Switching to a more agressive stance as he finally saw an opening to strike in Gyatso flung himself into a full attack, bringing the stave cracking down sharply.

[Private to GM: 27 on dice roller but I'm switching to Full Attack using the free raises to actually connect with him. Damage roll is 33. That should help.]

With the Moto going high, Satoru crouches low pushing his weight onto the front of his left foot, kicks hard with his right, aiming for the 'Daidoji's' ankle.

[Private to GM: 12:40, Today: Satoru rolled 35 using 6d10+10, rerolling max with rolls of 1,6,8,2,7,1. full unrmd atk.
12:46, Today: Satoru rolled 14 using 4d10, dropping the 3 lowest rolls, rerolling max with rolls of (10+4)14,(10+2)12,9,(10+3)13. damage.
35 to hit
14 damage. Yay Explosion!!]

Moto Gyatso and Satoru's coordinated attack renders Daidoji Macchi unconscious even as Daidoji Mari and Daidoji Kanna penetrate Doji Kasarugi's defenses, causing him serious bodily harm.  Bloodied but unbowed, the governor of Toshi Ranbo stands firm, even as he readies himself for death, but Mari and Kanna turn to face the new threat posed by Gyatso and Satoru.


Enemy Initiative 16 action taken
Daidoji Mari TNtbH 20 (attack)
Daidoji Macchi out
Daidoji Kanna TNtbH 20 (attack)
This message was last edited by the GM at 17:48, Sat 30 Aug 2008.

Still flying in agressively Gyatso didn't even break stride stepping over the comatose form before him his eyes actually seeming to glow. Things like this here, this sort of an attack upon his host, the outright arrogance of the fools. Hefting high his stave he came striking in hard, calling upon inner reserves to strike as hard as he was able at Kanna.

[Private to GM: Full attack again. Using a Void point on the attack roll since I'm going for more damage with my full attack. 25 on the dice roll will do me nicely.Unfortunately even rolling 10 dice I get no 10s and have to settle for an impressive 25 damage. Still worth it...Wait a tick did I get that wrong? Balls I did. I went in with three raises for Full Attack not two and I forgot it's +1k1 for two raises. I'll try again, sorry bout that. That nets me a higher 33 damage.]

Satoru pressed onwards, seeing his master's wounds.

A voice in his head cautioned killing the assailants as they may have information, but the fury of the dishonor silenced the voice as Satoru's fist plunged past Amri's defenses, striking him in the chest.

[Private to GM: 13:48, Today: Satoru rolled 30 using 6d10+10, dropping the 3 lowest rolls, rerolling max with rolls of 7,5,4,8,2,1. Full attack.
13:48, Today: Satoru rolled 5 using 4d10, dropping the 3 lowest rolls, rerolling max with rolls of 2,2,5,4. damage.

PS have I met these men, were they too be trusted or are they strangers to me?]

Kanna staggers backwards, stunned by the force of Moto Gyatso's blow.  Unable to muster up a retaliatory strike, she puts all her efforts into defense.  Mari, in comparison, is hardly fazed by Satoru's attack, and moves to strike back with all of her strength.

Enemy Initiative 16 action taken
Daidoji Mari TNtbH 10 (full attack)
Daidoji Kanna TNtbH 24 (full defense)

Satoru takes 40 wounds
[Private to Satoru: yes, these three are known to you; they've been by Doji Kasarugi's side as yojimbo for years
I'm using my executive GM powers to fudge that roll so you don't die, sorry about that; I was sort of experimenting with the damage a typical bushi could do with a scimitar and full attack options...next time I'll know better ^_^;;;]
This message was last edited by the GM at 03:53, Fri 05 Sept 2008.

"Switch" Speaking only briefly Gyatso changed his strike to target the other opponent, aiming to strike him down to a weakened state also.

[Private to GM: OC - Quick point. Full attack grants two free raises to attack but gives three to anyone who attacks you. So the TN to be hit the enemy in full attack should be down to 5. Lots of raises on this attack, still in full attack. Heck I'll use all the free raises granted to his TN to be hit goes back to 20 which I make (barely) and all those nice nice raises will go into more damage for a total of +3k2. Damage comes to 35. Not great but hey ho. Should help.]

