The Day of Thunder

"Interesting, I thought the mountains went all the way to the north tip of the empire", he said, thinking. "I thought the Ryoshun provinces were up that way..." Of course, they may just know them as a different name. "Anyway, it's a mountain range that cutes the empire into north and south regions, ...

"She's got guards, people watching the shrine as well", he said. "Might be tricky. Besides, we lack the information to make that move." He scowled, folding his arms. "We need to investigate a little more, the private part of their ritual happens in a few days, if we're certain before then we can mak...

"It's far, but yeah. You've never heard of the Spine of the World mountains?"

He pondered that. He honesty hadn't considered that it could be a good thing. He was too pessimistic. After a moment he looked back at the ruined face with it's missing eye. "Which do you find more likely, considering how much conversation they are deflecting?" he asked. "It seems obvious that it's ...

"Oh, my people are the types who did that to you, my father was a real villain", he said. "Raiding was just an excuse for him to kill, he was in love with it. Though at least he managed to die years before I became an adult. I've been living in Kashouji ever since, big town outside of Beiden Pass."

"The strange smell, how it was timed with the drums...I felt like I was drunk and I hadn't had a drop." He chuckled a little. "I almost got up and danced."

He nodded. "I had exactly the same experience. Cheerful, but certainly hiding something. Then the festival happened."

"I do what I did because I took an oath when I picked up these swords", he replied. "It's a little different, I suppose. Where are you from, exactly?"

Han-Hei wrote: ↑

Tue Oct 24, 2023 6:39 pm

“You go ahead and enjoy your meat…” She said in a distracted tone as she watched the Doji princess fully commit to the merrymaking.

"Yes ma'am", he said and took a bite of hers.

"Hmm?" he walked closer and leaned forward somewhat, looking her in the eyes. "They're a bit light, the hue is off, but I could see some people mistaking that for red...given the right circumstances."

He straightened up. "I also have done your job, admittedly I'm not much comfort either."

There was no energy surge for Han-Hei, just that damn earthy smell that she couldn’t identify. She looked over to Norikage to check his reaction and see if he would offer any insight… For his part, Norikage was grinning from ear to ear. "That smell is awful, ain't it?" He used a bit of his tribal a...

"I'm not sure you would appreciate my compliments if you knew what I do", he replied with an amused chuckle. "And why not, sure. Pretty. I don't see why anyone would avoid that word with you. Too much blood on your sword, maybe?"

"Is that the kind of question you actually ask someone?" he said with a raised eyebrow. "Haka-san, let's talk. We're both of the same clan. There's something happening in this town that stinks, particularly at the festival tonight. Do you agree?"

Perception/Investigation: 57

Earth roll: 15

"I'm here in a cursed forest with a nice girl and instead of suggesting we leave and have tea somewhere I'm being awkwardly trying to tell her she's a little cuter than she might think", he said. "So yeah, have been, am now, likely will continue to be."

"Everyone says the same thing in Kashouji", he shrugged. "Nice mask. Why the mask? Thank you for hiding your ugly face. You know how it is."

He may or may not be serious. The sarcasm is too bitter. "I'm called Bayushi Norikage, pleasure to meet you."

If they are from the empire? Where exactly do you think you are, lady? Norikage also waited to see what she would say. It's perhaps possible she had misspoke quite a bit, a relic of the past before the Empire was declared formally, but he didn't like this. She was too young to be their leader, too ...

Norikage wasn't the type to leave mystery notes in people's sheets (despite what kind of cringey things Han-Hei thought he was up to), but he did know there were other Scorpion here. That meant they might be up late at an innocuous, yet secluded place. And here we are. In the darkness of the late ev...

"Huh? You have the right to determine how you're treated, Ryoshun Yukara-san", he said flatly. "Don't let some idiot force anything on you."

"You don't like it?" he asked. "I can stop."