to see another ninja as herself) the involved needed to explain themselves to the authorities, so they're "invited" to remain in their rooms until they could be properly questioned.
Ninth Day of the Hare Month
Yasuki Yashiki- Crab
Day:
The Emerald champion arranged so an Emerald Magistrate, Tsuruchi Kasumi, with little experience in the position, but years of experience along the Crab, could represent him and question the involved personalities. She questioned Asako Chisato, Daidoji Kousei and Kaiu Satomi, as well as Nozomi, Kaneka, and Hida Reiha. She should present her report on the trial that would take place in the evening. Hida Reiha told to the Emerald Magistrate that s wasn't the attacker, as she'd been victim of a maho ritual in her chambers, and a double took her place and tried to kill Kaneka. The ritual was the very cause of the miscarriage she went by, and it could be witnessed by Yasuki Miliko. Kasumi tried to question Yasuki Miliko about the veracity of Reiha's words, but the woman said she wasn't in Kasumi list to be interrogated so she would only talk in the trial, if needed be.
Before being interviewed by Tsuruchi Kasumi, Kousei was visited by an Asahina Shugenja called Asahina Gonhiro. This man was in fact a kolat recruiter and tried to enlist Kousei to a Kolat faction, with no success. Kousei threatened denouncing Gonhiro, and he in response said that if Kousei did so, the kolat could find a good duelist to keep Gonhiro's honor intact.
In the Meanwhile, Shosuro Himitsu was in her room and received a unexpected visitation, from not other than her own champion. Sunetra started to question the governor about her roguish presence in the nuptial chamber, but due the unwillingness to answer such, Sunetra used other means to show to whom Himitsu should show respect. However, the champion also offered opportunity to the Shosuro to be of use to her clan, and even revealed some secrets to her, seeking to measure her loyalty.
Kenshin offered to help with the investigations and was assigned as yoriki to Tsuruchi Kasumi. She asked him to interview the Kuni shugenja responsible to provide the magic security for the event, also try to discover who was the geisha found dead by the unconscious Asako's daimyo in the hidden passage. He discovered that the "geisha" was most likely a trained agent of the kolat, by the way she died (she poisoned herself). Later he shared all the informations he gathered to Kasumi.
The Emerald Champion requested the services to a troop of Imperial Soldiers for making sure the yasuki Castle was keep in "quarantine" during the period of the trial. Shiba Kaigen was one of those Legionnares assigned to this uncommon task. That's how he was made aware that the servants of the kitchen had seen one intruder sneaking around. They tried to alert the guards and even capture the man by themselves, but according to the heimim rumors, the man succeeded sneaking in one of the castle's storage basements. He decided to investigate the matter since it could put him next to good food. With him went a Lioness Legionnaire.
At the same time, this same information reached the ears of the son of the Kano family daimyo, vassal to the Yasuki, about an intruder in their secret storage. He asked to Yasuki Odai to intervene about the search the Imperial Guards were doing. The Yasuki didn't wish to explain to the Empire the reasons for a huge amount of obsidian in their basements. Odai complied and gathered some of his henchmen, however the group had problems to pass by the overzealous guard of the Imperial Legionnaires and enter in the castle. Odai who had access to all the places, went to the basements and encountered Shiba kaigen and a Matsu samurai-ko searching for the suspect. Dismissing the Lion woman, the two men went into an agreement that anything seen down there should transpire. Then they went to one of the storage rooms. They were attacked by the kolat agent who tried to use a huge Kaiu machine to kill them, with no success. Later, Odai tortured the kolat agent and learned that Reiha was indeed a kolat agent and the man also said the triggering word before dying.
Evening:
The Emerald Champion requested the main hall of the castle to be prepared for the trial. The involved were brought in, and some influent guests were permitted to attend as well. It was the case of Ikoma Noroko, Yasuki Odai and Kakita Kanehitsu, accompanied by their respective delegations. For some, the trial was like a social event and merely reason of curiosity, as for others, it could mean their death. Tsuruchi Kasumi reported the result of her investigation, though some questions still lingered unanswered. As Hida Reiha's testimony differed from the other's testimonies, Yasuki Miliko was questioned and she reafirmed to have witnessed a "second" Reiha in the Champion's chambers, which disappeared in a blink of eyes. Miliko and Kuni Gendayu testimonies corroborated Reiha's claims.
As the testimonies of two different groups of equal influence clashed, pointing out different culprits, the Emerald Champion was about to converge the different information in order to admit the involvement of both kolat AND bloodspeakers working together in this case. To everyone's surprise, Kuni Jyiuna interrupted, not accepting that the honor of the Kuni and their work to protect the event's place of taint was being questioned by Reiha's claims. She affirmed that any bloodspeaker evidence in Reiha's room was planted to confound both Miliko and Gendayu. Kousei asked permission to speak and as soon as it was given, he recited the triggering words towards the Crab Champion.
Reiha was triggered again, and tried to kill her primary target, Kaneka, but once again he was faster than her. Reiha died from a singular manner in front of a startled court. Kaneka retired after saying to her husband, the Shogun Kuon, that he could be found easily if the man wished a duel.
Kuon was shocked by having witnessed his beloved wife's death and couldn't do anything for her. In the subsequent moments Otomo Hotekuhime tried to order Kousei's arrest, and a tumult would ensue, but Kuon recovered quickly in order to avoid further injustices. He was showing his emotions and asked the Emerald Champion to finish the trial. hachi agreed. The Shogun showed his gratitude to Kasumi, and offered Chisato free access to Crab lands, including the Kuni wastes. He also offered Kousei a position by his side in the Imperial Legions.
He tried to make Satomi the champion of the Crab clan, but his atittude was taken as an intromission in the Crab clan affairs, much to his surprise. Also, a voice raised against Satomi's nomination... Asako Chisato's, who revealed publicly that she was in fact a Scorpion and her mother wasn't a Kaiu as everyone believed until this moment.
Kuon tried to contemporize, however Kuni Jyiuna's voice joined Chisato's allegations, also implying that Satomi could be a Scorpion spy. Satomi was surprised by Chisato's revelations, but not with the ensuing accusations of being a spy. She tore off her Kaiu mon, preferring to become a ronin than living under the doubt within the Crab.
During this dire crisis in the Crab power, Satomi decided to leave instead of trying to stay, knowing how dangerous would be to resist the Crab hostility once her allies were far and back in their own homes. She didn't rebuffed the Kuni's offenses, reasoning it would be only the first among many. The only ones who tried to defend Satomi's honor were Crane.
Bayushi Sunetra used the moment to make a glorious arrival, getting all the attentions to her. She invited Satomi to return to her clan of birth, since her clan of adoption was rejecting her. Satomi accepted, becoming Bayushi Satomi.
The trial attendance dismissed shortly after this new scandal.
Forgotten through the whole tumult, Kurimuzon Te awoke hours later in his chair, only to notice he was alone in the room. He had been sleeping during all the trial.
---
Shortly after the trial, Yasuki Odai prepared a casual meeting to some hand picked acquaintances, although he was waiting to talk with both the Shogun and the Emerald Champion as long as possible. He invited Shiba Kaigen, and also included Kakita Kanehitsu, a person with whom he had only communicated by messages, to attend as well. However, later it was source of gossip through the empire, and the name of the Kakita completely oblivious in the meeting, as the rumor mentioned the sudden relationship between Odai and Kaigen.
---
In a late night meeting, Kakita Kanehitsu managed to talk with Bayushi Satomi, trying to gather more information about her and her plans for the future. He said he wa interested in depict a character based in her story in a new play he'd write. The former kaiu showed her gratitude towards the Crane since they're the only defending her of being a spy.
---
Tenth Day of the Hare Month
The day after the trial found the Emerald Magistrate Tsuruchi Kasumi wandering through the Yasuki Yashiki gardens, where she found Kakita Kanehitsu, the famous artisan. They politely pondered about the events of the night before.
--
Ikoma Noroko and Asako Chisato met in the Yasuki Yashiki library, and they come into an agreement about who is the closest to the Hida daimyonate by lineage. The name they agree upon is Hida Rohiteki, cousin to Hida Kuon, and from the same generation as his mother O-Uchi. They also agree on how to spread word about her rights (considering that Hida Kuon has no heirs that they're aware of in that moment), and Chisato decides to arrange a meeting with the Shogun firt, and after that, travel to the capitol in order to announce his findings to the Empress. They're concerned about a possible conflict about the vacant position in the crab clan, since the Shogun is away from his position as Champion and Hida daimyo to attend the Empire's interests. Noroko, however, is also concerned on how to keep "dirty" historical facts from the public Imperial timeline. Their meeting implies as well a past romantic relationship not totally forgotten by both.
Eleventh Day of the Hare Month
Yasuki Yashiki -Crab
Day:
Tsuruchi Kasumi thinks that the fact of being married to a former Hida can somehow put her children as prospective candidates to the "vacant" Hida daimyonate and even to Crab Clan Championship. She decided to consult to the Asako daimyo about her progeny's lineage. He however dismisses her concerns after a quick research. Chisato is concerned, though, that his former allies Kousei and Satomi could be angry at him. He sent them messages hoping to have an opportunity to talk to them.
Kousei attends the request first, and talks quite harshly to the Asako daimyo, mainly about his announcement in the trial (which forced Satomi to renounce the Crab in order to keep some honor). Although slightly regretting it, Chisato believes he did what was right. Kousei finally advises Chisato to talk to Satomi. Somehow, the Asako daimyo manages to imply his desire of having Kousei married into the Phoenix, much for the Daidoji's despair. With a new political entanglement, the warrior leaves.
Bayushi Satomi came next, and what ensued was a scandalous arguing about the reasons to have exposed her true lineage publicly wihtout telling her in first place. It also evolved to his memory lapses and their brief one-night romance. Apparently, both weren't able to express their feelings properly, and it progressed to threats and grief. Satomi tried to make Chisato to promise her he wouldn't never marry as she, as a widowed Scorpion, wasn't allowed to marry again by tradition. His karo prevented it to happen in the last instant, which almost caused violence. In the meanwhile, Chisato was able to grab the information that Kuon has an underage son, raised by the Dragon, and was told that his mother was an unimportant woman. Chisato planned to ask the Shogun personally about his son's mother.
Evening:
Kousei managed to invite the now Bayushi Satomi for a sparring session before both should depart to their respective duties far from Yasuki Yashiki. In the conversatin that followed, he told her about the events transpired before the trial, involving a merchant's conspiracy, and also told her about the kolat recruiter, Asahina Gonhiro. She, by her side, confided that Kuon had a heir to care about, probably the reason he preferred to have the trial finished before the race for the Crab championship started upon Reiha's fresh dead corpse. Both friends reaffirmed their vows of alliance, and parted ways.
After knowing by Satomi that the Shogun has a son, Chisato shares this information to Ikoma Noroko. She at first thinks its a lie from the vengeful Scorpion woman.
Kousei meets with Doji Tanitsu, and is praised by his role in the events at Kaneka's wedding. The Daidoji shares to his clanner his concerns about the Asako daimyo plans of marrying him into the Asako. Tanitsu advises him but also says that the final decision will stand in the hands of the Daidoji.
