The Day of Thunder

[Hiruma Naraku]

While Naraku is surprised by Chuchu's hug he does not recoil from it, his surprised face shifting to a warm smile. He pats her head "I am also happy to see you Great Number."

He reaches for his pouch and retrieves a small bag. "Dates and dumplings Great Number," he tells the Nezumi "I am not sure if you've ever tasten one. The dates are from my lands, a gift from Auntie Anjing, whilst the dumplings were something I prepared."

When Otaku asks him about the Dreamstones he grimaces "We do not know if they can be uncorrupted. Any theories at the moment are conjecture at best."

As they reach the field of blooming flowers he looks around. "The cave is near but we must best be careful. We are not the only ones that know of it."

[Chuchu]

He reaches for his pouch and retrieves a small bag. "Dates and dumplings Great Number," he tells the Nezumi "I am not sure if you've ever tasten one. The dates are from my lands, a gift from Auntie Anjing, whilst the dumplings were something I prepared."

"Chuchu!" She corrects with a squeeze before letting him go. "It's Chuchu in my tongue. Great Number in yours." And she nods. The ratling happily takes the pouch and sniffs it at first, chirping out a thank you before picking out a dumpling to nibble on first. Her little tail wags at the taste. "Ish good!" Then one is offered to Naraku -- food's best shared, after all.

At the mention of purification, the shaman chimes in, "I would like to try, please!"

[Kaiu Tai]

As they reach the field of blooming flowers he looks around. "The cave is near but we must best be careful. We are not the only ones that know of it."

Tai watches Naraku with the small rat with a nose wrinkle and grimace. The thought of Anjing's reaction to her gifts finding their way into small paws does turn it into something a bit more like a smile. There is a moment for a deep breath before speaking.

"There was mention of writings found, yes? So someone else visits, do we know anything of how often?" She doesn't bother looking for tracks on their path, those would be hopelessly muddled by the group coming and going by the same route before.

[Hiruma Naraku]

He retrieves a small weathered scroll from his pouch. "We found this scroll yesterday. I was intending it on translating it before we headed out but such was not possible," he sighs. "The scroll does not seem to be tainted and it was hidden behind some rocks. It seems the scroll was intended as some assistance in handling the dreamstone mine."

He opened the scroll and showed the contents to those around.

12 Rooster, 29
Looks like there's something that keeps her busy at times. I don't have long without being watched anymore, but it's something.

They were working on something to stem the flow. The same principles should hold true even with the influence from Jigoku. I'm going to try and work out the method.

8 Boar, 29
Four anchors in the four cardinal directions, corresponding to the ideas of the directional animals. Ideas of protection are still tied to them even now, so the anchors will hopefully be able to draw on those dreams.

I wish someone smarter than me could do this.

2 Hare, 30
I've run into a dead end. I just can't figure out how the anchors need to be put together from how little information is left. Less time alone now, too. I wish I knew a shugenja.

The Festival ended today. Exactly one year. I think she knows, so... this is probably it.

25 Goat, 30
I think dying is like a lot of things - it's better if you don't know, so the anticipation can't eat away at you. It also gives you a deadline, though.

I have to do my best.

15 Rat, 30
I can't use this place anymore. She came back when I was heading out of the woods, and asked what I'd been doing while she was away. I told her I was gathering dreamstone for the festival. I think she believed me.

I'll hide this here, just in case. Maybe someone else can put together the last pieces.

He gauges the reactions of those gathered before continuing. "It seems like this village was always very connected to Yume-Do and at a point, the dreamstone deposit might have been pure though that is a big might," he commented his expression darkened. "The last entry also explains why I received natural dreamstone as a gift. Then there is the ciphered part at the end," he opens the scroll further revealing the coded part. "I was hoping we might as well try to understand this."

He analyzes the second page, intent on finding the method

---
(From Canary's thread Lore:SR, Calligraphy or Lore:Corruption with INT vs TN 30. Don't know if spells might also help)
D4 | Decyphering the scroll | Lore Corruption vs TN 30 | 9k5 ⇒ 39 (TN: 30)

[Hisomu Reo]

"Might" is still a pretty contention. And even if it was pure a year ago, it might no longer be." Reo reads through the note, cursing the he himself had never mastered the codebreaking that he had trained his students on. "It definitely seems that we need a shugenja for at least some part. But if there are things that need to be constructed, I have acquired many skills over the years."

(OOC: if no one is going to stop hin Reo is going inside)

[Otaku]

(OOC: if no one is going to stop hin Reo is going inside)

Otaku does indeed stop him with a raised hand and quiet warning. "Wait until the shugenja are done out here, Hisomu-san. Splitting up doubles our danger."

She swings down out of the saddle, looping Tsubame's reins over his saddle pommel to keep them out of his way, and steps over to take a look at the note.

snip

Her brows draw together and her mouth thins as she scans it. "I suspected... well. It has been clear for days that something is not right here." Her lips quirk slightly, though it's not much of a smile. "Next time, Hiruma-san, please don't wait so long to share news like this. This first page alone is important information. Makime-san and the others will need to know when we return."