Satoru felt his body go heavy as Mari's blow took it's physical toll. It did nothing to his emotional resolve however. With one last blaze of determination, Satoru momentarily forgot his physical state and fired his right palm forward at the traitorous Daidoji.

[Private to GM: A Void Point Spent (last one) to forgo wound penalties this turn.
Maintain full attack against D. Mari. Raises go to Damage rather than a bonus to hit.
11:14, Today: Satoru rolled 28 using 6d10, dropping the 3 lowest rolls, rerolling max with rolls of 1,3,3,8,2,(10+7)17. Full attack.
11:15, Today: Satoru rolled 14 using 5d10, dropping the 3 lowest rolls, rerolling max with rolls of 7,7,4,2,1. damage with two raises for +1k1.
And then I pass out]

Moto Gyatso's summoned staff slams solidly into Mari's left kidney as Satoru's palm strike pummels her right.  The Daidoji bushi coughs once, then collapses in a heap.

Daidoji Kanna, seeing that her situation is hopeless, turns her blade against herself.  "You have doomed Toshi Ranbo, Satoru-san," she curses with her last breath, "victory requires sacrifices...now we are doomed because you could not accept them."

Seeing the survivor turn their blade against themself Gyatso curses but now is not the time for regrets. Hopefully one of the others still lived. More important now was the health of Kasarugi, and Gyatso stepped forward to check on hi hosts health.

Satoru wishes to retort but can only fall to his knees as adrenaline loses its effects and Satoru's injuries take their full toll. You know nothing of sacrifice, traitor, are his last thoughts before embracing unconsciousness.
[Private to Kaze no Kage; Moto Gyatso: Assuming that I do in fact fall unconscious here since... wow I am hurting.]

OC - Wait a tick GM. Satoru is unconscious. I presume that Kasarugi is also right? If so I think I my just stabalise him. Interrogations are so much easier if almost everyone around you is comatose.
[Private to Satoru: Yeah I noticed. You got the raw end of the damage rolls this time. I, curse my hide, came through smelling of roses. On the other hand I also now get to jump up and down on survivors for info.]

OOC:  I'm going to fudge things a bit, Satoru, you don't have to be unconscious if you don't want to be, you won't be able to be in combat but you'll still be able to talk ^_^

"I will live, Moto-san," Doji Kasarugi rasps, sheathing his sword and putting his hand to his wounds, "see to Satoru-san first and then to the yojimbo--we must know why they did this..." The Toshi Ranbo daimyo trails off as his door slides open once again.

A young courtier dressed in formal robes stands in the doorway.  They are brown, with the orange and red of the Phoenix Clan, and bear the mons of both the Asako family and the Asako Courtier school.  A wakazashi sits in a sheath in his obi, unaccompanied by a katana.  At first he seems unremarkable, but oddities in his features quickly become apparent.  His skin is just a little darker than that of a typical Rokugani, which might suggest time spent in the sun, but it is also accompanied by features which seem sharp enough to be exotic.  His gold eyes - as much like a wolf's or a cat's as a man's - are rounded.  Not so much as a Gaijin might sport, but definitely enough to make him seem unusual for a Rokugani.  Similarly, he bears long facial hair in a typical Rokugani style, but longer, and more abundant than is common.

The man's respectful, humble demeanour on first opening the door shifts abruptly to shock as his downcast eyes take in the crimson spattered across the floor.  "By the Bright Lady," he whispers as his gaze travels upwards and across the room.  "Doji-sama?"  He intakes air sharply, and turns his gaze down the hall.  "Guards!" he shouts, calling urgently as he rushes inside to see to the daimyo, trying as best he can to avoid contact with the blood.  He bows quickly but deeply as he comes before the daimyo.  "Doji-sama, I am Asako Suleiman.  I have studied the medicinal arts with my Clan.  May I tend your wounds?"
This message was last edited by the player at 03:32, Thu 18 Sept 2008.