Twelfth Day of the Hare Month
Morning:
Clearwater Village-Crab
Kurimuzon Te didn't forget the massacre of innocents in the day before the wedding, als he was concerned about "Little Sister" Nozomi's health (rumors that she was tainted poured in the days following the attack to her bridal chamber). He messaged Bayushi Satomi and they met in Clearwater Village. She commented what she knew about Nozomi, and Kaneka's wife was indeed tainted, and had requested authorization to seppuku as she didn't wish to live as a pariah. However, due political interests, she was denied, and most probably the Kuni would treat her as well as they could. However, she didn't tell him that Nozomi was severely tainted. Te had hopes to be able to take Nozomi with him to the Dragon lands, to live along the brotherhood, and tended by Dragon sages, but Satomi alerted him about the perils of this enterprise.
He, however, have decided that the Crab horseman responsible for beheading one innocent street vendor should be punished. Satomi said where the Crab horsemen used to gather when off duty, and then both bid farewell for now, as Satomi was leaving the Crab.
---
Friendly Travellers Village- Crab
Tsuruchi Kasumi decided to arrange a meeting to the governor of the Friendly Traveller's Village, and gather more information on the results of his questioning on the captured kolat agent, and to get some Kaiu tea for herself. In their conversation, Odai partially told her what he discovered; The kolat agent revealed under torture that he was under the command of a kolat simply called "Saikan" and this man had a Crane accent. Satomi also reveals to Odai that she knows that a juzimai is wishing to kill him. Apparently, part of the plan was to drive the Yasuki family back to the Crane. He also revealed that Hachi decided to make him a diplomat on the best intrests of the Yasuki family and Crab clan. After that the subject turned to more prosaic matters and they parted ways after a while.
---
Evening:
Yasuki Yashiki- Crab
As consequence of his conversation with Doji Tanitsu in the last night night, Kousei also consults himself to Kakita Kanehitsu, which advises him to not accept and wait for the Asako's daimyo next move.
Thirteenth Day of the Hare Month
Watchtower of the East- Crab
Asako Chisato was granted with a meeting to the Shogun Hida Kuon, and the subject is the Crab sucession and Kuon's son. The Shogun uses the opportunity to consult the specialist about his bastard's rights, and is pleased with Chisato responses. He tries to preserve his son's mother's name, however Chisato figures it out, and preserves the information that Takai's mother is Satomi, in his copy of his book. The Shogun also asks Chisato to be his advocate to the Empress while announcing his decision to make his bastard the next Hida Champion when he comes of age, legitimizing the boy. Chisato accepts the task.Both also commented about the possibility of having hada Rohiteki as Hida daimyo.
Fifteenth day of the Hare Month
Yasuki Yashiki- Crab
When the Phoenix retinue is leaving the Yasuki castle, a young monk tries to grab the Asako daimyo's attention. His rude manners seems cause of trouble, however, mainly with Chisato's companion, Ikoma Noroko. Togashi Rhyodotsu wishes to know who their parents were (ongoing).
Tsuruchi Kasumi leaves the Yasuki Castle, carrying correspondence to be taken to the Imperial City, her ultimate destiny. She however plans to visit her own home back in the Mantis provinces for a couple of days.
In her route going east, she meets Shiba Kaigen, who is heading to Phoenix provinces. Both agree in travelling together.
Twentieth day of Hare Month
Friendly Travellers Village -Crab
Bayushi Satomi and two other Scorpions do a little trip to Friendly Travellers Village as the former Kaiu wishes to speak to the city governor, Yasuki Odai.They dine and them both have a private conversation. Reassuring their vows of alliance, the night is filled with a flirty mood, however both friends use the time to also share important information about the kolat activities, as Saikan's name, and the existence of a kolat among the elite of the Yasuki family. They also talk about Kousei's problem with Asahina Gonhiro, a kolat recruiter. Satomi departs by the morning, with a present and a haiku from the gallant Crab.
First and Second days of Dragon Month
Ide Provinces -Unicorn
Moto Arandaru and his small retinue arrives to the Shrine to Jurojin, as he received an invitation to visit the secluded place. Not knowing what to expect, he was hosted by the small brotherhood, and explained he would have the opportunity to visit the pinacle of the shrine.
---
When he did it in the next day, Arandaru experienced a strange vision of the future, showing a plague spreading from the Unicorn lands to the rest of the Empire, culminating with the death of both the Empress and her future heir. He also saw that he should go to the Phoenix lands.
Fifth day of the Dragon Month
Shiro Sano Kakita- Crane
Kakita Kanehitsu and Doji Hatosenshi digress about the events at Yasuki Yashiki and the destiny of Bayushi Satomi. Hatosenshi says he'll talk to Satomi and discover more.
Road
Seikitsu Mountains? Forgotten Way? -Mantis/Lion? Road
After "enjoying each other's companies" as traveller companions and having spending a couple of days in her house at the Tsuruchi Province, Tsuruchi Kasumi and Shiba Kaigen return to the road, now heading to Kyuden Seppun. Kasumi suggests to detour from the main road. After a while Kaigen finds a baby left by the road. The mysterious child is about to die and the travel companions took compassion upon the baby, deciding to feed him and take him to the next monastery. However, when they come to the monastery, they're attacked by the "monks". Both travellers defeated the group, only to discover that they aren't monks in reality, but most likely were ronin who killed the actual monks and took them places. Both noticed that the target of the attack was the baby, makes the couple to wonder who the child is in truth. However, they decide to reach Kyuden Seppun as soon as possible, and Kasumi takes upon herself the responsibility about both the child and the investigation on the reasons the ronin wished the baby dead. They detoured in an Ikoma outpost, and the incident with the false monks caused their journey to delay more than expected.
Seventh day of Dragon
Shiro Daidoji -Crane
After requesting permission for a duel to death to clean his honor, Kousei, now made commander of the Second Legion, has his reply and permission. Though he wasn't prepared to know that Asahina Gonhiro was able to find an spetacular duelist to face him. Kakita Kyruko was representing the kolat agent in this duel. Knowing that he wouldnt be match for this formidable opponent, Kousei sent letter to Satomi asking her to tell about Gonhiro to Tsuruchi Kasumi, the chief-investigator on kolat affairs.
Three Sides River -Contested Area
Satomi was travelling with the Scorpion retinue heading to the Imperial City, when she received a letter from Kousei, announcing the duel and the opponent. All she could do was to use her influence and contact Odai, telling him to intervene as possible.
Ninth day of Dragon
Shiro Daidoji- Crane
Surprinsigly for him, he receives the unexpected visit of Yasuki Odai, wishing to talk about the duel. Odai revelead to know that Gonhiro was a kolat and that he was an ally against them. Implying that he would work to get some advantage to Kousei in the duel, Odai departed.
In the next day, everything is prepared for the duel and both opponents are in their places, surrounded by an audience, when Doji Hanashimi arrives bringing an edict from the Crane Champion forbidding the duel. Both sides have to explain the reasons for calling a duel to death, depriving the clan of either a governor or a Imperial commander. It was due the machinations of Odai, Satomi and Hanashimi that the Crane Champion was made aware of the challenge.
Neither Kyruko or Gonhiro shows displeasure with the interruption, in fact, Kyruko acts very seductively towards Kousei. He later goes after her, and receives and invitation to visit her as soon as his duties allow. Soon after it, he heads north, to the capitol.
Clearwater Village- Crab
Kurimuzon Te spent the month working as assistant in the Pink Chrysanthemum, only for the opportunity of keeping an eye in its customers and be able to spot the man who beheaded one innocent heimin in the eve of the Kaneka's wedding. In the best moment, he ambushed the Crab horseman, but he didn't killed him... he broke all his bones in a way the man would never be able to mount again. After that, he left in search of his bosu, or even his bosu's sister, Bayushi Satomi.
Fifteenth day of Dragon
Shiro Sano Kakita -Crane
Yasuki Odai decides to attend Kakita Kanehitsu's invitation to visit the Crane. Letter exchanges, haikai and tea, and lots of courtesy, ensues (ongoing).
Three Sides River- Contested Area
As mentioned later by Bayushi Satomi, she investigates the floating Geisha House and the geisha Mitsuru, probably the kolat agent connected to the events at Yasuki Yashiki.
Nineteenth day of Dragon
The Bayushi delegation arrives to Kyuden Seppun.
Twentieth day of the Dragon
Kasumi and Kaigen arrive to Kyuden Seppun. The Mantis woman arranges for the baby to be taken care by a wet nurse, and seeks the assistance of a Kitsu shugenja at the Lion Embassy. Kaigen presents himself to the Imperial Legion Office, planning to leave as soon as possible to Phoenix lands.
Kitsu Hiraku attends the magistrate request, and offers help to discover the mystery surrounding the child's identity, as long as she provide some important information. Kasumi agrees and seeks assistance to Kaigen. However, he's dismissive, as he didn't like the experience of having a child under his care, and is looking forward travelling again as soon as possible.
Twenty-first day of the Dragon
Kyuden Seppun
As Kasumi delivered the information requested by the Lion Shugenja, Hiraku was able to start investigating the events surrounding the monastery and the mysterious child, starting by the Lion in the Embassy. He starts preparing to travel.
Kasumi goes to the Crab Embassy, and requests help from the Kuni, as to check whether the child is tainted. After a brief examination the Kuni says the boy has no trace of taint, which is relieving for Kasumi.
Twenty-third day of the Dragon Month
Kyuden Seppun
Hana Matsuri - The Imperial court celebrates the Cherry Blossom Festival. Bayushi Satomi, Tsuruchi Kasumi and Kakita Kanehitsu meets in the event.
Twenty-fourth day of the Dragon Month
Kyuden Seppun
Day:
As accorded the day before, Kasumi and Satomi had a meeting, as requested by the latter in a letter. Satomi tells to the Emerald Magistrate what Kousei asked her to, about Asahina Gonhiro's role as a kolat agent. Satomi also reveals she had been investigating who was the geisha found dead at Yasuki Yashiki, and that the woman was probably a geisha formerly living in a floating geisha house by the Three Sides River. This woman has been missing since a strange Crane visited her, months ago.
During the meeting, Satomi receives a message from her champion, demanding that she takes care of a crime scene. For Satomi, it was arranged so Kasumi should be invited to witness the scene. However, she complies and takes the magistrate to see the crime scene. They find Shosuro Mai, betrothed to Sezaru, dead in her chamber. Satomi was made aware that Sezaru was the last person with the woman. Aparently, she commited jigai, however a brief examination shows she has signs of being tied and killed. There are some letters possibly previously written by the dead woman. Later, their suspicions about a murder were corroborated by a Kitsuki assistant and his scientific method of investigation.
Kasumi takes charge of the investigation. Satomi was asked to bring the yojimbo of Lady Mai, but the Bayushi yojimbo was off duty by the time of the crime, and the Seppun yojimbo wasn't willing to witness against Sezaru, so Satomi allowed him to kill himself, though she later told everyone that the men took her sword and killed himself before she could do something to prevent it.
Later, Kasumi managed to talk to Sezaru, and he confirmed Satomi's version that he and his fiancée used to disagree, though he seemed a bit unsure in some parts of his testimony, he delivered to the magistrate the letter supposedly written by Shosuro Mai. He had used a spell to discover her thoughts during the moment she wrote that, and it only showed that she was concerned of have doing something wrong.
Afternoon:
While Kasumi was interviewing Sezaru, Satomi was taking notes about the crime in her journal, when she felt a strange presence nearby, spying on her. Investigating, she found a secret passage, but when she went into it, she was attacked and passed out, only to awake some time later, being tended by Miya Gensaiken. She questioned about his presence but he told her a good reason to be there. Later she noticed that her journal was missing. However, Gensaiken let slip that perhaps would be someone very obsessed by Sezaru, in a romantic way.