If he doesn't stop her, she'll take the first page of the note to read it over more closely while the others examine the mysterious diagrams. "This is recent. We must learn whether anyone has died in the village lately." Her finger traces a line of the text, and she frowns, thinking of conversations with Jin about his research. "So this is a place where the bounds between realms are thin? That must be why the little teacher thinks we can confront the enemy here."

Otaku is, of course, blissfully unaware that at this moment Shinsei is doing his level best to pulverize four of the potential heroes he'd summoned.

[Canary]

Snip

The diagram turns out to not be one complex diagram, but rather four seals that make a complete diagram when you put them together. They're clearly meant to be on four things that are then separated, but without getting through the cipher It's hard to tell what.

[Kaiu Tai]

snip

Tai looks over the sheet. "Sounds like they're workin' on somethin' to 'stem the flow' maybe cuttin' off this bleed from Yume-do? But I wonder who wrote it? Would be good to get more information from them."

She draws her stone knife with a "If you don't mind, that is?" before pressing the tip to the back of her wrist. She lets the blood well a moment as the knife is wiped clean and the rain mingles with the blood. After sheathing the knife, she presses her palm to the wound, then reaches to touch a finger to the paper, hoping the rain has the water kami more alert to show her something of who drafted the scroll.

"Anchors..and directional animals sounds like somethin' from older tribes maybe?"

If he doesn't stop her, she'll take the first page of the note to read it over more closely while the others examine the mysterious diagrams. "This is recent. We must learn whether anyone has died in the village lately." Her finger traces a line of the text, and she frowns, thinking of conversations with Jin about his research. "So this is a place where the bounds between realms are thin? That must be why the little teacher thinks we can confront the enemy here."

"Worth checkin' the graveyard for recent stones," she mutters while watching the water kami's messages.

***************
D4 EM: Reflections of Pan Ku ML 1 : hoping to gain some insight into who wrote it | 5k3 ⇒ 24 (TN: 10)

And, for the sake of time, trying to decipher as well, though it looks like Naraku has that covered.
D4 EM: Lore:Corruption/Int on the scroll Naraku's showing, VP since this is a bit of a long shot | 5k4 ⇒ 42 (TN: 30)

[Hisomu Reo]

(OOC: if no one is going to stop hin Reo is going inside)

Otaku does indeed stop him with a raised hand and quiet warning. "Wait until the shugenja are done out here, Hisomu-san. Splitting up doubles our danger."

She swings down out of the saddle, looping Tsubame's reins over his saddle pommel to keep them out of his way, and steps over to take a look at the note.

Her brows draw together and her mouth thins as she scans it. "I suspected... well. It has been clear for days that something is not right here." Her lips quirk slightly, though it's not much of a smile. "Next time, Hiruma-san, please don't wait so long to share news like this. This first page alone is important information. Makime-san and the others will need to know when we return."

If he doesn't stop her, she'll take the first page of the note to read it over more closely while the others examine the mysterious diagrams. "This is recent. We must learn whether anyone has died in the village lately." Her finger traces a line of the text, and she frowns, thinking of conversations with Jin about his research. "So this is a place where the bounds between realms are thin? That must be why the little teacher thinks we can confront the enemy here."

Otaku is, of course, blissfully unaware that at this moment Shinsei is doing his level best to pulverize four of the potential heroes he'd summoned.

Reo offers the woman a look, raising an eyebrow.

You're not the boss of me. At the point it'd been quicker to walk here alone

"Then they'd better be about it then. And the note is about the end of the festival that is ongoing. If anything we should be asking about last year or years previous"

[Hiruma Naraku]

snip

"I understand Lady Otaku and it was my intention to reveal this information to the rest," he frowns. "When the second page had been translated and understood. The relationship between some in our side and the villagers has been.... cold at best. Throwing information without proper facts would just be adding fuel to the fire that is the growing paranoia and that would be walking straight into the intention of the enemy," he lowered his head. "I do not believe I acted incorrectly by erring on the side of caution."

He allows both Otaku and Tai to handle the scroll (and anyone else for that matter). "What I have been able to understand that the diagram is not a complex diagram but rather four seals that make a complete diagram when you put them together. They're clearly meant to be on four things that are then separated, but without getting through the cipher well," he shrugged, hoping the others would have an answer

"The festival might have been something completely harmless at start. Something to facilitate Yume-Do and Ningen-Do merging. The ritual might be being perverted by the enemy," he shrugs. "Conjectures all of it at the moment. So let us focus on understanding what we have."

[Otaku]

"Are you suggesting that Lady Anjing, Lady Makime, Lady Matsu, Jiyo Sora-san, or I could not be trusted to handle this information safely?" Otaku asks Naraku mildly, with a raised eyebrow. "Withholding it was an error, yes. But you've remedied it now. So, what do you see in those drawings?" The last question is directed more generally to all the samurai looking at the note.

