The Day of Thunder

[Otaku]

"Spirit riding someone. Like what happened to the little teacher?" Otaku's brows draw together. "You two are shugenja--" as far as she knows, Hoto-Hori is as much a human priest as Satsuki, or indeed possibly more so "--can we find these riders somehow, and separate them from their, er... mounts?"

Well, that sounded quite wrong, but she can't help it if her mind naturally extends the 'riding' metaphor in the direction most natural to her, can she?

"Is there a way? Or must we trap anyone they've possessed in with these beast totems, too?"

She drums her fingers on the cantle of the saddle she's using as a seat. "Kaiu Tai-san used a spell to look into the past of that note. She said there was little to see, but she saw what looked like a woman's hands."

[Makime]

Makime's frown deepened, "I spoke to Chouri this morning. With Anjing. She lied to us about the nature of the festival and the attacks last night. I couldn't quite pin her down however and she used my blunt questioning as an excuse to take offense. Also our 'liaison' is definitely compromised. I am glad Lady Anjing was there to keep the man busy. Regardless when she was dancing around the truth I could tell. Chouri is a masterful liar."

The Lioness crossed her arms, "...I am not saying this lines up with the Harbinger, but it is very odd."

[Anjing]

"She was in pain when questioned, pain in the head. It sounded like what Ayako described."

Anjing looks troubled.
"I had a hunch and from her expression, well, I don't wish to put the cart before the horse. But there is no reason she could not be possessed as well. And that Wu boy in the house with her, it has me worried."

Looking at the shugenja. "We need a way to find out if someone is being ridden and fast. Then we need to start testing. People are dying as we wait."

[Togashi Satsuki]

She bowed her head slightly. "I'm afraid I'm no expert on magic that will cast out spirits possessing people, or divine if they are. At best, we'd have to be alert to mannerisms that would reveal the truth."

"So a woman who can write is what we are looking for. And Chouri is acting suspiciously," Satsuki nodded, acknowledging Makime's sharp senses. That much she had learned traveling with the woman. "If she is possessed though, she is a victim and if possible should be saved. If she's not though..." The rest went without saying.

It took her a moment to register that the Wu boy, the liaison the others were talking about, was Wu Zhe. Then she recalled Sora's note that he'd been appointed liaison with the village. "I know Wu Zhe from the winter court five years ago. He was a skilled diplomat then, and I saw him here on the first day when Shinsei spoke to those who'd traveled to this place. If it's true that he's living with her, then he doesn't seem like an impartial go-between... though that's not easy to accomplish given the scenario we're in." Satsuki frowned, thinking. "It could be possibility that if something is controlling Chouri, it could have taken a hold of him too. He's part of my clan - that makes him my kin and family even if not by name or blood. If he can be saved from evil, I must do what's in my power."

The young woman took a deep breath. "I would recommend that any of you speak with Haka Tae-soo. He's not staying in camp with us, but at this point I think it should be stressed to him that for his safety he should join us. Safety in numbers and all. But he's a skilled water shugenja, who seems eager to help restore the spiritual imbalance here. Perhaps his talent with the water kami will provide a way to divine or purify those being ridden by a demon? Water has the properties of seeing truths, as well as healing and washing away corruption in ways earth can't."

[Makime]

Makime's frown deepened, "Chouri can write. She said as much to me. Read and write, when she was making use of the Emperor's libraries to find this village."

"I leave the matter of your kin in your care, but for the moment assume anything spoken to him will be relayed to Chouri in short order." She let out a bitter chuckle. "I wonder if we can use the fortifications to keep things in instead of out of the manor."

[Anjing]

The young woman took a deep breath. "I would recommend that any of you speak with Haka Tae-soo. He's not staying in camp with us, but at this point I think it should be stressed to him that for his safety he should join us. Safety in numbers and all. But he's a skilled water shugenja, who seems eager to help restore the spiritual imbalance here. Perhaps his talent with the water kami will provide a way to divine or purify those being ridden by a demon? Water has the properties of seeing truths, as well as healing and washing away corruption in ways earth can't."

"Oh, the polite boy? Tssk, imagine simply making your own camp elsewhere, some peoples' children."
Anjing points at a passing warrior.
"You, go fetch the Tae-soo boy of the Hakka family from the river."
She glares sufficiently to get her point across as the messenger scampers off.

"There we go, problem solved."

[Togashi Satsuki]

Satsuki nodded. "Yes, Lady Makime. I'll keep that in mind."

Maybe this was why Wu Zhe hadn't sought out any of the other Dragon, like Ranmaru, Shang, or herself? Was he afraid they'd notice something amiss?


-----------

OOC: Technically casting this a bit later, but throwing the roll here to show that it does happen in the timeslot before the moon rises. IC chain and all that.

D4 LA Casting Earth's Touch to increase Willpower. +1k0 Dutiful Disciple, +1k0 Nadare's Insight. 3 raises for Duration so it can last when moonrises. | 7k3 ⇒ 34 (TN: 25)

[Akodo Kenji]

Kenji arrived at the scene a bit too late to hear the majority of the conversation, but then he'd been a bit busy.

Stopping a small distance from the group, he waited until summoned to come any closer. His straw cloak servings its purpose to keep the majority of thecrain off.