A bit after that, Sunetra sends a messenger deliver an item found in Lady Mai's belongings. The Champion wishes the item investigated and thinks that Satomi can have answers as she has friends into the Unicorn. Satomi knows it was a meishodo, and wonders why Shosuro Mai had one in her possession. She goes to the Unicorn Embasssy trying to make contact to Moto Arandaru, and leaves for a tea house.
Evening:
Satomi was enjoying tea in a teahouse near the castle when Kasumi arrived. Both women started to talk about the investigation, and Satomi notices that Arandaru is in the same room as they. So she tells Kasumi abou the item and invites Arandaru to their table. The Moto, surprised that Satomi became a Scorpion, comes to the table, and listening to her help request, examines the meishodo. He says the item was intended to protect against rogue servants of death. The mystery on how Mai possessed such a item, remains, though (ongoing).
---
A bit later, Tsuruchi Kasumi decides to dedicate some time to her main investigation on the kolat activities, and after listening about the geisha Mitsuru from Three Sides River, has plans to question the geisha from Kyuden Seppun about the missing geisha, reasoning that all the geisha belongs to an universe of their own, and therefore, could have information form a geisha in other provinces. At the same time, Daidoji Kousei, who was passing time with a maiko, discovers through the indiscreet geisha aprentice that her big sister knows a lot of secrets regarding politics and Yasuki Provinces. He also learns that the geisha is looking for a new patron since her older danna, an Otomo, disappeared. Relating this information with the Otomo mysteriously taken in front of his eyes in a Crab sake house, he decides to have a meeting with this geisha and maybe gather some information.
Kasumi and Kousei meet in the street and he asks her help as backup.
However, they don't have any luck, probably due the presence of an Emerald Magistrate acting as such to approach the geisha.
---
Arandaru accepts to visit the crime scene and use the meishodo in an attempt to get more clues about the murder. Kasumi leaves and Satomi and Arandaru have a conversation, when he told her about the prophecies he had when he visited the Shrine to Jurojin in the Ide Provinces.
Twenty-fifth day of the Dragon Month
Kyuden Seppun
Morning
:
In the next day, by the morning, Arandaru meets the two women in the room where the crime occurred, and told them he discovered who made the meishodo. A Death Priest Called Moto Tsusung. This men was unreachable by the moment, however he had a friend amongst the Seppun Guardsmen, Shinjo Herikou, which could be the missing link between the Death Priest and Sezaru's assassinated bride-to-be. After that, he prayed for his deities, and after a trance, he revealed that the assassin was a woman. While he was in the trance, Kasumi, who was holding the amulet at the moment, saw something she later described as "an oni".
Arandaru said he needed to retreat his offering of help, as his duties to his clan claimed his attention.
Not sure in what to believe, the women needed more clues to continue the investigation.
---
By the end of this morning Kasumi, who is still trying to find out who is the mysterious baby she and Shiba Kaigen found, received representatives of clan which had children kidnapped in the last month. Satomi was indicated to go as she knew Kasumi, as did Kaigen. After some basic inquiries, some clans were dismissed as the information they provided didn't matched with the information Kasumi possessed about the baby. Crane, Dragon and Scorpion remained. Satomi offered to bring a shugenja of her clan to help, and informed that the Scorpion wished to adopt the baby in the case his parents weren't found. The other clans also offered to bring shugenja. Kasumi scheduled the shugenja visits for the afternoon.
Satomi used the opportunity to invite Kaigen for a casual meeting. She planned to inquire him discreetly and gather new details about the attack he suffered in company of Lady Shosuro Mai (disguised as Sakura), in the Winter Court. He agreed to meet her in the end of the day.
Finally, the group of shugenja comes to the conclusion the baby is an Asahina, and his family takes him to his family, concluding the mystery.
Afternoon: Satomi meets Kaigen in a sake house and asks his help to identify the assassin of Lady Mai (ongoing).
Twenty-sixth day of the Dragon Month
Golden Sun Bay
In her day off, Satomi decided to visit her sister-in-law, a former Kaiu married to a Tsi, living in one of the Hubs near the Ruined City. There, she listened about the Ghosts of Dawn Tower. As the history intrigued her, she decided to gather more information. Discovering there was an Imperial Edict requesting help to retrieve an object belonging to the Kasuga family from the ruins of the Tower, Satomi decided to give it a try and started to recruit a party to retrieve the object and identify the source of unnatural activities reported by all who tried to explore the ruins. After hearing the name of Hida Izo, her childhood friend she had lost contact for 10 years, she decided to sent him a message, knowing he was in Kyuden Seppun. She also invited Tsuruchi Kasumi, knowing an Emerald Magistrate and excellent warrior would be an interesting asset in the group. She asked help of two shugenja, Kitsu Hiraku and Moto Arandaru, though the latter just came to deliver her a message, and left. While she was waiting their arrival in an teahouse called Green Koi, Kurimuzon Te, the monk she had met in Yasuki Yashiki, showed up, looking for her.
In the conversation they had, Kurimuzon asked if Satomi had information about the whereabouts of her half-brother Yoru. Although she hadn't, she proposed to find out. He told her he had been Yoru's yojimbo but they parted ways temporarily in yasuki Yashiki. Te believed he needed to return to Dragon lands and train more, as he felt as the unfortunate destiny of Yasuki Nozomi (Little Sister) could be avoided if he was more prepared. After listening to his plans, Satomi asked him if they could travel together in a few weeks, as she was also going to Dragon provinces. She also asked him to join her raid to the Dawn Tower, which he accepted.
Twenty-seventh day of the Dragon Month
Golden Sun Bay
When the party was reunited (though hida Izo still hadn't joined them), they planned what to do. They decided to gather more information. Kasumi returned to the capitol and visited the library. The Lion shugenja preferred to do some rituals alone, and Kurimuzon decided to question a ronin that had visited the haunted place. In his way back to the inn, Te was attacked by ronin, but had little trouble in dealing with them in his own terms.
When they returned, Hida Izo joined the group, attending Satomi's request. In a moment, the group noticed they were being spied. It erupted into a fight inside the teahouse, and they discovered that a group of ronin intended to rob the item after they retrieved it from the ruins. Beating them and after it, interrogating one of them, they discovered the item was a nemuranai that granted wealth to those yelding it.
The adventure in the Tower started with few incidents until they discovered a tunnel leading to the underground. Folowing it they found a net of tunnels. In one of them, they found the room where the nemuranai was. The Amethyst Crown_ however, apparently only Hida Izo was able to identify the item, although he didn't share the information to the others.
Suddenly, a maddened shugenja, probably its keeper, attacked the group, in the same moment Tsuruchi Kasumi was pulled back by strange forces that imprisoned the rest of the group in the room, slamming its heavy stone door shut but taking Kasumi with them. They faced the poor shugenja and killed him quickly, then discussed on what to do to escape the room and save Kasumi. In this meanwhile, Kasumi was surrounded by gaki, when the Oni Akuma intervened, with the help of several fortunes. Kasumi was said she was bearing a child of a great destiny, and that's why they intervened. She was advised to keep an jade amulet she was gifted always with her, and after the birth of the child, keep it all the time with the baby. After this amazing intervention, Kasumi returned from her moment in the Yumi and freed her companions. At first they didn't believe her, but the first priority was to leave the place.
They had a rest in the teahouse and decided to communicate the Jade magistrates, the Kasuga and the Imperial Chancellary about the gaki presence in the Dawn Tower, and the nemuranai they retrieved.
Twenty-eighth day of the Dragon Month
Kyuden Seppun
Evening:
A sudden and heavy rain falls upon Kyuden Seppun, and some samurai find themselves reunited in an obscure inn in the outskirts of the city. Kasumi meets Kaigen, a young Emerald magistrate called Matsu Torako and they were joined by Hida Izo. After a while, a samurai in musha shugyo asks permission to join their table, which is granted. The ronin presents himself as taro, and proposes a game of storytelling, themed by the Seven Virtues of Bushido, randomly sorted out from glass pebbles he has with him. Sincerity came to Kaigen, Courtesy to Izo, Loyalty to Kasumi, and Duty to Toroko. Every of them told a tale involving their own lives, as examples of those Tenets. In a point, Hida Izo tries to anger the ronin, but the ronin said he can solve their differences through a duel, if the Hida stands for it. Hida Izo doesn't, and then the ronin starts his tale. After that, he bids them farewell, and they have a glimpse of his true self_ a kenku.
After that, the group arranges themselves for the night: the ladies choose to play go, Kaigen decides to take a nap and Izo leaves to meet someone, not fearing the rainy night.
Late Night:
Hida Izo returns to the castle, from his meeting with a kenku in an obscure inn in the outskirts of Kyuden Seppun. He plans to see Bayushi Satomi. She receives him in the Scorpion quarters, and in the first moment the conversation seems to not advance in the way he'd like. After testing her identity, he relaxes and they flirt, Izo asks her intervention for a meeting with her champion, while Satomi tolds him about an attack she suffered in her own room, when she discovered a hidden tunnel. He offers to investigate and they go to her room. While exploring the tunnel, they find themselves behind a panel where they can listen to Naseru and Sunetra plotting about Kaneka and Sezaru. Although what they listened was little, it could give them knowledge that the couple is working together for their own interests. They also learn that Kaneka has mysterious allies supporting his ideas, although they hadn't time to learn who they were before Sunetra noticed they were been spied. An alarm of intruders in the castle is rung, and Satomi and Izo had little time to return to her room before the Seppun started investigating. Knowing the room with the passage would soon be checked, Izo proposes to pretend they were having sex and knew nothing about the tunnel. It indeed worked as planned.
After that, Izo offered his hospitality in his room, Satomi confessed she was having a hard time adapting into the Scorpion. Their conversation led to real sex, something anticipated for both since ever.
First day of the Serpent Month
Morning:
By the dawn, Izo reinforced his request for an appointment with the Scorpion Champion, and asked her about her future travel to the Dragon. She didn't know he knew it, and then he revealed that the Crab Champion requested him to accompany her in this travel, Satomi considers it a maneuver to ensure she delivers Takai, her son to the Crab Champion, she's going to retrieve from the Dragon Care. She showed her displeasure, but Izo ignored it. They parted way: Satomi had a meeting to her Champion where she was lectured on what to deal with the Crab from now on, while the Chief Emerald Magistrate went for his business.
Evening:
Hida Izo attended the Scorpion Embassy, where Satomi was ready to attend him as diplomat to the Crab. Sunetra refused to attend a Crab, since the relation between both clans was cold after their insult (without proof) to Scorpion's honor when Satoi was accused of being a Spy into the Crab. Izo directly proposes to fix this diplomatic incident by offering the support of the Crab to an candidate to Imperial Spouse chosen by the Scorpion. The Scorpion replied they gladly accepted Crab support, but that their candidate was most probably to be a Crane, Asahina Sekawa. The Scorpion makes clear that they expect a formal retractation from Crab, including a punishment to Kuni Jyiuna. Izo seems compliant in name of his clan, and also seems to have plans in offer Crab support to Crane.
Second Day of the Serpent Month
Morning:
Kaigen Kasumi and Satomi met and decide a course of action. They believe that they will manage to identify Mai's assassin in a sattelite figure to Shosuro Sezaru. So they plan to promove an opportunity to make Kaigen be in a position where he can abserve Sezaru's friends and retinue. The ideal moment is during the Chimes of Purity Ceremony, scheduled to happen whithin a couple of days. To that, Kaigen needs a fancy kimono... And Kasumi offers to help him get one.They go for a tailor, where they find Yoritomo Rokuro, a friend of Kasumi and diplomat for the Mantis in Kyuden Seppun.