((It sounds like we need all three rolls to fully decode it? Lore: Spirit Realms plus Calligraphy in addition to the Lore: Corruption that's already been rolled? Tae-soo with his Fire Kami's Blessing might be best equipped to roll those, unless somebody else has the skills. But please do share IC what you already know!))

[Hiruma Naraku]

snip

"Lady Otaku, with all due respect, this decision was not made without thought," he retorts in a polite tone. "I will not argue on who is wrong or who is right. I understand your point and I do accept it Lady Otaku but please also understand my view in wishing to provide the complete overview rather than separated tidbits."

He looks at the rest, waiting to see if they can uncover more information.

[Canary]

snip

Tai looks over the sheet. "Sounds like they're workin' on somethin' to 'stem the flow' maybe cuttin' off this bleed from Yume-do? But I wonder who wrote it? Would be good to get more information from them."

She draws her stone knife with a "If you don't mind, that is?" before pressing the tip to the back of her wrist. She lets the blood well a moment as the knife is wiped clean and the rain mingles with the blood. After sheathing the knife, she presses her palm to the wound, then reaches to touch a finger to the paper, hoping the rain has the water kami more alert to show her something of who drafted the scroll.

"Anchors..and directional animals sounds like somethin' from older tribes maybe?"

If he doesn't stop her, she'll take the first page of the note to read it over more closely while the others examine the mysterious diagrams. "This is recent. We must learn whether anyone has died in the village lately." Her finger traces a line of the text, and she frowns, thinking of conversations with Jin about his research. "So this is a place where the bounds between realms are thin? That must be why the little teacher thinks we can confront the enemy here."

"Worth checkin' the graveyard for recent stones," she mutters while watching the water kami's messages.

***************
D4 EM: Reflections of Pan Ku ML 1 : hoping to gain some insight into who wrote it | 5k3 ⇒ 24 (TN: 10)

And, for the sake of time, trying to decipher as well, though it looks like Naraku has that covered.
D4 EM: Lore:Corruption/Int on the scroll Naraku's showing, VP since this is a bit of a long shot | 5k4 ⇒ 42 (TN: 30)

The water kami speak in images, as always. They show the parchment doing nothing in particular, but they do show a series of nonsensical events being twisted up into text. She gets a mental image of feminine hands with a brush carefully drawing the diagram. Nearby is crumpled parchment that look like failed previous attempts.

The vision ends.

[Kaiu Tai]

Tai raises her eyebrows at Naraku. But realizing some constraints on timeslots beyond the 4th wall that could make it difficult to report to Anjing before bringing information here, contents herself with a look that tries to convey Anjing's mild annoyance while in a good mood. It comes off as more of a stony frown.

"The water kami aren't much help with what's bein' put to paper, but the hands looks like a woman's...not that it narrows it down much." The frown deepens into fierce concentration as she tries to grasp details of those hands. "And she tried writin' things more than once. Tossed several versions I think."


****************
OOC

Anything particularly identifying about the hands seen? Large, small, scarred, old, young...?

[Kaiu Tai]

Tai nods once, firming the image up in her mind. "A younger woman. Not a child. Not a shugenja, given what's written there." She sighs. "But without another festival ritual where everyone writes their fears...or maybe their hopes and dreams...hard to match up to anyone for sure."

[Hiruma Naraku]

"Was she tattooed?" Naraku asked thinking about Chouri. "Or were the visions not clear on that regard?"

[Hisomu Reo]

With the ice broken, Reo peeks inside and walks down to the vein of dreamstone. When he gets there he scraps a tool along the wall, collecting dust from the Dreamtone. He makes a paste with it with fresh water and pokes his jade against it to generate a reaction.

[Chuchu]

Chuchu listens quietly, but eventually, she tugs at Naraku's sleeve. "Can I see if I smell the writer's scent? I can try finding what she touched in the cave, and maybe her home, later. Whatever she's been handling, she had to have left her scent behind."

[Hiruma Naraku]

Chuchu listens quietly, but eventually, she tugs at Naraku's sleeve. "Can I see if I smell the writer's scent? I can try finding what she touched in the cave, and maybe her home, later. Whatever she's been handling, she had to have left her scent behind."

"Of course Chuchu," he smiles tenderly at the tiny mouse, giving her the scroll. "If you manage to find it, I will cook you more dumplings."

[Kaiu Tai]

"Was she tattooed?" Naraku asked thinking about Chouri. "Or were the visions not clear on that regard?"

"Only saw hands, and not that I could tell (or that was mentioned in the vision)."

She offers an only slightly grudging nod to the Nezumi's suggestion. The ratling may be young, but perceptive enough to offer a skill only she can manage. Naraku gets a head shake. "She's not a pet, Naraku. Pretty sure the reward for gettin' this right is a lot more important than dumplin's and you're sellin'...Chuchu, is it?" The name is a bit rough on her tongue. "sellin' her skills short to treat 'em thus."