"Yes sir." Kneeling beside the other man Gyatso snaps upwards in an offensive stance as the latest arrival enters the room. Seeing he intends no harm he glances over the man a couple of times before squatting once more, keeping an eye on the Phoenix. Drawing upon the water kami still stirring in the area he invoked their healing upon Satoru.


OC - Invoking Path to Inner Peace with one raise. Easily make the TN with a roll of 33 and cure 25 wounds.

Satoru came to and found himself startled by the sudden appearance of a Phoenix in the shrine. "You have my gratitude, Ki-rin-san, for many things." Satoru stood up and quickly looked to his Lord and how he was doing. He wanted to ask his Lord what the yojimbo meant by sacrifice, but held his tongue due to the presence of the Unicorn & Phoenix. "What would you have of me, Doji-sama?"
This message was last edited by the player at 19:15, Thu 18 Sept 2008.

Assured that his ally in the fight was recovered Gyatso wasted no time heading for the survivor, tanto already in hand. Looking down at him with unconcealed disdain Gyatso first kicked the man's weapons to one side before kneeling by him to check his state of health.

[Private to GM: OC - 25 On medicine to check his state of health.]

"Yes, Asako-san," Doji Kasarugi replies to the newcomer before turning to the monk, "just stay with me Satoru.  There must be at least one person with me that I may trust without question."

OOC:  we'll just fast forward the three rounds for that heal check ^_^
[Private to Moto Gyatso: the survivor is no longer breathing and when you turn her over, her face is completely featureless]

Asako Suleiman bows quickly, and reaches into a satchel at his side.  From within he draws a medicine kit, and sets about applying paste, sewing, and then bandaging the daimyo's wounds.  He is silent as he works, moving his fingers with grace and precision.  Clearly an expert, it takes mere minutes before the wounds are seen to.  The worst of the damage seems to be taken care of.  "There, Doji-sama.  That should see you through for the moment, though I would like to look at it again tomorrow."

Suleiman puts his equipment away and stands, offering a bow each to the monk and the shugenja, but he says nothing more.


OOC:  Healed 18 wounds with Medicine.
This message was last edited by the player at 04:01, Fri 19 Sept 2008.

"The ancestors curse it! This really is a worse matter than I thought." Rolling the body over and stepping away from it Gyatso shook his head in annoyance. "Dead. And worse than that changed. Some sort of foul taint is at work ere I am sure of it."

"Changed?" the Phoenix repeats before he can rein in his reaction.  "Please forgive my impertinence, but I beg you indulge me: how have they changed?"  Suleiman's rounded eyes light up with intellectual hunger.  He knows of a number of ways this could be so, and each is fascinating in its own right.  Yet few make for comforting thoughts...

Satoru stepped over and glanced at the body that had changed, wanting to gain his own perspective on the occurence.

As Satoru and Asako Suleiman approach the inert form of the traitorous Daidoji yojimbo, they can see that her features are no longer those of Daidoji Kanna,  Iin fact, she no longer has any features whatsoever--her face is as smooth as an egg.

“What is it?” Daidoji Kasarugi asks, coming over to investigate, “by the Fortunes!” he exclaims upon catching sight of the featureless face, “what is going on here?!”

The Phoenix kneels on his haunches some three feet from the corpse, staring at it in equal measures interest and disgust.  His brow furrows as he enters deep thought, and he attempts to recall the most obscure and secret of his knowledge.

[Private to Kaze no Kage: I'm making a Lore: Ashalan roll to see if I can tell anything about the Lying Darkness, assuming this is related to that.

19:13, Today: Asako Suleiman rolled 56 using 5d10+19, dropping the lowest dice only, rerolling max with rolls of 9,(10+1)11,8,8,9.

That was my best roll (of 4 attempts, allowed thanks to my School Technique).  I went for two Raises, so the TN would have been +10 to whatever it would have started at normally.  Additionally, these are effectively doubled, and I have a Free Raise, for a total of 5 Raises - if I made the TN.  Perhaps more, if I made it by enough for your House Rule to come into effect.]

"What abhorent viper have we been clutching to our breast these years? What creature has no face?" Satoru exclaimed.