Rokuro then helps Kaigen to find the perfect kimono, when Kasumi needs to excuse herself and attend an urgent matter. This visit to the tailor seems to be the triggering event to a gossip that will stain Kasumi's and Kaigen's honor, as they were depicted as lovers by the rumormongers.
Afternoon:
Kasumi and Izo tries to solve a delicate matter: a peasant posed as samurai and got himself in the First Legion. When his farce was discovered, he took a Otomo girl as hostage to pledge amnesty. Kasumi and Izo act quite diplomatically and find a solution, promising the man he can be a ji-samurai into the Crab.
In the meanwhile, Yoritomo Rokuro goes to Scorpion Embassy, where he meets a Scorpion diplomat. he seeks support to Mantis plans of holding the next Winter Court in Kyuden Gotei. The Scorpion proposes to be the ones securing that the palace has the necessary safety to hold such important event. The Mantis diplomat says he's going to ask permission from teh Ambassador to seal the deal.
After his departure, the Scorpino diplomat receive new orders from his superiors, seeming to involve a new polotical plot.
Evening/ Night:
Izo invited Satomi to a dinner in a posh place, and once there, brought back the subject of wishing to see her Champion. Satomi said that he could try to "casually" meet Sunetra in her return from the Wolf's Legion Encampment. They then rode to meet the Scorpion group. Once they met, the Scorpions were uneasy in spite of whatever Satomi delivered as message to Sunetra. Izo got his chance to speak, but he threatened the Clan of Secrets to kill everyone in the group if something of their talk transpired. It put Satomi in a dire situation, s Izo was offending her clan and became obvious that she wasn't in control of the situation. She demanded him to rectify his words, pointing a blade to him. Sunetra gave him a chance to live if what he was about to tell was interesting enough to the Scorpion. Izo then, told the Scorpion Champion about his investigation on the gaijin's increasing presence and what he found to be related with the Nothing. It indeed grabbed Sunetra's attention, and not only had she spared his life as she extended him an invitation to visit her in Kyuden Bayushi so they could speak more about the matter. She also nominated Bayushi Sotaro (who Izo recognized by his former name, Keitaro) to be the Scorpion contact. Satomi followed with her champion and was later ordered to join the Scorpion delegation returning home. All her other duties in Kyuden Seppun were suspended.
Kakita Sojiro, a wandering duelist, meets a strange heimin girl babbling prophecies in a dark alleyway. He discovers she's "Akko, the prophetess", that's how people uses to call her in Kyuden Seppun. The girl uses to roam the city uttering prophecies of an ill wind and a garden of blood, something related to By chance, Kurimuzon te and Tsuruchi Kasumi also joined then when the girl is trying to convince the Crane she's not mad.
They learn that she's been through torture and went through the Fall of Otosan Uchi, when she lost her mother. She claims to have been tortured by an imposter posing as her mother's patron, a Phoenix shugenja. After that she started to listen to "voices of the dead". However she's able to convince them she's telling the truth when they realize she knows things about people close to them who are already dead.
She says she needs to be in touch with the famed Chimes of Purity, but when she aksed to the Brotherhood they denied it. The Seppun daimyo even ordered her to not come close to the sacred bells under death's penalty. The group promise to think something to make it possible.
Third day of the Serpent Month:
Morning:
Izo received a letter from Satomi announcing she's going to leave the city to attend other duties of her clan. Other versions of this same general content were sent to Kasumi, Kaigen and Kurimuzon Te.
Kurimuzon Te goes to the Embassy of the Dragon, where one of the chimes is. He talks to some monks about legends involving bells, and gather lots of information, including the true story of the Chuda family.
Kasumi, Sojiro and Akko go to Crane Embassy, and there they manage to get as closer as possible from the bell. Akko enters in a trance, as does Sojiro. He sees the figure of his beloved late fiancée, who tells him great evil hides in the form of goodness into the heart of Phoenix. She also starts to talk something about a Black Scroll. However, his trance is broken when a monk recognizes Akko and breaks her concentration and connection with the spirit of the bell. He demands her to leave; she makes a scene when the guards take her. Kasumi and Sojiro try to come to an agreement with the monk, but he seems irreducible in following the previous orders. That's when Te arrives and protects Akko, giving a stern speech on the monk who's not "seeing with the heart of a child". Akko seems to believe that they must toll the bells so every of them will be able to "hear" the true voice of someone, thus identifying if she's evil or not. She explains this to Te. Kasumi overhears, and insists with the monk to be able to get the bells tolled. However, it does not suffice for Akko, who recognized Te, Kasumi and Sojiro as agents of the prophecy. She recognizes it as defeat, and confessing she wasn't able to convince them to be the ones tolling the bells (Te, however, spontaneously complied). Akko's spirit was then requested by Emma-O, who had permitted Akko to return from the dead by Jizo's request just to make this prophecy. She returned to dust in a few seconds, under the astonished gaze of the presents. But not before she made her final "prophecy" about the return of the Chuda family as Shadowlands minions.
Later, she was made Fortune of Humility by the Empress, and her claims were investigated and proved true in the next months.
Afternoon:
Izo and Sotaro met, have conversation about the Lying Darkness. They set up a plan on what to do to investigate the recent activities it with reinforcements of Scorpion. Izo shows Sotaro a dagger made of Krysteel he believes to be related with one of the murders he's investigating and that seem to be related to Lying Darkness, which intrigues the elder.
They also prepare to leave Kyuden Seppun and go to Kyuden Bayushi, as requested by Sunetra. Izo is under impression he's being constantly tested by the Scorpion…
Satomi is on the road along the Scorpion delegation that is coming home, when she receives a message from Mattori, a friend of Yasuki Odai, her ally. The message says Odai is in danger. She decides to attend his request to meet him in the outskirts of Kuden Seppun.
The ronin tells her he believes Odai was replaced by a double. When they are talking, a Kakita duelist and old friend of Mattori joins them. (ongoing)
Fourth Day of the Serpent Month:
Afternoon:
The long Chimes of Purity Ceremony comes to its end without any important incident. Kasumi is already aware of the rumors about her and Kaigen, and to avoid furthering them, she opts to keep some distance of her friend, at least in public. Both, however, are attending the ceremony with the sole purpose of finding Mai's assassin within Sezaru's retinue. Both notice that Myia Gensaiken leaves the pavilion before the bells toll. They also notice Soshi Angai eyed Kaigen with some interest. Kasumi decides to try a conversation with Sezaru, while Kaigen decides to follow Gensaiken (ongoing).
New Year's Eve
Yasuki Yashiki
-Crab
New's Year Eve meets the Yasuki and their guests for a party, a great event before Yasuki's Kaneka Wedding into the Crab. The identity of his bride is a secret as Crab wishes to preserve her safety. It was Kai Satomi's suggestion, after knowing by Shiba Kaigen that persons closely related to Lady Shosuro Mai were attacked in the Winter Court. Lady Mai (Sezaru's bride) is not seen since this mysterious incident, and the Kaiu general grew concerned on what would be happening. After her failed attempt to get some valuable gossip from the Scorpion about this, she approaches to the Asako loremaster and family daimyo Chisato, in spite of his poor reputation, trying to get clues on the identity of the ronin Sakura.
It's full moon apogee and the Asako daimyo suffers from the Lord Moon's curse, changing his personality to one of a seductive and intriguing courtier. Satomi thinks he was feigning to be a bookwormish loremaster to avoid complications due his past as yoriki investigating the kolat. They spent the night together, but in the next day, the Asako daimyo returns to his usual personality and remembers not a thing of what had transpired between the two.
Third day of the Hare Month
Yasuki Yashiki -Crab
By the Evening Kaiu Satomi receives a message from a mysterious man called "Kanjiro" asking her to go to a meeting in Clear Water Village. Suspecting it can be a trap, she attends in company of a small guard, but it make the ronin to flee, not before leaving an important document. A report long lost about the investigation f kolat agents into the Crab. She demands Asako Chisato's presence, as he is the author of the report. After a conversation about this matter, they change the subject to more personal topics.
In other part of the town, Daidoji Kousei, now a shireikan, is planning to have a night of entertaiment along his subordinates in a geisha house when he meets an old friend... that he knows is being chased by the Crab guards. Sparing the former Daidoji from being caught, they share a bottle of sake and Kanjiro tell some secrets to Kousei... He tells about a kolat conspiration that survived the purge, and that probably the group intends to use Hida Reiha, who is an involuntary kolat agent, in the next wedding. In the next day, Kousei meets Satomi and Chisato at the Watchtower and tell them what he learned.
Fourth day of the Hare Month
Watchtower of the East- Crab
Kaiu Satomi takes Asako Chisato to her quarters in the Watchtower of the East, where she let him make a quick research on documents that can help them to understand what is stated in the old report Satomi was delivered by the ronin. The old investigation implied that Hida Reiha, now the Hida daimyo, is in fact a kolat agent. After some personal conversation, where Satomi tells Chisato she thinks he suffers from the Lord Moon's Curse but he didn't believe her, the Asako daimyo proceeds the research and they come closer to the truth. It is, though, a very dangerous truth. Satomi doesn't wish to involve the Asako daimyo in the investigation more than he is.
Anyway, their informal investigation comes to a halt because they need more elements to fill the blanks.
Fifth day of the Hare Month
Kyuden Hida
Chisato visits a nakodo of the Crab clan, trying to find more answers about Hida Reiha. The nakodo claims Satomi is a true Scorpion, also says Chisato already talked to her about the true origin of the geisha Hatsuko, mother of "Yasuki" Kaneka. After being hostilized by the nakodo and her family, Satomi leaves. When the Asako daimyo reunites with her at some point of the road, she shows her concern about his memory lapses, what makes him embarrassed... and strangely excited at the same time.
--
Northwest of Crab Lands
By the same time, Imperial troops are slowing advancing in Northwest of the Crab Lands, as part of their exercises. Shiba Kaigen leads his troop in his particularly non-conform way.
Sixth day of the Hare Month
Yasuki Yashiki -Crab
Samurai gather in Yasuki Yashiki to the events preceding the Wind of War's Wedding into Yasuki. Guests are being received and have the opportunity to mingle know each other.
At the arrival of the Bride to the castle, the Bride is found missing and the Crab guard reacts violently towards a group of ronin and even peasants, causing a massacre and as consequence, a riot. The true causes of this incidents were still to be investigated. In this meanwhile, Daidoji Kousei listens to the ronin's version of the incident, and Kurizumon Te saves the Bride, delivering her sound and safe to the Yasuki. Almost after the incident, Kousei tries to get Asako Chisato's advices and even help to make the right thing, but the Scholar says he'll not be much use given the lack of further information at their hands at the moment.
Later in the evening, a curious event gathers the friends of the Bride and special guests. A social gathering and showing of artsy skills (or maybe not so much), ending up with a bride in tears.
While the party occurs in the castle, Yasuki Odai is having a busy night and is interrogating a traitor of both his trust and comercial schemes. The man happened to be caught trying to steal a stash of obsidian of Odai's personal property. During the "treatment", Odai discovers the traitor is also tainted.