[Matsu]

The young woman took a deep breath. "I would recommend that any of you speak with Haka Tae-soo. He's not staying in camp with us, but at this point I think it should be stressed to him that for his safety he should join us. Safety in numbers and all. But he's a skilled water shugenja, who seems eager to help restore the spiritual imbalance here. Perhaps his talent with the water kami will provide a way to divine or purify those being ridden by a demon? Water has the properties of seeing truths, as well as healing and washing away corruption in ways earth can't."

"Oh, the polite boy? Tssk, imagine simply making your own camp elsewhere, some peoples' children."
Anjing points at a passing warrior.
"You, go fetch the Tae-soo boy of the Hakka family from the river."
She glares sufficiently to get her point across as the messenger scampers off.

"There we go, problem solved."

Matsu found herself with stars in her eyes, with the ease that the Lady Ainjing took to delegating and getting things done. She still found it somewhat odd to do so off the battlefield.

But seeing this display? She had something to strive for.

[Anjing]

Kenji arrived at the scene a bit too late to hear the majority of the conversation, but then he'd been a bit busy.

Stopping a small distance from the group, he waited until summoned to come any closer. His straw cloak servings its purpose to keep the majority of thecrain off.

"Kenji, don't just stand around, you'll get your death of cold."
She beckons to the Lion.
"Come, you have the look of someone with something important on his mind."

[Akodo Kenji]

Kenji nodded and made his way closer, standing in the rain wasn't a favorite, but you did what you had to do.

"I just came to say I managed to track Shinsei through the rain for a good while. He traveled up the hill towards the top and into whatever lies up past the arches." The lion offered after he took the time to remove his cloak.

"That's as far as I could get though."

[Makime]

"I see." Makime nodded and looked back to the others. "The shrine was sealed was it not?"

Looking back to Kenji, "Any idea if we can enter it now? I assume any guards were unable to stop Shinsei."

[Akodo Kenji]

"No. there was no way to enter that I could find, though people more knowledgeable than I in mystical matters might have a better shot of it." Kenji replied.

"And as you said no one there was able to stop him, or at least as far as I could tell."

[Makime]

"I don't know what is in there, but I suspect it is nothing good. These people have misled us on the nature of their ritual, have been from the beginning I wager." Makime pauses and shakes her head, "Or I should say at least some of them have. A few are probably just desperate fools looking for an safety in the growing storm."

"...I think at the very least it should be watched. Considering what the monk was able to do this morning, watched is all I expect. Find a runner to observe and warn." For a brief moment the anger she has keep concealed flares out, "BISHAMON'S BALLS!"

Calming herself she continues, "It all collapses at once, I fear we are approaching the crucial moment and with far too little time yet much to do. Someone is going to have to tell those meddl..." She glances at the Yuzuru, "The Imperials what is going on. And by someone I mean me."

[Akodo Kenji]

"I don't mind keeping an eye on thing in case the... Monk decides to slink out." Kenji offered, deciding at the last minute to not call him the Donkey, even though he now understood why so many seemed to name him so.

"I don't plan on attending any further gatherings these villagers hold, and other then the tasks assigned to me I have few other ways to spend my time." He'd offer to visit the Imperials as well, but there seemed little reason to offer. She'd tell him if he was needed.

[Anjing]

Mildly. "Makime, language. Even if I agree in spirit."

Anjing listens to Kenji's report with her brow slightly furrowed.
"Hmmm, so he's fled where we can't yet follow. Very well, join me tomorrow morning, we can attempt to lure him out. There is no reason to simply wait to long as other options exist. Make sure to bring your weapons and armour."

[Makime]

"These days have worn on me." Makime frowns, "I'll have a few more silver hairs by the time it is through."

She turns to Anjing, "Don't get yourself killed. If he proves too much fall back and see if you can lure him to a larger fight."

[Otaku]

Otaku speaks softly, turning slightly toward Makime as the older daimyo brings up meddling somebodies-or-other. "Jiyo Sora is my stepfather's old comrade. I should pay my respects in any case, if you can abide company."

As for Anjing's plan for the morrow... she nods. What else can they do but try to subdue this monster that has made off with the little teacher? They can't just leave him in there.

snip

She purses her lips. "Matsu-san, there's one other thing I meant to speak of to you. A smaller thing, about your clansman Hisomu Reo."

[Matsu]

"Should I be mended, I would be willing to join you, Lady Anjing." She stood a bit straighter, though the healing throughout the day has had a restorative effect, she was still quite sore.

"I owe him a round two."

Turning to face Otaku, she raised an eyebrow, "Yes, Lady Otaku? He's... He's odd, I know."

[Otaku]

Turning to face Otaku, she raised an eyebrow, "Yes, Lady Otaku? He's... He's odd, I know."

"..."

Otaku can only nod in agreement with that.

"He came with us out to the cavern this morning. Very eager to see it all." Otaku half-shrugs one shoulder. "Very eager to start digging it up, too. Even once the shugenja and the little Nezumi found it was all corrupted." She opens her hands palm-up with a somewhat apologetic expression. "I'm sure he means well, but he seemed... tempted by the stuff. I'm not sure why. And so it worried me."