New Topaz Champion Hida Sugi and her co-contestant Shinjo Takuya got moving from the Kakita Dueling Academy in Tsuma, this time along with slightly older new recruits to the Emerald Magistracy, the Matsus Ono and Tezuka and Doji Koji.
The road they must take was not the easier, faster, more comfortable Imperial Road that would take them past the seat of Imperial power, Otosan Uchi, on the well travelled path to Shiro Yogasha. No, that had several bridges wiped out in landslides and feverish repair was only just starting now. So they had to schlep over the back country roads, that were considerably more rugged and had far fewer nice places to stay. But along the way they also added Ryu, the peasant porter struggling with his ox cart from Tsuma, (where the late Doji Satsume’s effects were being taken to his brother-in-law Toshimoko’s dojo) to Shiro Yogasha, the Castle/Palace of the Emerald Champion. He offered to carry their travel gear since his cart was light on cargo.
Day one started well by meeting Ryu, who knew a few places to stay along the road and had some food recommendations. But later in the day they were attacked by bandits. Starving, miserable specimens of the type, they were quickly defeated and several captured. This was the combat that I really didn’t know how to keep track of what was going on, so it took a long ass time to find out these puny spear-wielders are no match for trained samurai.
Rounding up these miscreants, they decided not to dispense summary justice on someone else’s land – though it is their right to do so. But that lord of wherever in Imperial lands they were could deal with them. They took them along to Broken Bridge Village, a tiny impoverished hamlet that nevertheless found some meager food to serve for dinner and the Headman’s house to serve as lodgings for the night. The bandits were stored in an empty storage bin.
Over the course of the next few days they variously picked wild ingredients for tea, did some light foraging and hunting, met a cryptic old lady practicing sword kata that turned out to be a Tengu, and slept underneath the stars. They were also visited, mid-pheasant soup, by the ghost of The Grinning Crane, the former Emerald Champion, Doji Satsume.
Never shy about laying burdens on people, Satsume laid this one on them: they’re going to be asked to investigate his death and no matter what else happens, he wants the party to ensure that no disgrace befalls his family. He has no idea who killed him – or even IF someone killed him.
This time, they ran into a band of Bakemono pillaging a small merchant caravan. The little goblins were accompanied by a hulking ogre, although before they died beneath his club, the brave caravan guards had wounded him somewhat. The Bakemono were mostly interested in eating the dead and dying cart ponies or hauling the terrified merchants out from under the cart where they hid. But such things evils were not about to go unpunished and the brave samurai rushed in, taking them by surprise and cutting through the interlopers. The dull-witted ogre eventually got involved in the fight too, whirling a small treetrunk around as a club, but some good teamwork and our own treetrunk, Sugi, whirling around her own club put him down with a crushed skull. With that the remaining bakemono fled into the scrub and reeds.
Matsu Ono joined them after guarding Ryu down the road and helped Takuya chase a few goblins down and finish them off. Koji and Tezuka needed a long minute to catch their breath while Sugi looked to repair the ropework on her Topaz armour and puzzle out how creatures so familiar in the south were all the way up here, where people didn’t even believe in them.
After seeing to the merchants, with whom Koji smoothly struck up a rapport, they tracked the goblin band as best as they could finding that they had been shadowing the merchants for a while before springing on them.
Further down the road they found a substantial rope bridge that had been savagely cut. Repairing the bridge was beyond them barring great effort, so they led the despairing merchants back the way they had come, this time detouring through some rugged land and steep slopes.
They arrived at the country Onsen to find that gates barred, but after announcing themselves they were permitted to enter. After washing the filth off themselves, being seen to their rooms, and eating a late reheated dinner, most of them availed themselves of the thermal pools before turning in for the night, although Tezuka stood watch with the peasant guards on the small palisade that provided protection.
The Onsen was refreshing and they made great time the next day, and a day after that, arrived at Takahara Village, the neat prosperous little town that spread around Shiro Yogasha on the Plains of the Emerald Champion (really went to town naming things out here, very creative). It being spring, the town was seeing the last of the cherry blossoms and there was a festive air. But enough about the town, they had to get to the castle.
The maps for L5R were done (entirely?) by Francesca Baerald who has a website full of amazing maps for all sorts of settings; probably one you like. But I think her L5R maps are real standouts. Amazing stuff.
Anyway, in Shiro Yogasha they were met by Kitsuki Kagi, Ruby Champion Agasha Sumiko’s deputy. He set them up with rooms and got them settled and explained the next few day’s activities to them. They had some time before meeting with the over-worked Sumiko, so they mostly used it to get in touch with their clan representatives, who were full of rumour and information about the life and death of Satsume.
True to the ghost’s prediction, Sumiko does want them to investigate the death, albeit, without telling anyone that they are doing so. They can fit these shenanigans in after their daily lessons, Harry Potter-style.
To start a running list of their current obligations…:
- Whatever their secret thing clan asked them to do.
- Become yoriki working for the Emerald Magistracy.
- Resolve the matter of Doji Satsume’s death (not necessarily solve it).
- Ensure Satsume’s family doesn’t lose face.
- Be the best gosh-darned samurai they can be.