Seventh day of the Hare Month
Clear Water Village- Crab
In the shadow of the Yasuki wedding, there has been a DRASTIC spike in the price of Pepper. An Otomo has found some information related to the issues, and was willing to tell the truth in exchange for Daidoji Kousei's protection. Problem is, a mysterious woman (Shosuro Himitsu) is interested in get the informations before the Crane. She kidnaps the Otomo under Kousei's nose, using a brawl in a geisha house as the perfect smoke curtain for her ninja action. Daidoji Kousei is questioned by Hiruma Kenshin, and tell him about the cosnpiracy. Meanwhile, HImitsu closes a deal of protection with her "hostage", the Otomo, after interrogating him.
--
The Toritaka Daimyo shares his knowledge with worth samurai about the basics of falconry. Matsu Ayaka is one of such special individuals, as is Asako Chisato (ongoing).
--
Central Crab lands
Shiba Kaigen receives information that he's requested to attend family matters back at Phoenix lands.
Eighth day of the Hare Month
Kaneka's Wedding Day
Yasuki Yashiki- Crab
During the celebration:
Hiruma Masagaro, the Hiruma daimyo, uses the urgent request for a meeting as excuse to get rid from inconvenient courtiers at the wedding celebration. Attending his clanner Kenshin's request for a meeting and listening to his reasons, related to a conspiracy to take advantage of the war as reason to raise prices, the daimyo grants his vassal a position as clan magistrate.
Knowing that Kaiu Satomi had been investigation her personal life, Hida Reiha demanded that the general was kept for further interrogation after the end of the festivities. Satomi wasn't allowed to leave her room in the meanwhile. However, the Kaiu woman sent a message to Asako Chisato, requesting his visit. She informed him that, by that morning, two soldiers assigned to be part of the the nuptial chamber guard were found assassinated, and she believed it would mean a plan on using this kolat agents as replacement, and breach in the chamber when the newlywed couple was sleeping. She asked him to alert Kousei as well, using a lame prompted excuse. Kousei arrived later and was informed the same way. Both men returned to the main hall, trying to find a way to prevent Reiha being triggered by a kolat agent. The Asako daimyo contacted both the monk Kurimuzon Te and the Shosuro Governor Himitsu, asking for their help. he didn't give much details to them.
Himitsu sent him a symbol, showing she would help in a most discreet manner. The Dragon Monk approached the couple and offered blessings that would mantain him next to the couple through the celebration. Meanwhile, Satomi was planning to escape and join them as soon as possible.
Chisato tried to start a conversation with Hida Reiha, but failed as the Crab Champion suddenly felt ill and retired from the party.
When Reiha reaches the castle's storey destined to the high ranked guests, she was feeling sick due her pregnancy. Suddenly a heimin offers help and whispers the triggering word to her, activating the kolat agent with murder purpose. Her target was Kaneka.
Chisato went after the Crab Champion, Kousei forced his way to the floor forbidden to his station, and Satomi moments after his entrance found her way in as well. All three started to search for Reiha.
The newlywed couple retreated for their nuptial chambers accompanied by Te, who verified the room in search of intruders, using the blessings as excuse. He however wasn't able to notice the ninja Himitsu hidden in the roof shadows, waiting there in the hope she could prevent an murder attempt towards Kaneka. She wasn't however, informed of who should be the assassin.
Reiha was able to escape her persecutors, although she was disarmed by Te and lost a finger due one of Kousei's strikes. They're trying to avoid harming her furher due her pregnancy. She used a hidden passage to reach the nuptial chamber, but her acts were witnessed by a lot of guards. Trying to catch her, Kousei followed suit, followed by Te and Chisato, but someone (later it was known a geisha named Mitsuru) blew a dart on his neck and he fell unconscious. Chisato chased the geisha, and she fell from the stairs and died. Te followed Reiha through the passage. Satomi conclaimed the guards to follow her and invade the bridal chamber.
Reiha attacked Kaneka, he used reacted with expected violence and swiftness, and managed to break he tanto with the strenght of his blow, but Nozomi was hit by Reiha's attack. Before Kaneka was able to kill Reiha, Satomi and the guards entered the room and Satomi prevented the former shogun to do any harm to the pregnant woman. However, Reiha was already suffering a miscarriage. While Satomi and Kaneka were accupied trying to subdue Reiha, Nozomi was lying on a pool of her own blood. looking upwards she saw Himitsu hiding in the shadows. She was dying nevertheless. Himitsu saw it as an opportunity and decided to perform a maho ritual that would bring Nozomi back to life, however it also tainted Kaneka's wife. Some noticed the presence of a woman, but weren't able to recognize her features later. Te was concerned with Nozomi's life but even sensing something strange going on, wasn't perceptive enough to recognize its source or cause.
She returned to her senses, and with the arrival of the Shogun and Emerald Champion, and Bayushi Sunetra (who was the only able to see another ninja as herself) the involved needed to explain themselves to the authorities, so they're "invited" to remain in their rooms until they could be properly questioned.
Ninth Day of the Hare Month
Yasuki Yashiki- Crab
Day:
The Emerald champion arranged so an Emerald Magistrate, Tsuruchi Kasumi, with little experience in the position, but years of experience along the Crab, could represent him and question the involved personalities. She questioned Asako Chisato, Daidoji Kousei and Kaiu Satomi, as well as Nozomi, Kaneka, and Hida Reiha. She should present her report on the trial that would take place in the evening. Hida Reiha told to the Emerald Magistrate that s wasn't the attacker, as she'd been victim of a maho ritual in her chambers, and a double took her place and tried to kill Kaneka. The ritual was the very cause of the miscarriage she went by, and it could be witnessed by Yasuki Miliko. Kasumi tried to question Yasuki Miliko about the veracity of Reiha's words, but the woman said she wasn't in Kasumi list to be interrogated so she would only talk in the trial, if needed be.
Before being interviewed by Tsuruchi Kasumi, Kousei was visited by an Asahina Shugenja called Asahina Gonhiro. This man was in fact a kolat recruiter and tried to enlist Kousei to a Kolat faction, with no success. Kousei threatened denouncing Gonhiro, and he in response said that if Kousei did so, the kolat could find a good duelist to keep Gonhiro's honor intact.
In the Meanwhile, Shosuro Himitsu was in her room and received a unexpected visitation, from not other than her own champion. Sunetra started to question the governor about her roguish presence in the nuptial chamber, but due the unwillingness to answer such, Sunetra used other means to show to whom Himitsu should show respect. However, the champion also offered opportunity to the Shosuro to be of use to her clan, and even revealed some secrets to her, seeking to measure her loyalty.
Kenshin offered to help with the investigations and was assigned as yoriki to Tsuruchi Kasumi. She asked him to interview the Kuni shugenja responsible to provide the magic security for the event, also try to discover who was the geisha found dead by the unconscious Asako's daimyo in the hidden passage. He discovered that the "geisha" was most likely a trained agent of the kolat, by the way she died (she poisoned herself). Later he shared all the informations he gathered to Kasumi.
The Emerald Champion requested the services to a troop of Imperial Soldiers for making sure the yasuki Castle was keep in "quarantine" during the period of the trial. Shiba Kaigen was one of those Legionnares assigned to this uncommon task. That's how he was made aware that the servants of the kitchen had seen one intruder sneaking around. They tried to alert the guards and even capture the man by themselves, but according to the heimim rumors, the man succeeded sneaking in one of the castle's storage basements. He decided to investigate the matter since it could put him next to good food. With him went a Lioness Legionnaire.
At the same time, this same information reached the ears of the son of the Kano family daimyo, vassal to the Yasuki, about an intruder in their secret storage. He asked to Yasuki Odai to intervene about the search the Imperial Guards were doing. The Yasuki didn't wish to explain to the Empire the reasons for a huge amount of obsidian in their basements. Odai complied and gathered some of his henchmen, however the group had problems to pass by the overzealous guard of the Imperial Legionnaires and enter in the castle. Odai who had access to all the places, went to the basements and encountered Shiba kaigen and a Matsu samurai-ko searching for the suspect. Dismissing the Lion woman, the two men went into an agreement that anything seen down there should transpire. Then they went to one of the storage rooms. They were attacked by the kolat agent who tried to use a huge Kaiu machine to kill them, with no success. Later, Odai tortured the kolat agent and learned that Reiha was indeed a kolat agent and the man also said the triggering word before dying.
Evening:
The Emerald Champion requested the main hall of the castle to be prepared for the trial. The involved were brought in, and some influent guests were permitted to attend as well. It was the case of Ikoma Noroko, Yasuki Odai and Kakita Kanehitsu, accompanied by their respective delegations. For some, the trial was like a social event and merely reason of curiosity, as for others, it could mean their death. Tsuruchi Kasumi reported the result of her investigation, though some questions still lingered unanswered. As Hida Reiha's testimony differed from the other's testimonies, Yasuki Miliko was questioned and she reafirmed to have witnessed a "second" Reiha in the Champion's chambers, which disappeared in a blink of eyes. Miliko and Kuni Gendayu testimonies corroborated Reiha's claims.
As the testimonies of two different groups of equal influence clashed, pointing out different culprits, the Emerald Champion was about to converge the different information in order to admit the involvement of both kolat AND bloodspeakers working together in this case. To everyone's surprise, Kuni Jyiuna interrupted, not accepting that the honor of the Kuni and their work to protect the event's place of taint was being questioned by Reiha's claims. She affirmed that any bloodspeaker evidence in Reiha's room was planted to confound both Miliko and Gendayu. Kousei asked permission to speak and as soon as it was given, he recited the triggering words towards the Crab Champion.
Reiha was triggered again, and tried to kill her primary target, Kaneka, but once again he was faster than her. Reiha died from a singular manner in front of a startled court. Kaneka retired after saying to her husband, the Shogun Kuon, that he could be found easily if the man wished a duel.
Kuon was shocked by having witnessed his beloved wife's death and couldn't do anything for her. In the subsequent moments Otomo Hotekuhime tried to order Kousei's arrest, and a tumult would ensue, but Kuon recovered quickly in order to avoid further injustices. He was showing his emotions and asked the Emerald Champion to finish the trial. hachi agreed. The Shogun showed his gratitude to Kasumi, and offered Chisato free access to Crab lands, including the Kuni wastes. He also offered Kousei a position by his side in the Imperial Legions.
He tried to make Satomi the champion of the Crab clan, but his atittude was taken as an intromission in the Crab clan affairs, much to his surprise. Also, a voice raised against Satomi's nomination... Asako Chisato's, who revealed publicly that she was in fact a Scorpion and her mother wasn't a Kaiu as everyone believed until this moment.
Kuon tried to contemporize, however Kuni Jyiuna's voice joined Chisato's allegations, also implying that Satomi could be a Scorpion spy. Satomi was surprised by Chisato's revelations, but not with the ensuing accusations of being a spy. She tore off her Kaiu mon, preferring to become a ronin than living under the doubt within the Crab.
During this dire crisis in the Crab power, Satomi decided to leave instead of trying to stay, knowing how dangerous would be to resist the Crab hostility once her allies were far and back in their own homes. She didn't rebuffed the Kuni's offenses, reasoning it would be only the first among many. The only ones who tried to defend Satomi's honor were Crane.
Bayushi Sunetra used the moment to make a glorious arrival, getting all the attentions to her. She invited Satomi to return to her clan of birth, since her clan of adoption was rejecting her. Satomi accepted, becoming Bayushi Satomi.
The trial attendance dismissed shortly after this new scandal.
Forgotten through the whole tumult, Kurimuzon Te awoke hours later in his chair, only to notice he was alone in the room. He had been sleeping during all the trial.
---
Shortly after the trial, Yasuki Odai prepared a casual meeting to some hand picked acquaintances, although he was waiting to talk with both the Shogun and the Emerald Champion as long as possible. He invited Shiba Kaigen, and also included Kakita Kanehitsu, a person with whom he had only communicated by messages, to attend as well. However, later it was source of gossip through the empire, and the name of the Kakita completely oblivious in the meeting, as the rumor mentioned the sudden relationship between Odai and Kaigen.
---
In a late night meeting, Kakita Kanehitsu managed to talk with Bayushi Satomi, trying to gather more information about her and her plans for the future. He said he wa interested in depict a character based in her story in a new play he'd write. The former kaiu showed her gratitude towards the Crane since they're the only defending her of being a spy.
---
Tenth Day of the Hare Month
The day after the trial found the Emerald Magistrate Tsuruchi Kasumi wandering through the Yasuki Yashiki gardens, where she found Kakita Kanehitsu, the famous artisan. They politely pondered about the events of the night before.
--
Ikoma Noroko and Asako Chisato met in the Yasuki Yashiki library, and they come into an agreement about who is the closest to the Hida daimyonate by lineage. The name they agree upon is Hida Rohiteki, cousin to Hida Kuon, and from the same generation as his mother O-Uchi. They also agree on how to spread word about her rights (considering that Hida Kuon has no heirs that they're aware of in that moment), and Chisato decides to arrange a meeting with the Shogun firt, and after that, travel to the capitol in order to announce his findings to the Empress. They're concerned about a possible conflict about the vacant position in the crab clan, since the Shogun is away from his position as Champion and Hida daimyo to attend the Empire's interests. Noroko, however, is also concerned on how to keep "dirty" historical facts from the public Imperial timeline. Their meeting implies as well a past romantic relationship not totally forgotten by both.
Eleventh Day of the Hare Month
Yasuki Yashiki -Crab
Day:
Tsuruchi Kasumi thinks that the fact of being married to a former Hida can somehow put her children as prospective candidates to the "vacant" Hida daimyonate and even to Crab Clan Championship. She decided to consult to the Asako daimyo about her progeny's lineage. He however dismisses her concerns after a quick research. Chisato is concerned, though, that his former allies Kousei and Satomi could be angry at him. He sent them messages hoping to have an opportunity to talk to them.
Kousei attends the request first, and talks quite harshly to the Asako daimyo, mainly about his announcement in the trial (which forced Satomi to renounce the Crab in order to keep some honor). Although slightly regretting it, Chisato believes he did what was right. Kousei finally advises Chisato to talk to Satomi. Somehow, the Asako daimyo manages to imply his desire of having Kousei married into the Phoenix, much for the Daidoji's despair. With a new political entanglement, the warrior leaves.
Bayushi Satomi came next, and what ensued was a scandalous arguing about the reasons to have exposed her true lineage publicly wihtout telling her in first place. It also evolved to his memory lapses and their brief one-night romance. Apparently, both weren't able to express their feelings properly, and it progressed to threats and grief. Satomi tried to make Chisato to promise her he wouldn't never marry as she, as a widowed Scorpion, wasn't allowed to marry again by tradition. His karo prevented it to happen in the last instant, which almost caused violence. In the meanwhile, Chisato was able to grab the information that Kuon has an underage son, raised by the Dragon, and was told that his mother was an unimportant woman. Chisato planned to ask the Shogun personally about his son's mother.
Evening:
Kousei managed to invite the now Bayushi Satomi for a sparring session before both should depart to their respective duties far from Yasuki Yashiki. In the conversatin that followed, he told her about the events transpired before the trial, involving a merchant's conspiracy, and also told her about the kolat recruiter, Asahina Gonhiro. She, by her side, confided that Kuon had a heir to care about, probably the reason he preferred to have the trial finished before the race for the Crab championship started upon Reiha's fresh dead corpse. Both friends reaffirmed their vows of alliance, and parted ways.
After knowing by Satomi that the Shogun has a son, Chisato shares this information to Ikoma Noroko. She at first thinks its a lie from the vengeful Scorpion woman.
Kousei meets with Doji Tanitsu, and is praised by his role in the events at Kaneka's wedding. The Daidoji shares to his clanner his concerns about the Asako daimyo plans of marrying him into the Asako. Tanitsu advises him but also says that the final decision will stand in the hands of the Daidoji.
Twelfth Day of the Hare Month
Morning:
Clearwater Village-Crab
Kurimuzon Te didn't forget the massacre of innocents in the day before the wedding, als he was concerned about "Little Sister" Nozomi's health (rumors that she was tainted poured in the days following the attack to her bridal chamber). He messaged Bayushi Satomi and they met in Clearwater Village. She commented what she knew about Nozomi, and Kaneka's wife was indeed tainted, and had requested authorization to seppuku as she didn't wish to live as a pariah. However, due political interests, she was denied, and most probably the Kuni would treat her as well as they could. However, she didn't tell him that Nozomi was severely tainted. Te had hopes to be able to take Nozomi with him to the Dragon lands, to live along the brotherhood, and tended by Dragon sages, but Satomi alerted him about the perils of this enterprise.
He, however, have decided that the Crab horseman responsible for beheading one innocent street vendor should be punished. Satomi said where the Crab horsemen used to gather when off duty, and then both bid farewell for now, as Satomi was leaving the Crab.
---
Friendly Travellers Village- Crab
Tsuruchi Kasumi decided to arrange a meeting to the governor of the Friendly Traveller's Village, and gather more information on the results of his questioning on the captured kolat agent, and to get some Kaiu tea for herself. In their conversation, Odai partially told her what he discovered; The kolat agent revealed under torture that he was under the command of a kolat simply called "Saikan" and this man had a Crane accent. Satomi also reveals to Odai that she knows that a juzimai is wishing to kill him. Apparently, part of the plan was to drive the Yasuki family back to the Crane. He also revealed that Hachi decided to make him a diplomat on the best intrests of the Yasuki family and Crab clan. After that the subject turned to more prosaic matters and they parted ways after a while.
---
Evening:
Yasuki Yashiki- Crab
As consequence of his conversation with Doji Tanitsu in the last night night, Kousei also consults himself to Kakita Kanehitsu, which advises him to not accept and wait for the Asako's daimyo next move.
Thirteenth Day of the Hare Month
Watchtower of the East- Crab
Asako Chisato was granted with a meeting to the Shogun Hida Kuon, and the subject is the Crab sucession and Kuon's son. The Shogun uses the opportunity to consult the specialist about his bastard's rights, and is pleased with Chisato responses. He tries to preserve his son's mother's name, however Chisato figures it out, and preserves the information that Takai's mother is Satomi, in his copy of his book. The Shogun also asks Chisato to be his advocate to the Empress while announcing his decision to make his bastard the next Hida Champion when he comes of age, legitimizing the boy. Chisato accepts the task.Both also commented about the possibility of having hada Rohiteki as Hida daimyo.
Fifteenth day of the Hare Month
Yasuki Yashiki- Crab
When the Phoenix retinue is leaving the Yasuki castle, a young monk tries to grab the Asako daimyo's attention. His rude manners seems cause of trouble, however, mainly with Chisato's companion, Ikoma Noroko. Togashi Rhyodotsu wishes to know who their parents were (ongoing).
Tsuruchi Kasumi leaves the Yasuki Castle, carrying correspondence to be taken to the Imperial City, her ultimate destiny. She however plans to visit her own home back in the Mantis provinces for a couple of days.
In her route going east, she meets Shiba Kaigen, who is heading to Phoenix provinces. Both agree in travelling together.
Twentieth day of Hare Month
Friendly Travellers Village -Crab
Bayushi Satomi and two other Scorpions do a little trip to Friendly Travellers Village as the former Kaiu wishes to speak to the city governor, Yasuki Odai.They dine and them both have a private conversation. Reassuring their vows of alliance, the night is filled with a flirty mood, however both friends use the time to also share important information about the kolat activities, as Saikan's name, and the existence of a kolat among the elite of the Yasuki family. They also talk about Kousei's problem with Asahina Gonhiro, a kolat recruiter. Satomi departs by the morning, with a present and a haiku from the gallant Crab.
First and Second days of Dragon Month
Ide Provinces -Unicorn
Moto Arandaru and his small retinue arrives to the Shrine to Jurojin, as he received an invitation to visit the secluded place. Not knowing what to expect, he was hosted by the small brotherhood, and explained he would have the opportunity to visit the pinacle of the shrine.
---
When he did it in the next day, Arandaru experienced a strange vision of the future, showing a plague spreading from the Unicorn lands to the rest of the Empire, culminating with the death of both the Empress and her future heir. He also saw that he should go to the Phoenix lands.
Fifth day of the Dragon Month
Shiro Sano Kakita- Crane
Kakita Kanehitsu and Doji Hatosenshi digress about the events at Yasuki Yashiki and the destiny of Bayushi Satomi. Hatosenshi says he'll talk to Satomi and discover more.
Road
Seikitsu Mountains? Forgotten Way? -Mantis/Lion? Road
After "enjoying each other's companies" as traveller companions and having spending a couple of days in her house at the Tsuruchi Province, Tsuruchi Kasumi and Shiba Kaigen return to the road, now heading to Kyuden Seppun. Kasumi suggests to detour from the main road. After a while Kaigen finds a baby left by the road. The mysterious child is about to die and the travel companions took compassion upon the baby, deciding to feed him and take him to the next monastery. However, when they come to the monastery, they're attacked by the "monks". Both travellers defeated the group, only to discover that they aren't monks in reality, but most likely were ronin who killed the actual monks and took them places. Both noticed that the target of the attack was the baby, makes the couple to wonder who the child is in truth. However, they decide to reach Kyuden Seppun as soon as possible, and Kasumi takes upon herself the responsibility about both the child and the investigation on the reasons the ronin wished the baby dead. They detoured in an Ikoma outpost, and the incident with the false monks caused their journey to delay more than expected.
Seventh day of Dragon
Shiro Daidoji -Crane
After requesting permission for a duel to death to clean his honor, Kousei, now made commander of the Second Legion, has his reply and permission. Though he wasn't prepared to know that Asahina Gonhiro was able to find an spetacular duelist to face him. Kakita Kyruko was representing the kolat agent in this duel. Knowing that he wouldnt be match for this formidable opponent, Kousei sent letter to Satomi asking her to tell about Gonhiro to Tsuruchi Kasumi, the chief-investigator on kolat affairs.
Three Sides River -Contested Area
Satomi was travelling with the Scorpion retinue heading to the Imperial City, when she received a letter from Kousei, announcing the duel and the opponent. All she could do was to use her influence and contact Odai, telling him to intervene as possible.
Ninth day of Dragon
Shiro Daidoji- Crane
Surprinsigly for him, he receives the unexpected visit of Yasuki Odai, wishing to talk about the duel. Odai revelead to know that Gonhiro was a kolat and that he was an ally against them. Implying that he would work to get some advantage to Kousei in the duel, Odai departed.
In the next day, everything is prepared for the duel and both opponents are in their places, surrounded by an audience, when Doji Hanashimi arrives bringing an edict from the Crane Champion forbidding the duel. Both sides have to explain the reasons for calling a duel to death, depriving the clan of either a governor or a Imperial commander. It was due the machinations of Odai, Satomi and Hanashimi that the Crane Champion was made aware of the challenge.
Neither Kyruko or Gonhiro shows displeasure with the interruption, in fact, Kyruko acts very seductively towards Kousei. He later goes after her, and receives and invitation to visit her as soon as his duties allow. Soon after it, he heads north, to the capitol.
Clearwater Village- Crab
Kurimuzon Te spent the month working as assistant in the Pink Chrysanthemum, only for the opportunity of keeping an eye in its customers and be able to spot the man who beheaded one innocent heimin in the eve of the Kaneka's wedding. In the best moment, he ambushed the Crab horseman, but he didn't killed him... he broke all his bones in a way the man would never be able to mount again. After that, he left in search of his bosu, or even his bosu's sister, Bayushi Satomi.
Fifteenth day of Dragon
Shiro Sano Kakita -Crane
Yasuki Odai decides to attend Kakita Kanehitsu's invitation to visit the Crane. Letter exchanges, haikai and tea, and lots of courtesy, ensues (ongoing).
Three Sides River- Contested Area
As mentioned later by Bayushi Satomi, she investigates the floating Geisha House and the geisha Mitsuru, probably the kolat agent connected to the events at Yasuki Yashiki.
Nineteenth day of Dragon
The Bayushi delegation arrives to Kyuden Seppun.
Twentieth day of the Dragon
Kasumi and Kaigen arrive to Kyuden Seppun. The Mantis woman arranges for the baby to be taken care by a wet nurse, and seeks the assistance of a Kitsu shugenja at the Lion Embassy. Kaigen presents himself to the Imperial Legion Office, planning to leave as soon as possible to Phoenix lands.
Kitsu Hiraku attends the magistrate request, and offers help to discover the mystery surrounding the child's identity, as long as she provide some important information. Kasumi agrees and seeks assistance to Kaigen. However, he's dismissive, as he didn't like the experience of having a child under his care, and is looking forward travelling again as soon as possible.
Twenty-first day of the Dragon
Kyuden Seppun
As Kasumi delivered the information requested by the Lion Shugenja, Hiraku was able to start investigating the events surrounding the monastery and the mysterious child, starting by the Lion in the Embassy. He starts preparing to travel.
Kasumi goes to the Crab Embassy, and requests help from the Kuni, as to check whether the child is tainted. After a brief examination the Kuni says the boy has no trace of taint, which is relieving for Kasumi.
Twenty-third day of the Dragon Month
Kyuden Seppun
Hana Matsuri - The Imperial court celebrates the Cherry Blossom Festival. Bayushi Satomi, Tsuruchi Kasumi and Kakita Kanehitsu meets in the event.
Twenty-fourth day of the Dragon Month
Kyuden Seppun
Day:
As accorded the day before, Kasumi and Satomi had a meeting, as requested by the latter in a letter. Satomi tells to the Emerald Magistrate what Kousei asked her to, about Asahina Gonhiro's role as a kolat agent. Satomi also reveals she had been investigating who was the geisha found dead at Yasuki Yashiki, and that the woman was probably a geisha formerly living in a floating geisha house by the Three Sides River. This woman has been missing since a strange Crane visited her, months ago.
During the meeting, Satomi receives a message from her champion, demanding that she takes care of a crime scene. For Satomi, it was arranged so Kasumi should be invited to witness the scene. However, she complies and takes the magistrate to see the crime scene. They find Shosuro Mai, betrothed to Sezaru, dead in her chamber. Satomi was made aware that Sezaru was the last person with the woman. Aparently, she commited jigai, however a brief examination shows she has signs of being tied and killed. There are some letters possibly previously written by the dead woman. Later, their suspicions about a murder were corroborated by a Kitsuki assistant and his scientific method of investigation.
Kasumi takes charge of the investigation. Satomi was asked to bring the yojimbo of Lady Mai, but the Bayushi yojimbo was off duty by the time of the crime, and the Seppun yojimbo wasn't willing to witness against Sezaru, so Satomi allowed him to kill himself, though she later told everyone that the men took her sword and killed himself before she could do something to prevent it.
Later, Kasumi managed to talk to Sezaru, and he confirmed Satomi's version that he and his fiancée used to disagree, though he seemed a bit unsure in some parts of his testimony, he delivered to the magistrate the letter supposedly written by Shosuro Mai. He had used a spell to discover her thoughts during the moment she wrote that, and it only showed that she was concerned of have doing something wrong.
Afternoon:
While Kasumi was interviewing Sezaru, Satomi was taking notes about the crime in her journal, when she felt a strange presence nearby, spying on her. Investigating, she found a secret passage, but when she went into it, she was attacked and passed out, only to awake some time later, being tended by Miya Gensaiken. She questioned about his presence but he told her a good reason to be there. Later she noticed that her journal was missing. However, Gensaiken let slip that perhaps would be someone very obsessed by Sezaru, in a romantic way.
A bit after that, Sunetra sends a messenger deliver an item found in Lady Mai's belongings. The Champion wishes the item investigated and thinks that Satomi can have answers as she has friends into the Unicorn. Satomi knows it was a meishodo, and wonders why Shosuro Mai had one in her possession. She goes to the Unicorn Embasssy trying to make contact to Moto Arandaru, and leaves for a tea house.
Evening:
Satomi was enjoying tea in a teahouse near the castle when Kasumi arrived. Both women started to talk about the investigation, and Satomi notices that Arandaru is in the same room as they. So she tells Kasumi abou the item and invites Arandaru to their table. The Moto, surprised that Satomi became a Scorpion, comes to the table, and listening to her help request, examines the meishodo. He says the item was intended to protect against rogue servants of death. The mystery on how Mai possessed such a item, remains, though (ongoing).
---
A bit later, Tsuruchi Kasumi decides to dedicate some time to her main investigation on the kolat activities, and after listening about the geisha Mitsuru from Three Sides River, has plans to question the geisha from Kyuden Seppun about the missing geisha, reasoning that all the geisha belongs to an universe of their own, and therefore, could have information form a geisha in other provinces. At the same time, Daidoji Kousei, who was passing time with a maiko, discovers through the indiscreet geisha aprentice that her big sister knows a lot of secrets regarding politics and Yasuki Provinces. He also learns that the geisha is looking for a new patron since her older danna, an Otomo, disappeared. Relating this information with the Otomo mysteriously taken in front of his eyes in a Crab sake house, he decides to have a meeting with this geisha and maybe gather some information.
Kasumi and Kousei meet in the street and he asks her help as backup.
However, they don't have any luck, probably due the presence of an Emerald Magistrate acting as such to approach the geisha.
---
Arandaru accepts to visit the crime scene and use the meishodo in an attempt to get more clues about the murder. Kasumi leaves and Satomi and Arandaru have a conversation, when he told her about the prophecies he had when he visited the Shrine to Jurojin in the Ide Provinces.
Twenty-fifth day of the Dragon Month
Kyuden Seppun
Morning
:
In the next day, by the morning, Arandaru meets the two women in the room where the crime occurred, and told them he discovered who made the meishodo. A Death Priest Called Moto Tsusung. This men was unreachable by the moment, however he had a friend amongst the Seppun Guardsmen, Shinjo Herikou, which could be the missing link between the Death Priest and Sezaru's assassinated bride-to-be. After that, he prayed for his deities, and after a trance, he revealed that the assassin was a woman. While he was in the trance, Kasumi, who was holding the amulet at the moment, saw something she later described as "an oni".
Arandaru said he needed to retreat his offering of help, as his duties to his clan claimed his attention.
Not sure in what to believe, the women needed more clues to continue the investigation.
---
By the end of this morning Kasumi, who is still trying to find out who is the mysterious baby she and Shiba Kaigen found, received representatives of clan which had children kidnapped in the last month. Satomi was indicated to go as she knew Kasumi, as did Kaigen. After some basic inquiries, some clans were dismissed as the information they provided didn't matched with the information Kasumi possessed about the baby. Crane, Dragon and Scorpion remained. Satomi offered to bring a shugenja of her clan to help, and informed that the Scorpion wished to adopt the baby in the case his parents weren't found. The other clans also offered to bring shugenja. Kasumi scheduled the shugenja visits for the afternoon.
Satomi used the opportunity to invite Kaigen for a casual meeting. She planned to inquire him discreetly and gather new details about the attack he suffered in company of Lady Shosuro Mai (disguised as Sakura), in the Winter Court. He agreed to meet her in the end of the day.
Finally, the group of shugenja comes to the conclusion the baby is an Asahina, and his family takes him to his family, concluding the mystery.
Afternoon: Satomi meets Kaigen in a sake house and asks his help to identify the assassin of Lady Mai (ongoing).
Twenty-sixth day of the Dragon Month
Golden Sun Bay
In her day off, Satomi decided to visit her sister-in-law, a former Kaiu married to a Tsi, living in one of the Hubs near the Ruined City. There, she listened about the Ghosts of Dawn Tower. As the history intrigued her, she decided to gather more information. Discovering there was an Imperial Edict requesting help to retrieve an object belonging to the Kasuga family from the ruins of the Tower, Satomi decided to give it a try and started to recruit a party to retrieve the object and identify the source of unnatural activities reported by all who tried to explore the ruins. After hearing the name of Hida Izo, her childhood friend she had lost contact for 10 years, she decided to sent him a message, knowing he was in Kyuden Seppun. She also invited Tsuruchi Kasumi, knowing an Emerald Magistrate and excellent warrior would be an interesting asset in the group. She asked help of two shugenja, Kitsu Hiraku and Moto Arandaru, though the latter just came to deliver her a message, and left. While she was waiting their arrival in an teahouse called Green Koi, Kurimuzon Te, the monk she had met in Yasuki Yashiki, showed up, looking for her.
In the conversation they had, Kurimuzon asked if Satomi had information about the whereabouts of her half-brother Yoru. Although she hadn't, she proposed to find out. He told her he had been Yoru's yojimbo but they parted ways temporarily in yasuki Yashiki. Te believed he needed to return to Dragon lands and train more, as he felt as the unfortunate destiny of Yasuki Nozomi (Little Sister) could be avoided if he was more prepared. After listening to his plans, Satomi asked him if they could travel together in a few weeks, as she was also going to Dragon provinces. She also asked him to join her raid to the Dawn Tower, which he accepted.
Twenty-seventh day of the Dragon Month
Golden Sun Bay
When the party was reunited (though hida Izo still hadn't joined them), they planned what to do. They decided to gather more information. Kasumi returned to the capitol and visited the library. The Lion shugenja preferred to do some rituals alone, and Kurimuzon decided to question a ronin that had visited the haunted place. In his way back to the inn, Te was attacked by ronin, but had little trouble in dealing with them in his own terms.
When they returned, Hida Izo joined the group, attending Satomi's request. In a moment, the group noticed they were being spied. It erupted into a fight inside the teahouse, and they discovered that a group of ronin intended to rob the item after they retrieved it from the ruins. Beating them and after it, interrogating one of them, they discovered the item was a nemuranai that granted wealth to those yelding it.
The adventure in the Tower started with few incidents until they discovered a tunnel leading to the underground. Folowing it they found a net of tunnels. In one of them, they found the room where the nemuranai was. The Amethyst Crown_ however, apparently only Hida Izo was able to identify the item, although he didn't share the information to the others.
Suddenly, a maddened shugenja, probably its keeper, attacked the group, in the same moment Tsuruchi Kasumi was pulled back by strange forces that imprisoned the rest of the group in the room, slamming its heavy stone door shut but taking Kasumi with them. They faced the poor shugenja and killed him quickly, then discussed on what to do to escape the room and save Kasumi. In this meanwhile, Kasumi was surrounded by gaki, when the Oni Akuma intervened, with the help of several fortunes. Kasumi was said she was bearing a child of a great destiny, and that's why they intervened. She was advised to keep an jade amulet she was gifted always with her, and after the birth of the child, keep it all the time with the baby. After this amazing intervention, Kasumi returned from her moment in the Yumi and freed her companions. At first they didn't believe her, but the first priority was to leave the place.
They had a rest in the teahouse and decided to communicate the Jade magistrates, the Kasuga and the Imperial Chancellary about the gaki presence in the Dawn Tower, and the nemuranai they retrieved.
Twenty-eighth day of the Dragon Month
Kyuden Seppun
Evening:
A sudden and heavy rain falls upon Kyuden Seppun, and some samurai find themselves reunited in an obscure inn in the outskirts of the city. Kasumi meets Kaigen, a young Emerald magistrate called Matsu Torako and they were joined by Hida Izo. After a while, a samurai in musha shugyo asks permission to join their table, which is granted. The ronin presents himself as taro, and proposes a game of storytelling, themed by the Seven Virtues of Bushido, randomly sorted out from glass pebbles he has with him. Sincerity came to Kaigen, Courtesy to Izo, Loyalty to Kasumi, and Duty to Toroko. Every of them told a tale involving their own lives, as examples of those Tenets. In a point, Hida Izo tries to anger the ronin, but the ronin said he can solve their differences through a duel, if the Hida stands for it. Hida Izo doesn't, and then the ronin starts his tale. After that, he bids them farewell, and they have a glimpse of his true self_ a kenku.
After that, the group arranges themselves for the night: the ladies choose to play go, Kaigen decides to take a nap and Izo leaves to meet someone, not fearing the rainy night.
Late Night:
Hida Izo returns to the castle, from his meeting with a kenku in an obscure inn in the outskirts of Kyuden Seppun. He plans to see Bayushi Satomi. She receives him in the Scorpion quarters, and in the first moment the conversation seems to not advance in the way he'd like. After testing her identity, he relaxes and they flirt, Izo asks her intervention for a meeting with her champion, while Satomi tolds him about an attack she suffered in her own room, when she discovered a hidden tunnel. He offers to investigate and they go to her room. While exploring the tunnel, they find themselves behind a panel where they can listen to Naseru and Sunetra plotting about Kaneka and Sezaru. Although what they listened was little, it could give them knowledge that the couple is working together for their own interests. They also learn that Kaneka has mysterious allies supporting his ideas, although they hadn't time to learn who they were before Sunetra noticed they were been spied. An alarm of intruders in the castle is rung, and Satomi and Izo had little time to return to her room before the Seppun started investigating. Knowing the room with the passage would soon be checked, Izo proposes to pretend they were having sex and knew nothing about the tunnel. It indeed worked as planned.
After that, Izo offered his hospitality in his room, Satomi confessed she was having a hard time adapting into the Scorpion. Their conversation led to real sex, something anticipated for both since ever.
First day of the Serpent Month
Morning:
By the dawn, Izo reinforced his request for an appointment with the Scorpion Champion, and asked her about her future travel to the Dragon. She didn't know he knew it, and then he revealed that the Crab Champion requested him to accompany her in this travel, Satomi considers it a maneuver to ensure she delivers Takai, her son to the Crab Champion, she's going to retrieve from the Dragon Care. She showed her displeasure, but Izo ignored it. They parted way: Satomi had a meeting to her Champion where she was lectured on what to deal with the Crab from now on, while the Chief Emerald Magistrate went for his business.
Evening:
Hida Izo attended the Scorpion Embassy, where Satomi was ready to attend him as diplomat to the Crab. Sunetra refused to attend a Crab, since the relation between both clans was cold after their insult (without proof) to Scorpion's honor when Satoi was accused of being a Spy into the Crab. Izo directly proposes to fix this diplomatic incident by offering the support of the Crab to an candidate to Imperial Spouse chosen by the Scorpion. The Scorpion replied they gladly accepted Crab support, but that their candidate was most probably to be a Crane, Asahina Sekawa. The Scorpion makes clear that they expect a formal retractation from Crab, including a punishment to Kuni Jyiuna. Izo seems compliant in name of his clan, and also seems to have plans in offer Crab support to Crane.
Second Day of the Serpent Month
Morning:
Kaigen Kasumi and Satomi met and decide a course of action. They believe that they will manage to identify Mai's assassin in a sattelite figure to Shosuro Sezaru. So they plan to promove an opportunity to make Kaigen be in a position where he can abserve Sezaru's friends and retinue. The ideal moment is during the Chimes of Purity Ceremony, scheduled to happen whithin a couple of days. To that, Kaigen needs a fancy kimono... And Kasumi offers to help him get one.They go for a tailor, where they find Yoritomo Rokuro, a friend of Kasumi and diplomat for the Mantis in Kyuden Seppun.
Rokuro then helps Kaigen to find the perfect kimono, when Kasumi needs to excuse herself and attend an urgent matter. This visit to the tailor seems to be the triggering event to a gossip that will stain Kasumi's and Kaigen's honor, as they were depicted as lovers by the rumormongers.
Afternoon:
Kasumi and Izo tries to solve a delicate matter: a peasant posed as samurai and got himself in the First Legion. When his farce was discovered, he took a Otomo girl as hostage to pledge amnesty. Kasumi and Izo act quite diplomatically and find a solution, promising the man he can be a ji-samurai into the Crab.
In the meanwhile, Yoritomo Rokuro goes to Scorpion Embassy, where he meets a Scorpion diplomat. he seeks support to Mantis plans of holding the next Winter Court in Kyuden Gotei. The Scorpion proposes to be the ones securing that the palace has the necessary safety to hold such important event. The Mantis diplomat says he's going to ask permission from teh Ambassador to seal the deal.
After his departure, the Scorpino diplomat receive new orders from his superiors, seeming to involve a new polotical plot.
Evening/ Night:
Izo invited Satomi to a dinner in a posh place, and once there, brought back the subject of wishing to see her Champion. Satomi said that he could try to "casually" meet Sunetra in her return from the Wolf's Legion Encampment. They then rode to meet the Scorpion group. Once they met, the Scorpions were uneasy in spite of whatever Satomi delivered as message to Sunetra. Izo got his chance to speak, but he threatened the Clan of Secrets to kill everyone in the group if something of their talk transpired. It put Satomi in a dire situation, s Izo was offending her clan and became obvious that she wasn't in control of the situation. She demanded him to rectify his words, pointing a blade to him. Sunetra gave him a chance to live if what he was about to tell was interesting enough to the Scorpion. Izo then, told the Scorpion Champion about his investigation on the gaijin's increasing presence and what he found to be related with the Nothing. It indeed grabbed Sunetra's attention, and not only had she spared his life as she extended him an invitation to visit her in Kyuden Bayushi so they could speak more about the matter. She also nominated Bayushi Sotaro (who Izo recognized by his former name, Keitaro) to be the Scorpion contact. Satomi followed with her champion and was later ordered to join the Scorpion delegation returning home. All her other duties in Kyuden Seppun were suspended.
Kakita Sojiro, a wandering duelist, meets a strange heimin girl babbling prophecies in a dark alleyway. He discovers she's "Akko, the prophetess", that's how people uses to call her in Kyuden Seppun. The girl uses to roam the city uttering prophecies of an ill wind and a garden of blood, something related to By chance, Kurimuzon te and Tsuruchi Kasumi also joined then when the girl is trying to convince the Crane she's not mad.
They learn that she's been through torture and went through the Fall of Otosan Uchi, when she lost her mother. She claims to have been tortured by an imposter posing as her mother's patron, a Phoenix shugenja. After that she started to listen to "voices of the dead". However she's able to convince them she's telling the truth when they realize she knows things about people close to them who are already dead.
She says she needs to be in touch with the famed Chimes of Purity, but when she aksed to the Brotherhood they denied it. The Seppun daimyo even ordered her to not come close to the sacred bells under death's penalty. The group promise to think something to make it possible.
Third day of the Serpent Month:
Morning:
Izo received a letter from Satomi announcing she's going to leave the city to attend other duties of her clan. Other versions of this same general content were sent to Kasumi, Kaigen and Kurimuzon Te.
Kurimuzon Te goes to the Embassy of the Dragon, where one of the chimes is. He talks to some monks about legends involving bells, and gather lots of information, including the true story of the Chuda family.
Kasumi, Sojiro and Akko go to Crane Embassy, and there they manage to get as closer as possible from the bell. Akko enters in a trance, as does Sojiro. He sees the figure of his beloved late fiancée, who tells him great evil hides in the form of goodness into the heart of Phoenix. She also starts to talk something about a Black Scroll. However, his trance is broken when a monk recognizes Akko and breaks her concentration and connection with the spirit of the bell. He demands her to leave; she makes a scene when the guards take her. Kasumi and Sojiro try to come to an agreement with the monk, but he seems irreducible in following the previous orders. That's when Te arrives and protects Akko, giving a stern speech on the monk who's not "seeing with the heart of a child". Akko seems to believe that they must toll the bells so every of them will be able to "hear" the true voice of someone, thus identifying if she's evil or not. She explains this to Te. Kasumi overhears, and insists with the monk to be able to get the bells tolled. However, it does not suffice for Akko, who recognized Te, Kasumi and Sojiro as agents of the prophecy. She recognizes it as defeat, and confessing she wasn't able to convince them to be the ones tolling the bells (Te, however, spontaneously complied). Akko's spirit was then requested by Emma-O, who had permitted Akko to return from the dead by Jizo's request just to make this prophecy. She returned to dust in a few seconds, under the astonished gaze of the presents. But not before she made her final "prophecy" about the return of the Chuda family as Shadowlands minions.
Later, she was made Fortune of Humility by the Empress, and her claims were investigated and proved true in the next months.
Afternoon:
Izo and Sotaro met, have conversation about the Lying Darkness. They set up a plan on what to do to investigate the recent activities it with reinforcements of Scorpion. Izo shows Sotaro a dagger made of Krysteel he believes to be related with one of the murders he's investigating and that seem to be related to Lying Darkness, which intrigues the elder.
They also prepare to leave Kyuden Seppun and go to Kyuden Bayushi, as requested by Sunetra. Izo is under impression he's being constantly tested by the Scorpion…
Satomi is on the road along the Scorpion delegation that is coming home, when she receives a message from Mattori, a friend of Yasuki Odai, her ally. The message says Odai is in danger. She decides to attend his request to meet him in the outskirts of Kuden Seppun.
The ronin tells her he believes Odai was replaced by a double. When they are talking, a Kakita duelist and old friend of Mattori joins them. (ongoing)
Fourth Day of the Serpent Month:
Afternoon:
The long Chimes of Purity Ceremony comes to its end without any important incident. Kasumi is already aware of the rumors about her and Kaigen, and to avoid furthering them, she opts to keep some distance of her friend, at least in public. Both, however, are attending the ceremony with the sole purpose of finding Mai's assassin within Sezaru's retinue. Both notice that Myia Gensaiken leaves the pavilion before the bells toll. They also notice Soshi Angai eyed Kaigen with some interest. Kasumi decides to try a conversation with Sezaru, while Kaigen decides to follow Gensaiken (ongoing).
IMPORTANT: As you might remember, I've already said I'm not the most indicated person to produce this summary, due my poor grasp of the English language. However someone has to do this and provide to newcomers and veterans alike one easy way to access the events transpired in the storyline, without going through more than 3,000 posts! If you wish to help me, please drop me a PM. I'd appreciate!